Questions to Guide Viewers of Gandhi
2. What country did India win independence from?
3. What is nonviolent civil disobedience?
4. What is a common misconception about civil disobedience?
5. What was the first thing that Gandhi used civil disobedience to protest ? In what country?
6. What is meant by western materialism?
7. Why did Gandhi's wife so object to cleaning the latrine? Explain this in terms of Indian social structure.
8. List the three provisions of the South African government pass regarding Indians?
9. When the South African government offered to repeal the act, what did it threaten to do instead?
10. On Gandhi's return to India, he said he supported the war effort. Which war?
11. After the war, what do Indians think should be theirs as a reward for supporting Great Britain's war effort?
12. What was the gist of Gandhi's speech before the Indian Congress after his tour of India?
13. Explain the problem/incident involving indigo.
14. Why does Gandhi tell Charlie to leave India when they meet in prison?
15. What were the results of the Amritsar massacre?
16. Why did the general order his men to open fire?
18. Explain the following quotation: English factories make the cloth that makes our poverty---Gandhi
19. Explain why wearing homespun garments became a symbol of Indian patriotism.
20. Discuss the following commonly held view: Without the British administration, India would be chaos.
21. Explain the following quotation: An eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind---Gandhi
22. What incident caused Gandhi to fast? What is the results of his fast?
24. Explain the following quotation: Non cooperation with evil is a duty---Gandhi.
25. On his march to the sea, Gandhi says that he, not the British, are in control. Explain.
26. Explain the symbolic and political import of making salt.
27. Explain the events that occurred after India gained independence up to when Gandhi was assassinated.
28. Why was Gandhi assassinated? By whom?
30. Discuss the concept of nonviolent civil disobedience. What is it. Describe specific incidents in which Gandhi used it. Explain the power of it. In what ways is it more powerful than guns? What are some of its draw backs, that is, in what circumstances won't it work? Explain.
I've successfully taught these concepts in conjunction with the film to (9th grade) students who have relatively little background. Younger students may need more instruction before viewing the film.
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction. The chain reaction of evil- hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars - must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation." - Martin Luther King Jr.
Links to other sites were added.
http://www.indianchild.com/mahatma_gandhi1.htm