Meeting Between Bertie and Lionel,

¶ … meeting between Bertie and Lionel, who do you think felt more humbled by the experience? Bertie was undeniably the more 'humbled' of the two characters. He is a member of the British royal family, and according to what he has been taught from birth he is supposed to be 'above' ordinary commoners. Now he must ask a commoner for assistance because of his speech defect. The king, who is supposed to have a 'divine' right to rule and a 'divine' body, must admit to personal imperfections.

Lionel, as an Australian and because of his personality has a far more ironic viewpoint of the British royalty. However, as a failed actor with no formal speech therapist credentials, he has some hidden insecurities. Q2. What issues did Bertie and Lionel have to overcome in order for their professional relationship to continue? What issues did they have to overcome in order to be friends? Bertie must learn to accept assistance from others, despite his royal status. He must overcome his class prejudices.

As a self-made man, Lionel must also overcome his class prejudices as well and the slight resentment he feels because of Bertie's position, which Bertie has acquired by merit, not hard work -- unlike Lionel, who, despite his status as a failed actor, has a strong track record as a speech therapist. Q3.

How was Bertie's strength of character in direct opposition with his weakness? What was the result of this conflict? What personality characteristics were evidence of this conflict? Bertie developed his stammer because of the discomfort he felt before his father when he was a young boy. He was clearly strong enough to survive a cold, harsh and often unloving upbringing, and the emotional trauma being the second 'spare' child to his older brother who was destined to be king.

In contrast to his elder brother, Bertie rose to the occasion, putting his nation and his responsibilities above his own personal pleasures. Q4. What characteristics did Bertie and Lionel have in common? What characteristics were their primary differences? How did they finally resolve these differences? In contrast to Lionel, Bertie lacked a sense of innate self-confidence and bravado. Lionel is very comfortable speaking in public, unlike Bertie. He is disdainful of protocols and tradition, unlike Lionel.

However, both men have assumed roles in their lives contrary to the expectations they were born with -- Bertie was not born to be king, yet he is given this status. Lionel assumes the manner and attitude of a man of a much higher class status because of his ability as a former (albeit, mediocre) actor and his desire to market himself as a speech therapist.

Bertie calls Lionel a kind of 'pretender' because of Lionel's lack of formal qualifications, but gradually Bertie comes to evaluate Lionel's expertise based upon Lionel's demonstrated ability. Lionel similarly comes to respect Bertie despite his initial reservations about Bertie's class differences. Q5. What you learned from this movie. There is no such thing as a hopeless cause. Bertie was told he was hopeless as a speaker, and Lionel believed that his career as an actor was over. Both men demonstrated that they were capable of reinventing themselves, against all odds.

Q6. Why it was inspirational. The movie demonstrates the power of hope and the ability to change the world by changing yourself and helping others. Bertie was told.