is a football all-star that got accepted into an anti-Semitic prep school, the only problem…. he was a Jew. David Green should not have to expose his cultural and religious beliefs to his fellow students. The first claim that I will use to justify my case is if he had told “the boys” they would have treated him differently. Furthermore, if he told them it would affect his chances of keeping his football scholarship. Lastly, even if Green had told the boys earlier, it would not alter the way he was treated because when “the boys” found out David was indeed a Jew he was still insulted and disrespected.
Based on all these 3 valid arguments I can confidently state that he should not tell the boys that he was Jewish. Green would have been treated differently this is clearly demonstrated on multiple occasions that took place throughout this film. The first point to justify the claim is the scene where they are singing “ The Smokey song” and David’s roommate comments “I jewed him down to 30”. Furthermore, in the shower scene Mcgoo quotes “ I wouldn’t go to Harvard if you paid me with all those Jews”.
Considering these 2 events it is evidently shown that “the boys” strongly dislike Jewish people and if Green had told “the boys” he was a Jew his stay at St. Matts would defiantly change for the worse. By the same token, another example that marvelously validates my point is Sally. In the beginning of the film Sally is very fond of David and seems to have no problem having a physical and emotional relationship with him. However, when Sally finds out that David is a Jew all of that comes to an abrupt stop. Sally had instantly eluded Green and quoted “ You have no idea what you put me through” also “You didn’t tell me the most important thing.
Sally could not be with David for one reason, his religion. Based on this Green should not have to tell his fellow classmates of his religion because had he told he would clearly not have been treated the same. David has been accepted into St. Matt’s for one reason and one reason solely, his ability to football. If Green told everyone that he was a Jew they would not want to cooperate and listen to him in order to be successful in football. This would result in them to lose games and David would lose his scholarship.
This is proven in the Film during the scene where Dylan and David have a conversation and Dylan quotes “ That’s what draws people, not that your quarterback”. By this he is stating that people are attached to Green because he is who is. However, he would not have people liking him if they knew he was a Jew and that would have affected his football play. Green is able to keep a good repetition at St. Matt’s and win countless matches of football by not telling his fellow classmates about his religion. To further expand, the boys did not like Jewish people one bit.
This is justified through several circumstances in the movies, one example is when Dylan quotes “How would you not know, it’s hard to miss a heeb”. Since the boys hate Jewish people if David told them he was a Jew, they would be pissed and reluctant to work with Green. Finally, even if David told “the boys” that he was in fact Jew It would not have changed the way he was treated by them. Green was still being brutally harassed after all his classmates found out that David was a Jew, so by not telling them he was simply delaying the time of being disrespected not changing the course of their actions.
This claim is justified throughout the movie in 2 scenes. In the beginning “the boys” insult Jews by commenting “ He always wants something for nothing and he’s not even Jewish” (in the “Smokey song” scene before they knew he was a Jew) and they insult David and his religion after they find out he is a Jew during the shower scene when Dylan says “ Pat Boone got up and sang there’s a gold mine in the sky, 10,000 people Jews joined the air force”.
This means that they would have ridiculed him regardless, if David told them right away or if they eventually found out. By the same fashion, the argument is also proven in the scene where David and his roommate are having a conversation. His roommate quotes “Why didn’t you tell me in the first place? However, what difference would it make? The roommate was the one who discriminated Jews by saying “I jewed him down to 30” He clearly dislikes Jews as well so it would not make a difference if he told him earlier.
Furthermore, David did not tell “the boys” that he was Jewish because he knew they would eventually find out and that is why he quoted “I thought I was dreaming”. Considering this Green did not tell them in order to fit in and be treated fairly for the short period of time until they found out. I strongly believe that the David Green should not expose his cultural and religious beliefs to his fellow students. David just wanted to fit in and was well aware if he told everyone he was Jewish that would not become a reality.
Green most defiantly would not have been treated the same, it could of inflicted with his scholarship (the only reason he was there) and it wouldn’t necessarily be a resolution in terms of him getting harassed. In conclusion, if I were in David Green shoes I would probably have done the same thing, Green didn’t do anything wrong he just did what he had to do in order to get his education. “You used me for football… I’ll use you to get into Harvard”
