Observation Assignment Grimm 1Site Location: Mexico

Observation OneMonday, January 27, 2014

Time: 5:00AM-9:40AM, 10:00AM-12:00PM

Description of the Location: There was not a set location for Fast & Furious. The movie begins in the Dominican Republic, where Dominic (Vin Diesel) and his team highjack a fuel tanker. After the high jacking, Dominic leaves his girlfriend, Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) because the cops are after him and does not want her to be harmed. He goes to Panama City. While he is in Panama City, Letty goes back to Los Angeles. She goes undercover to help Brian (Paul Walker), FBI agent, to catch a drug lord and clear Dominic’s name so he can come home. While she is undercover, she is murdered. While Dom is in Panama City, he gets a call from his sister, Mia (Jordana Brewster) saying Letty was murdered. Dom risks getting caught by the FBI by returning to Los Angeles to find who murdered his girlfriend. Brian goes undercover to find out information on the drug lord, Campos/Braga (John Ortiz). The only way to get close to Braga is to win a street race. When Brian gets to the street race, he sees Dominic. The street race takes place in Los Angeles. Dominic and Brian both become part of Braga’s team. Braga wants them to deliver heroin for him between the Mexico-United States border. When they get the shipment they hide it and make a deal with Campos. When they go to make the “drop” they realize Campos is Braga. Braga escapes and goes to Mexico. Brian and Dominic go to Mexico to catch Braga and turn him in.

Figured World: A figured world is a set of rules within a social and cultural setting. Within the figured worlds actors use artifacts to communicate.

Rules and Convention for Appropriate Behavior: Since, The Fast & Furious has many figured worlds that variety in set rules. The activities that are acceptable in this figured world is racing, boosting cars, and smuggling drugs across the border. One major discourse community during this movie is FBI. Their set rules are following direct orders from their bosses, take the case serious, go undercover whenever needed, and find the criminals. Another figured world with set rules would be Braga’s team. Their set rules are following his orders, do not disobey him, ask no questions, smuggle drugs across the border, and definitely do not turn him into the FBI. The forms of communication are talking on cell phones, walkie talkies, GPS, and face-to-face. They use walkie-talkies while driving because it is easier and the FBI cannot track the signal. The GPS is a form of communication because it tells them where they are supposed to go. During the movie there is a lot of face-to-face communication. The loud is expected during racing, but when they are stealing they are somewhat quiet. Also when they use guns or explode cars there is loud sounds. The behaviors that may be inappropriate for this figured world would be turning your back on family and getting caught by the law. An inappropriate behavior for Braga’s team would be turning your back on him and turning him in. Also another behavior would be killing his men or him. An inappropriate behavior for the FBI would be disobeying orders and not taking your job seriously.

Actors: Actors are the individuals that play a specific role in the figured world. There are many actors in the film, but I chose the ones that are the main actors. The major actors are:

Observation Assignment Grimm 2Site Location: Mexico

Dominic Toretto: Street racer and hijacker from the United States. Dominic is wanted for numerous crimes he has committed. When Letty dies, he comes back to revenge for her death.

Brian O’Conner: A former police officer and street racer from United States. Brian is a FBI agent trying to take down Braga.

Mia Toretto: Dominic’s sister and Brian’s ex-girlfriend. She makes sure Dominic knows when Letty dies.

Letty Ortiz: Dominic’s girlfriend. She dies at the beginning of the movie. Campos/Braga: A drug lord. He wants to smuggle heroin over the border.

Artifacts: Items/emotions that are significant to actors and help us to determine what their behaviors are.

Fast cars: Fast cars shows that they are street racers. GPS: Using a GPS to tell what direction they need to go. Letty’s Death: Letty’s death is a very emotional part of the movie. Dominic risk

getting caught by the FBI to see Letty’s funereal and the scene of the accident. Guns: They use guns to display who is in power and also for protection against

Braga and his team.

Discourse Communities: These are groups that have the same common goals and ways of cooperating.

Street racers: Dominic and Brian are street racers. Each of them have been in multiple street races. They are street racing now to become part of Braga’s team to get revenge for Letty’s death and lock him up. There are many street racers. They all want to win and become the best.

Criminals: Dominic is a criminal. Dom and his team hijack cars and trucks. Their common goal is to make money and do not get caught.

FBI Agents: Brian is a FBI agent. He is trying to take down Braga. Their common goal is to get justice and put the bad criminals away for life.

Drug Lords: Braga is a drug lord. He wants to smuggle drugs across the border so he can make money. Their common goal is to not get caught and also to make money off the drugs they sell.

Literacy Practices: Ways of communicating both written and spoken. It may be nonverbal or verbal.

Walkie-Talkies: They use walkie-talkies to communicate when driving. Flirtation: When they are at clubs are the women are all over them.

The Observation for Fast & Furious:

5:00AM – Dominic and Brian leave Los Angeles and head to Mexico. They meet up with Gisele (Gal Gadot). She is close to Braga and gives them information on where to find Braga in Mexico. 9:00AM – Braga goes to a church in Mexico. Braga gives him a bag of money. The Priest gives him a blessing. After the blessing Braga prays.

Observation Assignment Grimm 3Site Location: Mexico

9:05AM – Dominic and Brian show up. They threaten him. Dominic puts a gun at him and tells him he is going back across the border. Brian arrests him. Braga’s men go looking for him.9:10AM – Dominic and Brian head back to the Mexico/United States border. Fenix (Laz Alonso) goes after Dominic and Brian. Braga’s men show up and start shooting at their cars.9:15AM – Cars are chasing Dominic and Brian to get Braga back. 9:20AM – Dominic and Brian make it to the tunnels that connect the United States to Mexico. The tunnels are small and very hard to get away from anyone.9:25AM – Dominic, Brian, and Fenix are still in the tunnels. 9:30AM – Brian gets out of the tunnel with Braga. Fenix is right behind them. Dominic is still in the tunnel. Fenix pulls Braga out of Brian’s car.9:35AM – Brian gets out of his car and Fenix is about to shoot Brian when Dominic comes out of the tunnel and hits Fenix and kills him.9:40AM – The cops show up and take Dominic away.Couple days later10:00AM – The judge sentences Dominic to twenty-five years in prison.12:00PM – Brian, Mia, and their crew hijack the bus taking Dominic to prison.End