Journal Questions for “When the Levees Broke,” directed by Spike Lee
Page 1 of 12You will be watching three “Acts” of the documentary,
“When the LeveesBroke,” directed by Spike Lee.
Following are
(1) General questions to think about as you watch both parts
(2) Questions for Act I
(3) Questions for Act II
(4) Questions for Act IV
(1) General Questions
How is the concept of race explored and critiqued throughout this documentary?
Was this documentary evenhanded?
Was the enormity of the disaster the result of a natural event or a human failure?
Journal Questions for “When the Levees Broke,” directed by Spike Lee
Page 2 of 1210/22/08:
Disk 1, Act IChapter 1, “Miss New Orleans”
How prepared were New Orleans and its residents for evacuation?
Chapter 2, “God’s Will?” (7 minutes)
How did different people prepare for the storm? Who were proactive and who were reactive?
Why did people flock to the Superdome? Where was the Convention Center? How was it used?
Chapter 3, “Explosions” (10½ minutes)
What were the “explosions” that people heard? Does Spike Lee think the levees were blown up?
What do you think?
Journal Questions for “When the Levees Broke,” directed by Spike Lee
Page 3 of 12Chapter 4, “Day One” (10 minutes)
Chapter 5, “The Cajun Navy” (13½ minutes)
Which agency is most responsive to the emergency? Why do you think it was effective and how
did it compare to other agencies and response organizations?
What point does the filmmaker seem to be making about leadership?
Chapter 6, “The City That Care Forgot” (10 minutes)
How do you evaluate President Bush’s statement “no one anticipated the breach of the
levees”?
How does the lack of response reflect upon the local, state, and federal governments?
Journal Questions for “When the Levees Broke,” directed by Spike Lee
Page 4 of 12What other questions should be asked about this act? What other information would you like to
have? What other issues raised in this Act need more clarification or explanation for you?
Journal Questions for “When the Levees Broke,” directed by Spike Lee
Page 5 of 1210/31/08:
Disk 1, Act IIChapter 1, “Jeffersonia” (9½ minutes)
What happened in Jefferson Parish?
What happened on the Gretna Bridge? How were citizens portrayed?
Why might those in Jefferson Parish have felt threatened?
Chapter 2, “We Shoot Looters” (9 minutes)
What explanations are given to explain why surrounding parishes would not let people fleeing
from New Orleans enter?
Are you convinced that the federal government had no warning that Hurricane Katrina would
be so destructive?
Journal Questions for “When the Levees Broke,” directed by Spike Lee
Page 6 of 12Why did it take the president 12 days to come to New Orleans?
How did President Bush famously praise FEMA Director Michael Brown?
Chapter 3, “Brownie, You’re Doin’ a Heck of a Job” (12 minutes)
Why did it take five days to get help to many of the hurricane victims?
What were the legal constraints on using the army for emergencies like Katrina?
How much of New Orleans was under water?
What point does Judith Morgan make about not being able to evacuate?
Journal Questions for “When the Levees Broke,” directed by Spike Lee
Page 7 of 12Chapter 4, “The Mayor Calls In” (10 minutes)
Who should have evacuated the people in New Orleans if they could not do it themselves?
What was the main difference between the disaster of 9/11 and the storm?
Why do you think it took the federal government so many days to help?
Chapter 5, “General Honoré” (12 minutes)
How is the Convention Center evacuation portrayed?
Herbert Freeman describes being forced to leave his dead mother behind in order to get on the
bus. How does his dilemma make you feel?
Journal Questions for “When the Levees Broke,” directed by Spike Lee
Page 8 of 12Do you think the documentary presents a balanced account of the breaching of the levees?
Does Spike Lee have a point of view?
Chapter 6, “An Ancient Memory” (9 minutes)
How were the evacuees treated when they were shipped out on buses and planes?
Why does Spike Lee choose to end with CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien introducing the
abandonment of dead bodies?
What other questions should be asked about this act? What other information would you like to
have? What other issues raised in this Act need more clarification or explanation for you?
Journal Questions for “When the Levees Broke,” directed by Spike Lee
Page 9 of 1210/31/08:
Disk 2, Act IVChapter 1, “Mardi Gras 2006” (7½ minutes)
Chapter 2, “The Markings” (8½ minutes)
What point does Wendell Pierce make about the deaths? Did people have to die?
Chapter 3, “Engineers, Oil & Money” (13½ minutes)
Who built the levees in New Orleans? What does Cynthia Hedge-Morrell say was wrong with the
levees?
Why weren’t the levees built to withstand a Category 3 hurricane? What does Robert Bea say
caused the levees to break?
Did you believe Setliff’s claim that they didn’t know why the levees failed?
Journal Questions for “When the Levees Broke,” directed by Spike Lee
Page 10 of 12Terence Blanchard and Joseph Bruno think someone should go to jail. Who? Do you agree?
Why can’t you sue the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers? Should you be able to?
What does Ivor van Heerden mean when he says the wetlands are being “starved”? Why is this
important to understand?
Chapter 4, “Where Is My Government?” (9½ minutes)
From the portrayal of local, state, and federal government responses, what is your impression
of government’s ability to respond to disasters?
Journal Questions for “When the Levees Broke,” directed by Spike Lee
Page 11 of 12Chapter 5, “A Signature Moment” (13½ minutes)
Why does Wynton Marsalis say Katrina events represent a “signature moment” in American
history?
How have insurance companies avoided paying for much of the housing losses?
Why do some people have to walk away from their homes?
Chapter 6, “I Am Mending” (9½ minutes)
Who is rebuilding the levees? Why does Colonel Setliff say they are building the levees stronger?
What does Bruno say is the reason they are not rebuilding the levees adequately?
Journal Questions for “When the Levees Broke,” directed by Spike Lee
Page 12 of 12What other questions should be asked about this act? What other information would you like to
have? What other issues raised in this Act need more clarification or explanation for you?