The Man without a face

"How does Norstadt arrive at the moral certainty that he can trust McLeod despite the fear and doubt that is raised in him by the rumors? Why is it so important for McLeod that Norstadt not "cheat" on the problem of using his freedom to decide on his own whether the rumors are true?"

In the movie, I think he overall believed in their friendship and he did not care about with others thought of McLeod.  This is proved when he lied to McLeod about telling his mom he was coming to him for tutoring. He really wanted to keep coming to him for help despite the fact that his mom and the rest of the people in town disliked him. This movie is a lot like the world today. So many people judge other’s from how they look and they don’t try to get to know them.  I think this applies to this movie because the people in the town judge him by his face and they believe every rumor they hear about him. No one tried to reach out to McLeod and actually have a conversation with him excerpt Norstadt. Also I believe that Norstadt’s family had a role in his trust in McLeod.  His family seemed like they hated him and he felt like he wasn’t really part of the family. In the movie he even said he lives with all smart females and that he is the retard of the family. For this feeling he had about himself, I think caused him to search for help and ultimately find McLeod.  And when he formed a friendship with him, he began to love him more than his family. He said in the movie that he is the only person he can come to talk to about things in his life. So, this is why Norstadt trusted McLeod despite the rumors he heard.

It was important to McLeod that Norstadt to not “cheat” on the problem of using his freedom to decide on his own whether the rumors are true for many reasons. I think he felt like he shouldn’t be like the others in the town and not judge him on what he’s heard but the friendship they had.  Also since McLeod taught him, he wanted Norstadt to trust his abilities and what he has learned from him. Norstadt asked him on the beach if the rumors were true that he molested one of his pupils and McLeod did not answer because he wanted him to think for himself and not for him to give him the answer or cheat as he said it. It is kind of similar to the beginning of the movie when McLeod asked Norstadt to write an essay when he begins tutoring lessons to him. When he reads the essay, he knew he plagiarized it so he makes him wright it over again. This scene was very reminiscent of the one on the beach because McLeod knew Norstadt could figure out himself rather than cheat his way out of it. Overall, what I got out of  this movie is a great theme of tolerance toward others, and to have confidence in myself. I think this because of the way that Norstadt was accepting of McLeod when no one in town gave him a chance. Also I think McLeod showed tolerance toward Norstadt because he always believed in him even when he didn’t believe in himself.