Abstract
The paper revolves around the dramatized real story of Erin Brockovich. The story is retrieved from a film entitled Brockovich that was written by Susannah Grant. The story concentrates more on the health complications that the residents of Hinkley were facing as a result of consumption of contaminated water. It is of great necessity to note that despite the fact that, many residents were suffering from similar health complications they thought that it was mere coincidence.
They thought that their complications had nothing to do with the activities of Pacific Gas and Electric Company. However, under the intervention of Erin Brockovich who was the film’s protagonist, the residents became enlightened and they ended up being resettled without any delays.
Introduction
Erin Brockovich can be termed as a biographical film that was written by Susannah Grant and directed by Steven Soderbergh. The film dramatizes a real story of Erin Brockovich, who is the film’s protagonist. In the film, Erin’s story revolves around her fight against PG&E (Pacific Gas and Electric Company) that was an energy corporation. Her fight against this company started soon after she received some documents that revealed some health complications of the residents of Hinkley. Erin in her survey research in the case against Pacific Gas and Electric Company conducted several interviews that played a vital role in understanding the cause of the problem the Hinkley’s residents were facing. The film eventually portrays Erin successful in having justice served to the victims (Donnelly, 2003).
Discussion
Question one
The survey research of Erin Brockovich entailed several stages. After she had received the file that entailed the case of the real-estate where Pacific Gas and Electric Company had an intention of purchasing a home, she discovered surprising medical records in that file. Erin started her survey by analyzing the information that was contained in that file. She managed to detect peculiar medical information that required her to advance her survey to another level. She then decided to visit Donna Jensen, Hinkley’s resident. Erin interrogated Donna and managed to acquire her feelings, as well as opinions concerning the whole issue. Donna explained to her that she was having a number of tumors while her husband was suffering from Hodgkin’s disease (Miller, 2007).
Donna also noted that she was appreciative of Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s support of supplying a doctor who would attend to them at the company’s expense. Erin enquired from her why the company was doing so. Donna replied that the company was doing so as a result of chromium. On acquiring that information Erin went a step further to investigate more about the chromium Donna mentioned. After an investigation, she found evidence that Hinkley’s groundwater had a serious contamination from carcinogenic hexavalent chromium. However, Pacific Gas and Electric Company had been telling the residents of Hinkley that the chromium they were using was safe (Kauffman, 2011).
Question 2
The characters of the film used several methods of gathering data. Interviewing is one of the widely used methods of gathering data in the film. Erin is revealed in the film interviewing Donna, who was one of the victims. She also visited other residents of Hinkley and after interviewing them, she learnt that most of them were having tumors, and doctors from PG&E treated all. Survey is another technique that was used by the characters to gain information. Erin who is the film’s protagonist carried out a survey that indicated that most residents of Hinkley were having tumors and were all treated by doctors from PG&E. According to the survey, all the victims were made to believe that their condition was a coincidence and was not related to chromium (Willoquet-Maricondi, 2010).
Question three
The needs assessment in this scenario entailed improvement of the lifestyle of Hinkley’s residents. This assessment aimed at enlightening the residents of Hinkley of the risk they were subjected to as a result of consuming contaminated water. It would also help them understand that PG&E was not using safe chromium. The needs assessment also had an obligation of ensuring that all the victims of PG&E’s activities were compensated. The researcher interacted with the residents of Hinkley eventually earning much trust from them. They came to realize what had been going through and with the help of the researcher they benefited from the resettlement package under the court’s ruling (Miller, 2007).
Question four
The needs assessment played a vital role in obtaining information that entailed distribution, prevalence as well as interrelations of the variables within the residents that were affected. The assessment helped the researcher to understand that most residents of Hinkley were suffering from various diseases. All these diseases were as a result of consumption of water with carcinogenic hexavalent chromium contaminant. However, the residents lacked knowledge of the cause of their problem. It also helped the researcher to understand that resettlement of these people was essential and pushed for it until justice was served (Donnelly, 2003).
Question five
The actions of the researcher presented a number of ethical implications among the residents of Hinkley. One of the implications is that, the victims became enlightened of living a safe life. They realized that their rights to consume clean water free from contaminants had been infringed which had resulted to the chronic diseases they were suffering from. The researcher’s action also created an implication that PG&E had been acting illegally. This eventually led to the researcher ensuring that PG&E resettled the victims without any delay (Kauffman, 2011).
Conclusion
Health is a very essential component of every human being. There is, therefore, a great necessity of all governments to formulate laws that will ensure that the rights pertaining the health of their citizens are not infringed. These laws should impose heavy charges to every person or company violating the rights of their people. Members of the society should also be enlightened so that they may live aware of their rights.
References
Donnelly, P. (2003). Julia Roberts confidential: The unauthorised biography. London: Virgin.
Kauffman, K. D. (2011). Movie guide for legal studies. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education/Prentice Hall.
Miller, J. M. (2007). English in films: Exercises for the classroom and study-at-home. Morrisville, NC: Lulu.
Willoquet-Maricondi, P. (2010). Framing the world: Explorations in ecocriticism and film. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press.