In The Official Story we have watched as Alicia becomes aware of and then wrestles with her complicity in the dirty war. In the process of this struggle she undergoes a moral awakening and discovers the depth and urgency of her being a person who is truly responsible. But with this discovery comes a series of questions: How ought she to respond to the plight of her country, of her students, of her friend, Anna, of her husband, Roberto, and most importantly of her daughter, Gabriella, and her birth relatives? To be responsible, it turns out, puts her life in disarray and demands she consider actions that may tear apart the world in which she had found happiness and fulfillment.
In your paper, focus on Alicia's responsibility to Gabriella in order to determine how she might best act for Gabriella's good. In doing so, you must first consider in what manner Gabriella has undergone a harm or even victimization. In writing the first part of your paper, use Hallie's discussion of cruelty and victimization in order to characterize, as best as you are able, the plight of Gabriella. Only in knowing how she has been harmed can we then determine how to act on her behalf. In the second part of the paper, consider the different options Alicia might exercise on behalf of Gabriella and determine which one is the best and why. In working out this part of your discussion, please make reference to Hallie's thoughts on the goodness of actions which resist cruelty either through fight, flight, or hospitality.
Some issues brought up in the film that you may want to bring up in the paper include: a) the importance of memory in the establishment of one's personal and social identity, as well as in enabling one to act with autonomy; b) how being without responsibility undermines one's humanity; c) how institutionalized cruelty is at play within the world of the dirty war; d) how women are kept out of political discourse in Alicia's world; e) how the Mothers of the Disappeared resist the Junta.
When writing your paper make sure not only to make clear and explicit claims about how the two questions above should be answered but also to give the reasons why you can make those claims. The most important part of philosophy is not reaching a conclusion but finding a good reason or reasons for doing so. And keep in mind counter arguments to your own position that need to be addressed before you can claim your argument is the better one. And also keep in mind that not all philosophical questions--including the ones asked in your assignment--have been or can be satisfactorily resolved. That's one of the reasons philosophy is such a difficult but absolutely important thing to do.