Whale rider essay Whale rider is a film directed by Nicki Caro, where Paikea Apirana is destined to be the leader of her village however due to her gender she faces many challenges to prove that she is the rightful heir. The qualities I believe Paikea obtains that help her overcome this challenge is her compassion, determination, and confidence. Paikea shows compassion throughout the film and this helps her as it provides the audience with a more human side of her as she shows consideration and leadership. Caro gives us a clearer understanding of her character and how she approaches situations differently than Koro, her grandfather. An example of when she shows compassion is when she tries to console Hemi, one of the boys Koro is training, as he is crying. She asks Hemi about his father showing respect and concern unlike Koro who said to Hemi ‘I’ll deal with you later’. Koro talks to the boys about how they must feel powerful and make their enemies feel fear. However, Paikea’s compassion and ability to listen and understand is powerful in its own sense as she is able to inspire people and be a strong but gentle leader. This is why I believe compassion is an important …show more content…
Paikea demonstrates determination in a variety of forms throughout the film and I believe Caro has done this to show the comparison between Paikea and Koro. An example is when Koro is trying to fix the motor and he gives up on the rope. Paikea on the other hand is determined to fix it and prove to Koro that she is capable of achieving anything. When Koro is teaching the boys the taihai she is determined to learn it as well even through Koro demands she stop. This is when we see her true determination. Determination and persistence is a crucial part of how Paikea becomes a leader because if she listened to Koro and gave up, she would have never become the person she was at the end of the