2024 English Stand By Me Personal Response

Stand By Me is a film directed by Ron Reiner and released in 1987. The film features Gordie’s reflection on a journey which he took as a child after the news of his friend, Chris’s death. The journey highlights the personal growth of Gordie Lachance, Chris Chambers, Vern Tessio and Teddy Duchamp as they travel along the train tracks after hearing of the death of a boy named Ray Brower.

Some of the key moments of the journey include; Teddy facing off with the train, the boys enter a Junk Yard and then run from its owner, evading death as the train approach while the boys are crossing the bridge, the night spent on duty to protect one another, the marsh where they encounter the leaches and finally the discovery of the body itself which is followed by a stand-off with the Cobra Gang.

This blog will discuss how the experiences of the characters in Stand By Me affect their friendships.

Especially as:

• Having older brothers affect the boy’s friendships
• The boys are all treated as insignificant, influencing their values and priorities
• Many of the boys are processing grief throughout the journey together
• The shared troubles caused by being disadvantaged by an external factor connect the boys.