Precious
In Precious, adapted from Sapphire’s Rush, we witness a cyclically brutal life reimagined through the genius, emotional power of the protagonist, Claireece "Precious" Jones. After being transferred to an alternative school following her second pregnancy by her father, Precious learns not just to read, but to express herself internally and externally despite the daily beatings and abuse by her mother. Her resiliency in the toughest of circumstances represents a greater sense of hope for those who have been forgotten and neglected by their community.
Image 1: Precious speaks in class for the first time, one of the many firsts she will experience within her new classroom.
Image 2: Precious' mother, Mary, recounts to their social worker the history of sexual abuse Precious suffered at the hands of her father.
Significance:
Precious uses extremely graphic and difficult situations to force the audience to face the real and present consequences of systematic racism in schools, poverty, and generational trauma. Aesthetics such as sound, color, and camera work, place you into the life of Precious, encouraging you to feel her character in a deeper way, and in turn appreciate the struggles she overcame by herself. The story takes place in 1982 Harlem, in the midst of the AIDS epidemic, contributing to the plight of the circumstances. The film was directed by Lee Daniels, someone who related to the story as he experienced poverty and severe abuse as a child, later living through the AIDS crisis during his time as a theatre director in New York City. His personal experience is felt in the film as its masterful empathy engages the audience with not just the characters and story, but the overarching meaning of hope.
Discussion Questions:
1. How might Lee Daniels' personal experiences influence his adaptation?
2. How do you think Precious' relationship with her mother will influence her own perception of motherhood?
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