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The Learning Tree
- 194 statements
- 37 feature instances
- 8 referencing feature instances
The Learning Tree | type |
TVTItem | |
The Learning Tree | label |
The Learning Tree | |
The Learning Tree | page |
TheLearningTree | |
The Learning Tree | comment |
Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_1'); })The Learning Tree is a 1969 coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Gordon Parks, adapted from his own semi-autobiographical 1963 novel about his life growing up in 1920s Kansas.Newt Winger (Kyle Johnson) is a black teenager growing up in Cherokee Flats, Kansas some time between 1923 and 1929.note Note the Calvin Coolidge photo in the courthouse. Cherokee Flats has a fairly sizeable black community, and Newt's family is doing fairly well for themselves, owning their own farm. However, Newt still has to deal with racism and prejudice in the white community, like the condescending schoolteacher who tells him not to bother with college prep courses but to study to be a railroad porter. Or the viciously racist Sheriff Kirky (Dana Elcar), who believes he has N-Word Privileges and has a habit of shooting black men In the Back.Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_2'); })Contrasted with Newt is Marcus Savage (Alex Clarke), who is quite a bit more angry than Newt, and with reason. Unlike Newt's supportive, relatively prosperous two-parent home, Marcus lives with his alcoholic, shiftless father Booker (Richard Ward) in a shack, his mother having departed for parts unknown. One day, Newt, Marcus, and some of the other black teenage boys in town go to steal some apples from the orchard of local farmer Jake Kiner (George Mitchell). Unfortunately, Kiner catches them in the act and begins whipping Marcus. Marcus rips the whip out of Kiner's hand and beats him with it. This sets in motion a tragic chain of events.Although African-Americans had been making movies for decades (see Within Our Gates, 1920), Gordon Parks was the first black director to be hired by one of the major Hollywood studios. He went on to direct the blaxploitation classic Shaft. The Learning Tree was one of the first 25 films admitted to the National Film Registry with the inaugural class of 1989.Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_3'); }) | |
The Learning Tree | fetched |
2021-10-12T06:08:27Z | |
The Learning Tree | parsed |
2021-10-12T06:08:27Z | |
The Learning Tree | processingComment |
Dropped link to CallBack: Not a Feature - ITEM | |
The Learning Tree | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
The Learning Tree / int_117b3429 | type |
A Taste of the Lash | |
The Learning Tree / int_117b3429 | comment |
A Taste of the Lash: Mr. Kiner busts out a whip and strikes Marcus after catching Marcus and the gang stealing apples. It backfires badly when Marcus seizes the whip and beats him with it. | |
The Learning Tree / int_117b3429 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_117b3429 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_117b3429 | |
The Learning Tree / int_12dd1d4c | type |
RapeAsDrama | |
The Learning Tree / int_12dd1d4c | comment |
Rape as Drama: The film was already pretty serious, but Arcella being a rape victim only ups the film tone of darkness. Newt initially getting blamed for said rape doesn't help matters. | |
The Learning Tree / int_12dd1d4c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_12dd1d4c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_12dd1d4c | |
The Learning Tree / int_18d15922 | type |
Title Drop | |
The Learning Tree / int_18d15922 | comment |
Title Drop: When Newt is talking about moving away. His mother says "Think of Cherokee Flats like that 'till the day you die. Let it be a learning tree." | |
The Learning Tree / int_18d15922 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_18d15922 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_18d15922 | |
The Learning Tree / int_1daa7fce | type |
In the Back | |
The Learning Tree / int_1daa7fce | comment |
In the Back: Sheriff Kirky, who is hunting for the boys after the attack on Mr. Kiner, finds them at the swimming hole. After Newt raises the alarm, poor Tuck, who was just playing dice, runs for it and is shot in the back by Kirky. And at the end, Marcus runs after knifing Newt, and is shot in the back by Kirky at the same location. | |
The Learning Tree / int_1daa7fce | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_1daa7fce | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_1daa7fce | |
The Learning Tree / int_22cf536c | type |
Chekhov's Gun | |
The Learning Tree / int_22cf536c | comment |
Chekhov's Gun: An actual gun. Marcus discovers one in the whorehouse where he's been hired to sweep up. Later, after finding out that Newt snitched on his father, who then killed himself, Marcus grabs that gun and goes after Newt. | |
The Learning Tree / int_22cf536c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_22cf536c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_22cf536c | |
The Learning Tree / int_2ceee1dc | type |
Head-Turning Beauty | |
The Learning Tree / int_2ceee1dc | comment |
Head-Turning Beauty: The curvaceous Mabel draws looks and inspires comments from most of the young black men in town. | |
The Learning Tree / int_2ceee1dc | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_2ceee1dc | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_2ceee1dc | |
The Learning Tree / int_389b0e | type |
Title Theme Tune | |
The Learning Tree / int_389b0e | comment |
Title Theme Tune: "The Learning Tree", written by Parks, plays over the opening credits. | |
The Learning Tree / int_389b0e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_389b0e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_389b0e | |
The Learning Tree / int_3cfdffd7 | type |
Angry Black Man | |
The Learning Tree / int_3cfdffd7 | comment |
Angry Black Man: Marcus. He's poor, his mother is gone, his father's an alcoholic, and he's a young black man in Kansas in the 1920s, so he has reason to be angry. | |
The Learning Tree / int_3cfdffd7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_3cfdffd7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_3cfdffd7 | |
The Learning Tree / int_40cc0c7e | type |
Bittersweet Ending | |
The Learning Tree / int_40cc0c7e | comment |
Bittersweet Ending: Newt's able to clear Silas' name in court. But Newt's mother dies at the end, and Marcus tried to shoot Newt after his (Marcus') dad commits suicide, and he ends up getting shot by Sheriff Kirky. | |
The Learning Tree / int_40cc0c7e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_40cc0c7e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_40cc0c7e | |
The Learning Tree / int_4781adbb | type |
Jerk with a Heart of Gold | |
The Learning Tree / int_4781adbb | comment |
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Marcus is seen attending Sarah Winger's funeral. This is later averted when he tries to shoot Newt after he indirectly took part in his (Marcus') father's suicide. | |
The Learning Tree / int_4781adbb | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_4781adbb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_4781adbb | |
The Learning Tree / int_47b152f9 | type |
Sexy Soaked Shirt | |
The Learning Tree / int_47b152f9 | comment |
Sexy Soaked Shirt: The voluptuous Mabel is guiding Newt to a stone barn during the tornado when the rain makes her dress cling to her body. She deflowers Newt after they get inside the barn. | |
The Learning Tree / int_47b152f9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_47b152f9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_47b152f9 | |
The Learning Tree / int_4b1afa0d | type |
Spiteful Spit | |
The Learning Tree / int_4b1afa0d | comment |
Spiteful Spit: Newt beats Marcus at an impromptu boxing match at the fair, winning a cash prize. Marcus spits at Newt when Newt tries to help him up. | |
The Learning Tree / int_4b1afa0d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_4b1afa0d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_4b1afa0d | |
The Learning Tree / int_4b242d7c | type |
Blind Black Guy | |
The Learning Tree / int_4b242d7c | comment |
Blind Black Guy: Newt's Uncle Rob, who was blinded years ago in some kind of explosion. Sure enough, Uncle Rob is the designated wise man and sage. | |
The Learning Tree / int_4b242d7c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_4b242d7c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_4b242d7c | |
The Learning Tree / int_53136954 | type |
Book Dumb | |
The Learning Tree / int_53136954 | comment |
Book Dumb: See Never Learned to Read | |
The Learning Tree / int_53136954 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_53136954 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_53136954 | |
The Learning Tree / int_5b565147 | type |
Meaningful Background Event | |
The Learning Tree / int_5b565147 | comment |
Meaningful Background Event: Newt is lying on his stomach on the ground, idly regarding an anthill, when the dark clouds above suddenly form a funnel cloud far away. A tornado then whips through the area. | |
The Learning Tree / int_5b565147 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_5b565147 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_5b565147 | |
The Learning Tree / int_67d722d8 | type |
A Storm Is Coming | |
The Learning Tree / int_67d722d8 | comment |
A Storm Is Coming: Not actually stated, but it's symbolic that the film opens with a tornado sweeping through town. | |
The Learning Tree / int_67d722d8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_67d722d8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_67d722d8 | |
The Learning Tree / int_680a5252 | type |
In the Future, Humans Will Be One Race | |
The Learning Tree / int_680a5252 | comment |
In the Future, Humans Will Be One Race: Blind Uncle Rob talks about the colors he can still see in his head, and muses that when all the colors of humanity have mixed, things may be better. | |
The Learning Tree / int_680a5252 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_680a5252 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_680a5252 | |
The Learning Tree / int_6d332aea | type |
Driven to Suicide | |
The Learning Tree / int_6d332aea | comment |
Driven to Suicide: Booker shoots himself in the courthouse with Sheriff Kirky's gun after being exposed as the murderer in court. | |
The Learning Tree / int_6d332aea | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_6d332aea | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_6d332aea | |
The Learning Tree / int_7e74d66f | type |
Politically Correct History | |
The Learning Tree / int_7e74d66f | comment |
Politically Correct History: To an extent. There are definitely some very racist people in Cherokee Flats. But there are also some unrealistically enlightened people, like the liberal high school principal who sides with Newt against his teacher, or the noble judge. Marcus serves a surprisingly short stint in jail, just six months, for badly beating a white man. And the school is integrated, which is surprising, considering the Real Life Brown vs. the Board of Education case was about a school in Kansas. No surprise, this was all studio mandated to make white audiences more comfortable, mandates which made Parks very angry. | |
The Learning Tree / int_7e74d66f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_7e74d66f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_7e74d66f | |
The Learning Tree / int_8cb01d0e | type |
Category Traitor | |
The Learning Tree / int_8cb01d0e | comment |
Category Traitor: Marcus calls the black preacher who comes to his cell and mouths platitudes about Jesus an Uncle Tom. | |
The Learning Tree / int_8cb01d0e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_8cb01d0e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_8cb01d0e | |
The Learning Tree / int_941896b | type |
Shaming the Mob | |
The Learning Tree / int_941896b | comment |
Shaming the Mob: After the cries of "kill the n***r" lead to Booker grabbing a gun and shooting himself in court, the judge gives the white people in the courtroom a scornful lecture about taking the law into their own hands. | |
The Learning Tree / int_941896b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_941896b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_941896b | |
The Learning Tree / int_9b06e314 | type |
Greater-Scope Villain | |
The Learning Tree / int_9b06e314 | comment |
Greater-Scope Villain: Mr. Hornsby, the previous principal of Newt's school, was stated to be a racist against blacks himself and was responsible for Miss Mc Clintock's hatred of black students and their exclusion from various school activities. | |
The Learning Tree / int_9b06e314 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_9b06e314 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_9b06e314 | |
The Learning Tree / int_9d61d1b0 | type |
Skinny Dipping | |
The Learning Tree / int_9d61d1b0 | comment |
Skinnydipping: Newt, Marcus, and their buddies like to swim in the river. | |
The Learning Tree / int_9d61d1b0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_9d61d1b0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_9d61d1b0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_a0eeac39 | type |
Odd Name Out | |
The Learning Tree / int_a0eeac39 | comment |
Odd Name Out: Newt's close compansions' names are Jappy, Skunk, Beansy and... Marcus. | |
The Learning Tree / int_a0eeac39 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_a0eeac39 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_a0eeac39 | |
The Learning Tree / int_a30c287 | type |
Good Parents | |
The Learning Tree / int_a30c287 | comment |
Good Parents: Sarah Winger is a caring and thoughtful mother to Newt who looks out for her family and thinks about her kids' best interests. She even cares about Marcus knowing about how unloved he is and doesn't want anything bad to happen to him. All these qualities makes her untimely death at the end even more depressing. | |
The Learning Tree / int_a30c287 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_a30c287 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_a30c287 | |
The Learning Tree / int_afc6df04 | type |
What You Are in the Dark | |
The Learning Tree / int_afc6df04 | comment |
What You Are in the Dark: Newt knows that Silas Newhall didn't kill Mr. Kiner—he was up in the hayloft, and saw Booker Savage beat Mr. Kiner to death after Kiner knocked Newhall out. In response to a guarded comment from Newt, his older brother said that it's good a black man didn't kill Kiner, citing another Kansas town where a black-on-white murder led to a lynching and the whites burning down the black neighborhood. Newt tells his story anyway. | |
The Learning Tree / int_afc6df04 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_afc6df04 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_afc6df04 | |
The Learning Tree / int_be009bbc | type |
Alliterative Name | |
The Learning Tree / int_be009bbc | comment |
Alliterative Name: Chauncey Cavanaugh | |
The Learning Tree / int_be009bbc | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_be009bbc | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_be009bbc | |
The Learning Tree / int_c27d3939 | type |
Soap Opera Disease | |
The Learning Tree / int_c27d3939 | comment |
Soap Opera Disease: Newt's mother dies of...something. | |
The Learning Tree / int_c27d3939 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_c27d3939 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_c27d3939 | |
The Learning Tree / int_c75df49a | type |
Shout-Out | |
The Learning Tree / int_c75df49a | comment |
Shout-Out: So... a film set in Kansas that begins with a giant tornado... Where have we seen that before? | |
The Learning Tree / int_c75df49a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_c75df49a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_c75df49a | |
The Learning Tree / int_d058677e | type |
Amusement Park | |
The Learning Tree / int_d058677e | comment |
Amusement Park: Newt and his gang are seen attending one where they participate in a boxing tournament. | |
The Learning Tree / int_d058677e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_d058677e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_d058677e | |
The Learning Tree / int_dca70c44 | type |
Reasonable Authority Figure | |
The Learning Tree / int_dca70c44 | comment |
Reasonable Authority Figure: Newt's white high school principal, who understands that black students are being judged and helps defend Newt's side. | |
The Learning Tree / int_dca70c44 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_dca70c44 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_dca70c44 | |
The Learning Tree / int_e9a3a1ed | type |
Never Learned to Read | |
The Learning Tree / int_e9a3a1ed | comment |
Never Learned to Read: Marcus's father Booker has to sign Marcus's parole papers with an X. | |
The Learning Tree / int_e9a3a1ed | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_e9a3a1ed | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_e9a3a1ed | |
The Learning Tree / int_eaf8c23a | type |
Conversation Cut | |
The Learning Tree / int_eaf8c23a | comment |
Conversation Cut: Newt's family is saying grace at dinner. Zoom in on Newt's hands, then cut to Newt's hands in prayer at church, as the reverend continues the prayer seamlessly. | |
The Learning Tree / int_eaf8c23a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_eaf8c23a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_eaf8c23a | |
The Learning Tree / int_ed503b22 | type |
Match Cut | |
The Learning Tree / int_ed503b22 | comment |
Match Cut: From the spots on the wings of a butterfly to Marcus' eyes. | |
The Learning Tree / int_ed503b22 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_ed503b22 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_ed503b22 | |
The Learning Tree / int_f7eda5d8 | type |
Snow Means Love | |
The Learning Tree / int_f7eda5d8 | comment |
Snow Means Love: Snow falls while Newt is taking pretty Arcella out on a date. | |
The Learning Tree / int_f7eda5d8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_f7eda5d8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_f7eda5d8 | |
The Learning Tree / int_fccd06b6 | type |
Beware the Nice Ones | |
The Learning Tree / int_fccd06b6 | comment |
Beware the Nice Ones: Mrs. Winger is one of the nicest people you could hope to meet, but she's not afraid to be stern when the time calls for it. | |
The Learning Tree / int_fccd06b6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree / int_fccd06b6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_fccd06b6 | |
The Learning Tree / int_name | type |
ItemName | |
The Learning Tree / int_name | comment |
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The Learning Tree / int_name | featureApplicability |
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The Learning Tree / int_name | featureConfidence |
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The Learning Tree | hasFeature |
The Learning Tree / int_name | |
The Learning Tree / int_name | itemName |
The Learning Tree |
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Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.