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Rania Ibrahim
English 1020
Project 2
October 15, 2008
Blood Diamonds
“In America, it's bling bling. But out here it’s bling BANG” (Blood Diamond). This
quote from the movie Blood Diamond directed by Edward Zwick represents the whole
movie right off the bat. Today in America, diamonds are greatly valued and whoever has
diamonds are looked upon as more superior than others who don’t. The word “BANG” is
most important in this quote because in Africa, where the movie takes place, a gunshot
represents the death of one person who dies to get a diamond. This quote alone shows
how the world is more into material possessions than the sake of others. Along with
materialism, racism also played a major role in this film.
The movie begins with a South African family consisting of a man, named
Soloman, and his wife and their three kids. The oldest child was a boy who had a dream
to become a doctor. One day Soloman was captured by the rebels of his city and was
sent to work in the diamond mines. While his family was sent to a refugee camp, except
for his son who was taken by the rebels and turned into a child soldier. At the diamond
mine Soloman finds a huge pink diamond but quickly buries it before the commandment
of the rebel sees it. Soon after finding the diamond the private government army attacks
them and Soloman was imprisoned. In prison the commandment tells of the pink
diamond that Soloman has found, overhearing the talk of a huge pink diamond was
mercenary smuggler Danny Archer. He helps to get Soloman out of prison so he can
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help him find the diamond. Archer knows a diamond like this is a once-in-a-lifetime find,
valuable enough to be his ticket out of Africa and away from the cycle of violence and
corruption in which he has been a willing player. Archer helps get Soloman out of jail
and Soloman proposes the idea that he will give him the diamond for the return of his
family. On the way of retrieving the diamond they meet an American journalist named
Maddy Bowen. She was in Africa because she wanted to uncover the truth of the blood
diamonds, and their cause for the civil war and how profits of diamonds are chosen over
peoples’ lives. She seeks out Archers help for her article because he knows how the
blood diamond business works. She also helps Soloman find his family. In return for
Archer helping her she promised to help them retrieve the diamond. As they were
traveling on foot toward the mining camp near the river valley, where Soloman buried
the diamond, they came across the rebels. There they found Dia, Soloman’s lost son
who didn’t even recognize him; the rebels turned him into one of them. Right before the
South African private army attacked the mine, Dia was very close to killing his own
father. During the attack, Archer saves Dia and they flee to retrieve the diamond. Upon
retrieving the diamond Archer takes it and keeps it with him. As they were fleeing Archer
realizes he has been shot, so he gives the diamond to Soloman and tells him to leave
him behind and find his family. Archer dies and Soloman flees and with his son and is
reunited with his family. At the end Maddy helps him sell the diamond and she publishes
her article on “blood diamonds” and Solomans journey.
Blood Diamond is a movie with a message to tell all. Today most people are
more into their clothes, cars, jewelry and material possessions rather than the important
issues of the world. In our society materialistic items have seemed to rule ones selfish
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life and that is the cause for the ignorance of current world issues. There is so much
going on in the world such as, war, poverty, political issues and environmental issues,
but much of our society doesn’t seem to care. The movie shows how materialistic items
such as diamonds are the reason behind the civil war and the deaths of thousands.
Money is the main influence behind most of the negative problems in the world today. In
the movie a family who had high hopes for their future was separated because of the
need for rich Americans to obtain the perfect wedding ring. As Archer states “Who do
you think buys these diamonds that I bring out? Dreamy American girls who want a
storybook wedding and a big shiny rock”. (Blood Diamond) This shows how Americans
don’t care about the origin of their expensive desires but rather obtaining it. Instead of
eliminating these world issues that the blood diamonds are causing, demand for
diamonds is increasing and people are willing to go to any extent to own them.
A child is expected to have their own dreams and live their own life. However in
this movie, Dia was separated from his family and his mentality was changed from a
young, innocent child to a mandated villain. Not only did the rebels kidnap the child,
they also took away his dream. Dia had a dream to become a doctor but his dream was
shattered when the rebels kidnapped him. They brainwashed him so much that he even
forgot his own father. When Soloman says “Dia it is me, your father. Let's go”, Dia says
“I don't know you! Fisherman!” (Blood Diamond). This quote depicts how brainwashed
Dia really was; toward the end of the movie Dia almost killed his own father. The movie
ends with a slide that states “There are still 200,000 child soldiers in Africa”. This fact
alone shows how this is still an ongoing issue that needs to be resolved. The future
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rests in the hands of present day children and since this problem still exists, it shows
how the future may turn out.
Racism also plays a huge role in this movie. It shows how the white population
has an upper hand in today’s world. Whites seem to believe that racial injustice allows
them to have control over others actions. The whites think they are more superior, like
Archer states “I know people, white people, without me your just another black man in
Africa, alright?” By this statement alone this proves how white people know of the
power they have over the blacks and how they are willing to abuse it. In the beginning of
the movie Archer was only compromising with Soloman for his own personal benefit. As
the movie goes on Archer changes and learns that there is more to life than his own
desires. He learns to consider others feelings and needs and to put others first. He used
to live for himself but now his perspective on life has changed. Archer goes from
wanting to steal the diamond from Soloman, to sacrificing his life for Soloman and his
family. The relationship between Soloman and Archer shows how racism has changed
for the better and continues to do so.
A movie like Blood Diamond was created to raise awareness to the world of how
there are more important issues than ones selfish need for material possession. This
movie shows how several problems such as racism and materialism are being
influenced today. The message that was attempted by Edward Zwick was successfully
sent across in this motion picture. Images have a way of symbolizing a deeper meaning
than words can describe. An author can write a whole book about how blood diamonds
are a problem, but when one actually sees the actions committed in finding these
diamonds, their perspective can dramatically change. The conflict about blood
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diamonds has been going on for years, one may only wonder if it will ever come to an
end.
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Bibliography
Zwick, Edward, dir. Blood Diamond. 2006. DVD. Warner Bros. Pictures.