The Power of One (movie directed by John G. Avildsen)

Set in the 1950s, the movie is about PK, an English boy, and his strong desire to affect change, even in small actions, in the world. He was the only English boy in the African school where he studied. PK grew up a good man although he became an orphan in such a young age. I find PK’s character as very strong and determined since being an orphan and being different from the majority is not easy. Being in an apartheid- environment filled with prejudice and still being filled with hope, shows a lot of courage.

            Geel Piet’s (an inmate of who PK considered as second father) wisdom did not remain as pure words and put to waste. As a matter of fact, it was very fortunate that PK actually became the actual Rainmaker that Geel Piet was talking about– someone who brings peace to any tribe he encounters. He is the realization of the myth. With PK’s experiences and lessons in life that he shared to people, he was able to touch lives in ways he he did not expect.

            A very romantic twist in the movie was when PK fell in love with Maria, a rich Afrikaan schoolgirl. They both have loving nature that even though there was a point when they were scared what other people especially those close to them might think, their love for each other grew nonetheless. Here are some lines of PK and Maria in the movie that showed how they tried their best to defy others to be with each other:

P.K.: If you had the opportunity to get to know me, would you take it?
Maria Marais: Yah, I would.
P.K.: Even if it meant going against your father’s orders?
Maria Marais: What do you call this?

            The movie shows the audience that it is not impossible for any one, regardless of race, language and color, to be a beautiful change in the world. All we need is to reflect on ourselves and think of the things that we can do for others. If what we want to do will not hurt us or anybody, then we shouldn’t be afraid and hesitate to do it. After all, there is no greater happiness and fulfillment that seeing people around you pass on the love that you gave them.

            I think every person should be a rainmaker. I don’t care if a rainmaker is pure myth or not. My point is, we better make it a reality. It won’t hurt to try. Let us all give away love and spread words of peace. Imagine a world where all are rainmakers. Isn’t such a great world to live in? A world where discrimination doesn’t exist, a hopeful world without greed, poverty and anger.

            One memorable quote from the movie that everyone who saw it could not resist to think over was when PK said “I remember my nanny would tell me, that if I listened to the wind, I would hear the voices of my past. I listened, and heard Doc talk about justice, I heard Geel Piet talk about hope, I heard Daboola Manzi, the odd medicine man, talk about courage. I heard Maria. These are the voice of my life, the voices of Africa. These are the voices I carry with me, as Duma and I set out, to bring our country closer to a better tomorrow”.

            As a whole, the movie showed the struggle of many in the 19^th and 20^th centuries in South Africa against the ignorance of racism, named by the white-German colonials (Afrikaners) as the apartheid. The movie illustrates that the discourse of racism is not only driven by hatred and prejudice but also ignorance.