La Haine

Synopsis

Exam Board: AQA, Edexcel & Eduqas
Level: AS/A-level
Subject: Modern Languages
First Teaching: September 2016
First Exam: June 2017

Film analysis made easy. Build your students' confidence in their language abilities and help them develop the skills needed to critique their chosen work: putting it into context, understanding the themes and director's technique, as well as specialist terminology.

Breaking down each scene, character and theme in La Haine (Hate), this accessible guide will enable your students to understand the historical and social context of the film and give them the critical and language skills needed to write a successful essay.

- Strengthen language skills with relevant grammar, vocab and writing exercises throughout
- Aim for top marks by building a bank of textual examples and quotes to enhance exam response
- Build confidence with knowledge-check questions at the end of every chapter
- Revise effectively with pages of essential vocabulary and key mind maps throughout
- Feel prepared for exams with advice on how to write an essay, plus sample essay questions, two levels of model answers and examiner commentary

Summary

Chapter 1: The Hatred

* Introduces the three main characters: Vinz, Saïd, and Hubert.
* Vinz, consumed by rage after the police shooting of his brother, incites violence against the police.
* Saïd, more cautious and pragmatic, tries to calm Vinz down but is met with resistance.
* The group encounters a group of police officers and a tense standoff ensues.

Chapter 2: The Law

* The police pursue Vinz and his friends, leading to a chase and several violent encounters.
* The police demonstrate their excessive force and disregard for the lives of the young men.
* The characters discuss the systemic racism and injustice they face from the police and the institutions of power.

Chapter 3: The Business

* Vinz and his friends attempt to rob a convenience store to raise money for their resistance.
* The robbery goes awry, resulting in the death of a police officer.
* The characters are forced to confront the consequences of their actions and the potential for retaliation from the police.

Chapter 4: The Sorrow

* The characters are haunted by the death of the police officer and the guilt of their own role in it.
* They reflect on the futility of violence and the cycle of hatred that they are trapped in.
* The group decides to attend the funeral of the officer, a gesture of reconciliation that is met with mixed reactions.

Chapter 5: The Light

* In a symbolic scene, Vinz, Saïd, and Hubert are seen emerging from the darkness and walking towards a brighter future.
* They vow to break the cycle of hatred and violence and to seek justice and equality through peaceful means.

Real Example:

The scene in Chapter 2 where Vinz and his friends encounter the police officers illustrates the excessive force and disregard for the lives of young people that they face from the police. The police officers aggressively pursue the group, firing rubber bullets and tear gas, and even beating one of them with a baton. This scene highlights the systemic racism and injustice that the characters are victims of, as well as the impunity with which the police often operate in underprivileged communities.