English Class Review of how 21 relates to education

Rating: 7/10 (25 March 2012)

21 and the Change Education Can Make
Ben Campbell is a poor college student. He wants to transfer to the Harvard School of Medicine to become a doctor. With his poor background he must obtain a scholarship of some sort. When he applies for the scholarship the interviewer tells Ben to tell him something special about him, something crazy that stands out. He has nothing. At this point. During one of his classes, Ben surprises and grabs the interest of one his professors with his knowledge. This professor leads a team of very bright students who go to Vegas on weekends and times off to count cards at casinos and make a lot of money. After Ben surprises his professor someone tells him to go to a room later that night. At this point Ben has no idea what they are up to. When he finds out what it is they are doing he wants nothing to do with it. This shows that educational goals are personalized. The team uses their education for money and luxuries while Ben uses it to advance and makes money by working not something that could toil with his future. Ben is laid back and could be better known as not much of a risk taker. As the movie progresses and his education on something else changes you will see a big difference in his character.
A girl on this traveling team finally gets Ben to take a different path than what he is used to. He starts to go the practices the team has and eventually is talked into going on one of these trips. He realizes the big money he is making will pay for Harvard and then some. As the movie progresses his education on card counting and making of money change his personality. He starts to dress up nicer, become a little cocky, and loves the feeling of winning. Which is a complete different person than from the beginning of the film. I feel education definitely changed him. If he was never given this opportunity he would have never been like this. His identity changes completely to the point he doesn't use his real name and changes his appearance. This movie indirectly shows that the goal of education is money. He always needed it and when he got it he was happy and lived a more satisfying life. He almost even forgot why he started counting cards in the first place. In Ben's case education was the key for him to reach his aspirations as a doctor. This movie really displays the use and change education can make. Ben goes from one person to a complete different other just because of education.
Towards the end of the movie all of Ben's acquired money is stolen by the group leader. After this he realizes he forgot what he has started all of this for and how he has changed. The team, other than the leader, decide to go back on their own. Where Ben makes enough money for school and then backs out. He is no longer this craving gambler after this but definitely is not the same as he was in the beginning of the film.