Running head: THE GOOD LIE: ART/EXPRESSION BREADTH
The Good Lie: Art/Expression Breadth
Kelly Tallent
LAS 45012– Global Issues in Liberal Arts
Professor Todd Holbert
Ottawa University
January 23, 2015
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THE GOOD LIE: ART/EXPRESSION BREADTH
Introduction
For the purpose of this essay, the film, The Good Lie, will be discussed as it relates to the
Art/Expression breadth. The movie is inspired by the 1983 civil war between the North and
South region of Sudan over religion and resources. Villages were destroyed, leaving thousands
of children orphaned. Many of them fled on foot across Africa to Ethiopia and Kenya in fouryear scope. Over a decade later, 3600 refugees, known as, “The Lost Boys of Sudan” were
relocated to the United States. This film is an illustration representing the adjustment of a new
culture for these refugees out of historical events.
The Good Lie: Film Analysis
The direction in this movie craftily portrayed the fear, death and grief of attacks made in
Sudan villages. One of the first scenes captures the emotion of a child finding out he lost his
mother to the invaders. Through the gunfire, smoke and screeching, the child yells in agony,
throwing himself to the ground while his siblings muffle his cry. This brings an instant empathy
for the loss between parent and child and equalizes us as individual souls, superseding language,
culture and geographic distinctions.
The film follows a group of six children made up of siblings and others from the tribe.
Though not all are blood related, they are bonded like brothers and sisters. The oldest brother is
considered Chief now. Through the journey of survival, they repossess and antelope from a pair
of cheetahs. The male and female stereotypes come through as the Chief tells the younger sister,
she must prepare it because “Girls prepare the food.” Human nature is also portrayed as two
brothers rival for position in an earlier scene; however, their integrity, loyalty, protectiveness and
respect for authority is inspirational. Although they start out as six, they lose one little brother to
sickness. It appears that losing one is like losing a limb. It is a great sorrow. Through other
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events in the story, they lose another sibling, but gain two “brothers” through a large group of
refugees they meet who were coming back from Ethiopia. Ultimately, they break away from the
larger group discerning that there was danger in the direction the group was going. Escaping
another slaughter, they move across the river, losing another sibling who was afraid to cross.
Compassion is always revealed as part of their nature as they give some of their limited
resources to an injured person. It seems inborn. A main point of the plot is when, Theo, the
oldest brother (chief over the group) gives himself up as a prisoner to divert attention from the
others. He tells a “good lie” as he claims to be lost from his people. This separates them, bumps
the next brother into the position of Chief and saves them from the gunmen. Those left in the
group make it to a refugee camp in Kenya, where they receive food, clothing and shelter for a
number of years until they are imported to the U.S. through the refugee program. Another
primary thread is shown as a copy of the Holy Bible was carried from the devastated village
throughout the journey. This was part of the molding of one of the “brothers” as he aspired to
serve in faith to God.
Without having any experience traveling to the African continent or exposure to those in
impoverished villages, I would not have anticipated all the transition it would take to move from
there to a U. S. city. Traveling on the jet and eating airplane food, for instance, one of the
siblings did not know what a pat of butter in a foil wrapper was. He put the whole thing in his
mouth. Their lifestyle was to eat what food they had with their fingers; so sitting aboard the
aircraft they ate their salmon likewise. It is easy to imagine the porridge-like food to be bland, so
eating seasoned food might be a shock to their taste buds.
The story continues to demonstrate the multiple cultural transitions the four make in
America. One difficulty they experience is another separation from their sister who cannot join
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them in Kansas City, but must be moved to Boston due to bureaucracy. This illustrates a
difference between cultures where our government decides the females are better off in foster
homes than the brothers she grew up with.
Not only do the brother reunite with their sister in later scenes, the finale brings in the
oldest brother who gave himself as a prisoner, whom they all believed dead. The younger
brother, who took the authority of Chief, went back to Sudan to retrieve him. Unable to break
through the governmental barriers, only one could return to America. The younger brother was
now able to repay the sacrifice and send his older brother to Kansas City with his identification.
It was another “good lie;” a good lie is an unselfish lie.
Incredibly touching on so many levels, this film artfully reaches across cultures in the
way that grips the spirit of brotherhood and sacrifice. It is a wonderful luxury in America that
most of us do not experience the kind of pain, separation and loss shown in the life of the
refugees. On the other hand, we miss some of the depth of character and gratitude those
circumstances bring. The bond of brother and sisterhood are not the typical bond we see in this
era of our culture. It closes with an African Proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you
want to go far, go together.”
Points of interest included the refugees curiosity of a woman without a husband to “take
care” of her, yet they were always respectful of their female guide and did not flinch at her
assertive leading. The story also reflected the difference between the complexity of the modern
world and the simplicity of undeveloped environments. There were scenes that reflected the
young men and their longing for the simplicity of visiting with the cows and gazing at the stars.
Another noteworthy topic is the unapologetic affection they showed one-another. It was
refreshing that they thanked God for pizza, the “The magical food,” and were extremely tickled
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about the joke, “Why did the chicken cross the road. The men held hands as they walked into a
field of cows together. The American farmer watching them says, “Man, I wish they wouldn’t do
that.” It reveals the difference in some of our cultures that suppress male affection.
Conclusion
The features of compassion in this film gave me new insights on humanity. It reinforces a
truth I continue to believe in; we are woven together with untaught characteristics of love and
servant hood and that we are designed to be inherently benevolent. This unites us one race.
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References
The Good lie [Motion picture]. (2014). Warner Home Video.
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