Akeelah & the Bee

Frederick Herrmann

EDU 650 Advanced Educational Psychology

Summer 2007

Theme: The Adoption of Akeelah

To demonstrate this theme, this analysis follows the chronological order of the movie

Starring

Akeelah

. . . with special guest stars . . .

Dad

Dr. Larabee

Featuring the Moral Theoriesof

Lawrence Kohlbergand

Jean Piaget

Modified Theories

MODIFIERS

Piaget’s and Kohlberg’s theories of moral development were refuted by subsequent researchand underwent modification.

Kohlberg progressively modified his own theory,acknowledging the contributions of Gilligan and others.

Piaget’s moral and emotional theories are less developedthan his cognitive theory, interpreted in various ways, andstrongly refuted.

Scene: “Daddy, have you heard of this word?”

Theme: Akeelah’s attachment to her deceased father

Theory: Kohlberg Stage 3, Interpersonal Harmony

“Miller (1976) . . . noted that women’s sense of self is built around being able make and then maintainconnections with others and that the loss ofrelationships is experienced by many women astantamount to a loss of self” (Gilligan, 1993, p. 106).

Akeelah

Scene: “I don’t see why I should do it for the school!”

Theme: Without personal-level involvement,Akeelah remains unattached

Theory: Kohlberg Stage 2, Market Exchange

“If the high school does not have a coherent setof values or a moral philosophy, Kagan argued(as did Kohlberg and myself), it cannot engagethe commitment of its students” (Gilligan, 1993,p. 109).

Akeelah

Scene: “Then do it for Dad.”

Theme: Akeelah’s father provides herwith constant support

Theory: Piaget (1965), “The sense ofjustice, though capable of being reinforcedby the precepts and examples of the adult,is largely independent of these influences”(Reimer, 1993, p. 93).

Research indicates that “fathers of daughtersare significantly more supportive of their daughtersthan are fathers of sons supportive of their sons”(Reimer, 1993, p. 98).

Dad

Scene: Akeelah looking at a photo of her dad

Theme: Akeelah’s father provides herwith the necessary courage

Theory: Kohlberg Stage 6, Principle (Love)

The Powers Study (1982, 1983, 1984)demonstrated that “mothers’ and fathers’ levelsof affective [emotional] support weresignificantly and positively related to levelsof adolescent development” (Reimer, 1993, p. 97).

Dad

Scene: Akeelah turns to Dr. Larabee for help

Theme: Akeelah naturally turns to a father-figure

Theory: Piaget (1965), “Egocentricismresults from the unequal relationbetween child and adult . . .”(Reimer, 1993, p. 93).

Konopka (1966) states that the“need for dependence . . . seems to exist in all adolescent girls”(Gilligan, 1993, p. 106).

Akeelah

Scene: Dr. Larabee shows upat the district spelling bee

Theme: Though their relationshipis undeveloped, Dr. Larabee cannotkeep himself away

Theory: Kohlberg Stage 5, Social Contract(in the sense of duty)

Kohlberg (1984) states, “We have come to understandGilligan’s (1982) claim that our moral dilemmas andscoring system were limited in that they did not dealwith dilemmas . . . of special relationships andobligations” (emphasis Kohlberg; Reed, 1997, p. 246).

Larabee

Scene: Akeelah speaks to her father’s photo,“Guess what? I’m going to the regional bee!”

Theme: Without Dr. Larabee’s support,Akeelah continues to rely on her fatherfor strength

Theory: Kohlberg Stage 3,Interpersonal Harmony

Dad

Scene: “You’d let me do it”

Theme: Dad’s moral authority gives Akeelah the gumptionto sign his name to the regional bee permission slip.Disobedience to mother by appeal to higher authority.

Theory: Piaget (1965), “ . . . given sufficientliberty of action the child will spontaneouslyemerge from his egocentricism, and the adultacts most of the time to strengthenegocentricism . . .” (Reimer, 1993, p. 93).

Lickona (1976), “The research . . . indicates that loyaltyto and genuine respect for personal authority . . . issomething that children must develop . . . and somethingthat accompanies advance, not immaturity . . .”(emphasis his; Rosen, 1980, p. 33).

Dad

Scene: “Read the quotation on the wall.”

Theme: Dr. Larabee assumes the paternal role of guidance

Theory: Kohlberg Stage 7, Participation in Cosmic Order

Kohlberg (1984) states that Stage 7 is“based on constructing a sense ofidentity or unity with being, with life,or with God” (Reed, 1997, p. 84).

“We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.”– Marianne Williamson

Larabee

Scene: The Jump Rope

Theme: Adoption!Larabee gives Akeelahhis deceased daughter’s toy

Theory: Kohlberg Stage 6,Universal Principle (Love)

Larabee

Scenes: Wound, Whiskey, and Regression

Theme: By canceling a meeting with Larabee,Akeelah opens his wound. Larabee turns towhiskey to numb the pain and withdrawalsfrom his commitment to her in an act ofself-protection.

Theory: Regression to Kohlberg Stage 1,Avoidance of Punishment (Pain);Piaget – Loss of Cognitive Equilibrium

“I told you, Denise . . .”

Larabee

Scene: Initials on a jump rope

Theme: Akeelah understandsthat Dr. Larabee is experiencingemotional hurt

Theory: Piaget, all actions are bothintellectual and emotional

“Yet it is women’s elaboration or care considerationsthat reveals the coherence of a care ethic asa framework for decision . . .” (Gilligan, 1993, p. 113).

Akeelah

Scene: “I cried and cried and cried . . .”

Theme: Akeelah empathizes with Larabeeand expresses understanding by opening upabout the loss of her father

Theory: Piaget believed that cognitionand emotion were interdependent andtherefore went through parallel development(Pulaski, 1971, p. 90)

Hoffman (1976), Gottman (1983) and Bowlby (1973, 1980)provide research “revealing the disparity between the stagetheory description of the young child as asocial and amoraland the intensely social and also moral nature of the youngchild’s relationships with others” (Gilligan, 1993, p. 105).

Akeelah

Scene: “. . . and when you and I get to DC . . .”

Theme: Stronger than before. Larabee pullsout of his regression and accepts his role inAkeelah’s life.

Theory: Reaffirmation of Kohlberg Stage 6;Piaget – Cognitive Accommodation

“The reaffirmation of the higher stages of moralitywith its rules and contracts is embraced withgreater realism and commitment than prior toregression” (Rosen, 1980, p. 90).

Larabee

Scene: “Pretty good, huh?”

Theme: With a glance upwards, Akeelahstill embraces her father’s affection

Theory: Piaget (1965), “The average parentis like an unintelligent government that iscontent to accumulate laws in spite of . . .ever-increasing mental confusion . . .”(Reimer, 1993, p. 103).

Research by Youniss (1980) concludes thatadolescent children “try actively to integrateinto that relationship [with their parents]elements of friendship and mutual adjustment.Youniss’ recognition that the parent-childrelationship is not necessarily frozen in onestance . . . is an important advance overPiaget’s negativism” (Reimer, 1993, p. 95).

Dad

Scene: Larabee tells Akeelah that he hasaccepted a position at UCLA

Theme: Emotionally healed through his adoptionof Akeelah, Larabee becomes a stronger person,no longer fearing the “unpredictable”

Theory: Kohlberg Stage 5, Social Contract;Piaget – Cognitive Assimilation

“The structural regression [regression followedby re-advancement] is also a functionaladvance in the service of ego development”(Rosen, 1980, p. 90).

Larabee

Scene: The letter “D”

Theme: Akeelah’s dad’s loveremains with her

Theory: Kohlberg Stage 6,“I am with you always,”perpetual devotion

Dad

Scene: “We did it!”

Theme: Akeelah and Larabee are now a “we” –a family through devoted love

Theory: Kohlberg Stage 6, Universal Principle –the love that creates a family through consciousdecision is necessarilystronger than the“Interpersonal Harmony” love of Stage 3

Akeelah

References

Eggen, P. and Kauchak, D. (2007). Educational Psychology. 7th ed. Upper SaddleRiver, New Jersey: Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Kohlberg, L. (1981). Essays on moral development, vol. I: The philosophy of moraldevelopment. NY: Harper & Row.

Langford, P.E. (1995). Approaches to the development of moral reasoning. Hove,UK: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Gilligan, C. (1993). Adolescent development reconsidered. Approaches to moraldevelopment: New research and emerging themes (pp. 103-132). Garrod,A., ed. NY: Teachers College.

Pulaski, M.A.S. (1971). Understanding Piaget: An introduction to children’s cognitivedevelopment. NY: Harper & Row.

Reed, D.R.C. (1997). Following Kohlberg: Liberalism and the practice of democraticcommunity. University of Notre Dame.

Reimer, J. (1993). The case of the missing family: Kohlberg and the study ofadolescent development. Approaches to moral development: Newresearch and emerging themes (pp. 91-102). Garrod, A., ed. NY: TeachersCollege.

Rosen, H. (1980). The development of sociomoral knowledge: A cognitive-structuralapproach. NY: Columbia University.