Why I Chose to Write a Drama About Bullying

1047 Words3 Pages

The idea of doing a drama specifically about bullying came from a personal experience and from watching a documentary on television about a young fourteen years old girl named Dawin-Marie Wesley, that committed suicide after being bullied and teased by three girls in her school. After reading and further researching about this sensitive subject, I decided that I wanted to focus my major on children that get bullied, but instead of having a tragic ending I determined to contain the happy ending narrative of a child that gets bullied but manages to defeat his bullies by having the help of a friend. Although this is a very sensitive subject to talk about due to the consequence that it has on people, I intend to portray this story in a way where the audience will understand that there are people who can help you if you find yourself in a bad situation such as being bullied just because you seem to be different from the rest.

31% of children experienced bullying by their peers during childhood, a further 7% were discriminated against and 14% were made to feel different or 'like an outsider'. 43% experienced at least one of these things during childhood.

(Cawson, P. et al. (2000) Child maltreatment in the United Kingdom: a study of the prevalence of child abuse and neglect. London: NSPCC. p.26.)

According to the NSPCC, 37,074 children calling ChildLine in 2005/2006 gave bullying as their main problem. Bullying can happen to anyone at any age. Being bullied at school, home or online might involve someone pushing you, hitting you, teasing you, talking about you or calling you names. No one has the right to hurt you or make you feel bad, and if you are being bullied you do not have to put up with it. If you have ever been bullied or...

... middle of paper ...

...xplain why, how and when did a situation happen and why did it end up being a bad situation. For example, the Filmmakers, Roberta McMillan and Ray Buffer, have clearly poured their heart and souls into the creation of Dawin Marie-Wesley story/documentary. In this story, the audience retraces the steps of a fourteen year old girl, and her decision to end her own life. This part of the story takes place during the first few scenes of the film in a heartbreaking countdown mode towards her suicide, by showing the events which led her to do so. This deeply empathetic film is made even more immersing through its light use of narration, while the filmmakers guide you through the story as if you are with them on the journey. The interview subjects speak with such a strong narrative voice that one can truly get caught up in the storytelling and identify with the emotions.

More about Why I Chose to Write a Drama About Bullying

Open Document