Strong Suggestion from the Instructor: When formulating and composing your essays, do not describe the contents of the films (Example: “Better Luck is a film about four Asian teenagers in California who are model students who get into trouble because  ….”). No! I already know the content of the movies. Instead, focus your essays on answering the specific exam essay questions. 

Essay #1 

The four protagonists (or main characters) in Better Luck Tomorrow (Ben, Virgil, Han, and Daric) might be described—at least in the early part of the film—as “model” or “ideal” students. Because of their ethnicity, some might even refer to them as “model Asian minority” students. None of these young men seem to need any parental guidance (note that in the film we never meet any parents!) or career advice. Ben and the others seem to be on a fast track to an Ivy League school, a great-paying job, and a successful life. And yet, by the end of the film all of them are complicit in the brutal murder of a classmate. After this horrific incident, Ben, Virgil, Han, and Daric’s futures are not only uncertain; in fact, their lives are forever ruined. In your essay outline and describe in detail how and why this process happened. Tip: Do not describe the contents of movie. I want you to consider the reasons behind the decisions and actions that led to the tragic end in this film. There was a process at work here. What was it? While formulating your argument, I suggest you consider the following statements and how they relate to the process that led to the downfall of these four guys. 

Daric: “We don’t have to play by the rules. We can make out own …. If you have everything you want, what’s left? You cannot settle for being happy. That’s a trap.” 

Steve: “You must do whatever you can to break the cycle. That’s what it’s all about … breaking the cycle ….”