Living in a Diverse World
A key theme of The Princes’ Quest is racism and the experiences of immigrants in society. The two main characters are best friends but very different. Azur is a blond, blue-eyed son of a rich nobleman, Asmar a dark skinned and dark-eyed child of a nurse.
At the beginning of the film Azur often treats Asmar badly and Azur’s father cruelly banishes Asmar and his mother, despite the fact the nurse raised both boys. However, once Azur is older he visits another land and he suffers prejudice as he is seen as dirty and dangerous due to superstition that blue eyes are cursed.
Activities for Pupils
- Have you ever been bullied because you are different? Have you ever treated anyone badly because they are different to you?
- Take turns in class to play the role of Asmar or Azur. Think of questions to ask each other to explore the feelings of the characters when people treat them unfairly in the film. Start your questions with ‘How did you feel when…?’ or ‘What did you think when…?’
- Near the end of the film Asmar defends Azur and protects him against people who want to hurt him because he is different. What can you do to deal with prejudice, including racism, and to support others who encounter it in school and society?