Argumentative Essay ICSE 2007

Cinema both entertains and educates the masses. Express your views, either for or against this statement. This Argumentative Essay was asked in ICSE 2007 board exam. You can find Previous Year Argumentative Essay Topics asked in ICSE board exams.

Argumentative Essay ICSE 2007

Cinema both entertains and educates the masses. Express your views, either for or against this statement. (ICSE 2007)

Introduction:
Cinema both entertains and educates the masses, for it mirrors our social values.

  • Offers an affordable source of entertainment catering to a variety of tastes, interests and moods.
  • Powerful tool for education through audio-visual medium.
  • Films like Gandhi, Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Mughal-e-Azam promote brotherhood, communal harmony and nationalism.
  • A powerful tool for social change, awakening public conscience against social malpractices, like unsociability, sati pratha, dowry, child labour and corruption.
  • Excellent medium for advertising products and services.
  • Also used for propaganda by government to promote social harmony and health care.
  • Unscrupulous persons exploit it for personal gains, showing scenes of sex and violence, which corrupt the youth and society.

Conclusion:
As conclusive proof, the government has a Films Division for production and distribution of films to the general public.

Cinema today has come a long way from the early days of ‘silent pictures’. The true to life sets, dramatic screen plays, photographic techniques, acting histrionics, and their portrayal on a 70 mm screen, with digital sound effect, in plush multiplexes, have made cinema an ideal medium for entertainment and education. Its close affinity to the people, mirrors their social values and ethos often showing the true picture of life. The evils that plague the society vividly portrayed on screen, makes it a powerful medium for social change, that not only entertain but also educate the masses.

There is no disputing the fact, that cinema offers an easy and affordable means of entertainment .to the masses. For some, after a day of hard work it is an escape from the tension and worries of life. To others it is a respite from boredom. The true to life portrayal of characters, evoke our emotions, moving us to tears, laughter, thrill or even shock. It is this ability of catering to a variety of tastes, interests and moods which make it an ideal medium of entertainment.

It is also a very powerful tool for education. The audio-visual mode of presentation leaves an indelible mark on our mind and makes learning a pleasant experience. This is for we get to see, and hear about different people, places, and customs leading to a better understanding and assimilation of ideas and knowledge. Historical movies bring to life the dead pages of history. Pictures like Gandhi, Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Mughal-e-Azam give valuable insight about these great people, their struggle, aspirations, and ideology. Such films promote nationalism, brotherhood, and communal harmony. They remind us of their sacrifices and our rich cultural heritage.

Cinema is also a very powerful medium for social change. It effectively reflects the evils prevailing in the society. The portrayal of social malpractices like unsociability, sati pratha, dowry, child labour and corruption prick the conscience of people leading to social change.

It is also an excellent medium for advertising and propaganda. The advertisements and endorsements help in promoting the sale of goods and services. The government also uses it to promote social harmony and health care. Documentaries create awareness for prevention of Aids, Polio eradication and other information to benefit the society. The fashion industry owes its genesis and growth, to cinema. The youth, imitate the costumes and hairstyles, of popular film stars.

The popularity of cinema, however, has led to some unscrupulous mandarins of the industry exploiting it for personal gains. Unwarranted scenes of sex and violence, are displayed, to draw the crowd to fetch them the moolah. They contend that these are essential for a film to be realistic and commercially viable. This is a very frivolous and irresponsible argument, which corrupt the youth, and the society. Such tactics are basically used to cover up the weak story line, lack of creativity, and direction. This has been amply proved, by the resounding success of good films, like Three Idiots, Taare Zamin Par and others, which did not use such cheap gimmickry.The censor board plays an important role in censoring films that are in bad taste.

Realising its significance the government has set up the Film Division, under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for the production and distribution of good films for the general public. This is a conclusive proof of the significant role that cinema plays in entertaining and educating the masses.

Assignment

‘Surrogate advertising should be banned’. Give your views for or against the statement.