Motivation In 'The Great Debaters'

In the movie, The Great Debaters, one debate coach tries to place his debate team on the same performance level of white students in the American south. This movie takes place in the 1930’s when Jim Crow Laws were still common. Throughout the movie, we recognize personality types, understand the motivation and the critical thinking skills that each character possesses.
Hamilton Burgess, Henry Lowe, Samantha Booke, and James Farmer Jr. are the four debaters we learn about in this movie. Although Hamilton Burgess does not stay a debater throughout the whole movie, he plays an important part of their debate team. Mr. Burgess is who I would consider an introvert. The reason behind him being an introvert is because he seems like the quiet type
The definition of internal motivation is the force that leads you to achieve a goal because of personal satisfaction or desire. External is a force or person that triggers you into doing something. One example of external motivation in the movie is when Hamilton is asked to leave the debate team by his father because of Mr. Tolson actions and beliefs. Although he doesn’t want to quit the team, someone else is making him quit which is external motivation. An example of internal motivation is how Ms. Booke wants to became the only girl on the debate team and one of the very few female lawyers during this time. She motivates herself into pursing her dreams and makes the debate team. She ends up being one of the members to compete against Harvard and winning. She also eventually becomes a lawyer in Texas. Another example of external motivation is when the three debaters are in their hotel room preparing for the Harvard debate and Junior doesn’t think that he can be one of the main debaters. Henry and Samantha push him and tell him how great he is and that he can compete because he is one of the greatest debaters even though he messed up once. Without the push of motivation that Henry gives Junior, he wouldn’t be confident and can help win the debate. One example that I think can be both internal and external is when Mr. Tolson has the debaters chant a saying that helps motivate them. It is internal because whenever they need motivation, they chant the saying in their heads and it is also external because Mr. Tolson is the one who gave them the motivation chant and makes them repeat it over and over until they believe. Mr. Tolson throughout the movie sticks up for what he believes in and encourages his students to do the same. He believes that an education is the best way to stay out of trouble. He teaches his students life lessons and believes that people’s words are