Violence In Fernando Meirelles's 'Ciudade De Deus'

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Just as the Olympics were held in Brazil, we heard on the news the constant increase of violence in children, and the even higher increment in the organized crime events in this country. But few of us understand the cold, horrific, and the traumatic experience of living surrounded by violent children in organized crime gangs, as well as the characters of City of God. The director of the movie Fernando Meirelles purposely shows us the way in which young children in Brazil learn to become violent at a young age, eventually still young get involved in organized crime gangs and their drug business, as well as in the gangs’ battles over territory and power. The director succeeded in presenting his point of view by using a different variety of movie …show more content…

The story develops in Ciudade de Deus, one of the most dangerous favelas in Rio di Janeiro. Young Rocket narrates the events from his point of view due to the fact that he grew along the increment of violence and as many other kids of his generation became strongly involved in the organized crime gangs. By developing the story from Rocket’s point of view, the director is trying to give the viewers a primary view of someone who grew directly involved with the dangers of living in the favelas. By beginning the film in the scene when the main characters Rocket, Lil Z, and Benny as children witness how the Dynamic Duo begin to commit crimes allows the viewers to first witness the influences of violence that these kids have had since children. The way in which the Dynamic Duo talks with the small children after committing a robbery, truly demonstrates that these children were encouraged to become criminals. For example, after the Dynamic Duo robs the gas truck during the first scene from minute 6 to minute 9 they tell the three kids “This is how you will make money and survive, so watch and learn, and one day you guys will be the ones in charge of this business.”(City of God) The context of this first scene plays an important factor in the violent development of the children. The fact that we are taught all these events by Rocky permits the viewer to experience all kinds of influences these kids received as children. It is important that Rocky narrates the story because we are able to see first-hand the effects that violence had upon these children. It would have been a total difference, if the story would have been told from a foreign person point of view because we would not totally understand how the children get affected by violence. Seeing all the events from Rocky’s eyes allows the director to successfully demonstrate the way in which children

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