Movies reflect human needs: Knowledge

Blogging from A to Z Challenge

Theme: Movies reflect human needs... 

Knowledge

Image from storyblocks.com

 

We have a hunger of the mind which asks for knowledge of all around us, and the more we gain, the more is our desire; the more we see, the more we are capable of seeing. (Maria Mitchell)

He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying. (Friedrich Nietzsche)

What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the soul. (Joseph Addison)

At the start of each school year while I was growing up, it was, "Time to return to the Knowledge Mill," according to my dad. 

I still call it that... even when I returned to school at age fifty. Now... if I could just remember all the things I've learned over the years!!

Akeelah and the Bee (2006)

• A knowledge of words and their origins helps Akeela (Keke Palmer) compete in spelling bees.

Front of the Class (2008)

• Most people believe her son is purposely making tics and noises to be disruptive or rebellious, but his mother (played by Patricia Heaton) wonders what if Brad is telling the truth... what if he really cannot control it... so she researches information regarding his symptoms and learns he has Tourette's syndrome. That knowledge is a game changer. (Based on a true story.)

Lorenzo's Oil (1992)

• Another true story of parents arming themselves with knowledge. When they learn their son has a fatal disease "so rare nobody is working on a cure," they pour through countless medical journals and study biochemistry in such depth that they gain knowledge on how to treat their son, and share what they've learned with doctors and other parents whose children have the disease. 

The Miracle Worker (1962)

• Learning how to communicate changes Helen Keller's life.

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

• In order to rise above poverty, a man aims for a career as a stockbroker, but first he must learn how to be one. (Based on a true story.)

Queen of Katwe (2016)

• A girl in Uganda learns to play chess, and her knowledge and skill at the game help her make changes in her life. (Based on a true story.)

The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019)

• Okay, this one isn't about humans, but it does involve learning something new. In my favorite scene of the movie, a fluffy Pomeranian learns how to act like a cat. She learns traits like... no fetching... land on her feet... rub her tail in her owner's face... walk on the computer keyboard... knock coffee onto the computer. (Click here for that fun scene, click here for my review.)

What movies come to mind when you consider knowledge and learning?

(Note: The movies listed might not be completely family-friendly. See my "Movie Content" information on the blog's sidebar.)