Reflection on the Movie Promises

Promises Reflection

After watching Promises, I found myself thinking that even though the children became friends, like Faraj said, After B.Z. leaves, things will go back to normal for the children, their friendship will be forgotten and that's just the way it is. I feel that this wouldn't happen if people would stop dwelling on the past, a fight that goes so far back that you don't know how it evolved. I understand that the families want to teach their children about their ancestors and what they believed in, but the children, at such young ages are believing (not that they shouldn't) and fighting about/over places and topics that developed generations ago. So far it looks as though this 'disagreement' over Jerusalem will continue for many more generations and so forth.

There are reasons to be hopeful for peace in Jerusalem, and there are reasons to fear that peace may never happen. One of the reasons to be hopeful is that the children in this movie were able to put aside a history of fighting and become friends. This means that if the rest of the youth in Jerusalem began to accept each other as people and not for what their suppose to, yet do believe in...put aside what their ancestors set off to them, that eventually the long war will be put to rest. One reason to be fearful is that even though the children became friends, in the end they drifted apart. They drifted apart because of how difficult getting though the check points was, which makes being friends very difficult.

Overall I feel fearful for the peace of Jerusalem because in this case, things can't change unless people want it to. So far, the youth is the only way I can see peace for Jerusalem and most of the adults/elderly are not doing anything to create the peace by putting aside a fight that has been for too long. This looks as though the fight/debate for Jerusalem will remain and be passed on for more generations.