American Rhetoric: Movie Speech

"Stand And Deliver" (1988)

Mr. Escalante Delivers a Lesson on Negative Numbers

Mr. Escalante: I'm El Ciclón [The Cyclone] from Bolivia. One-man gang. This is my domain. Don't give me no gas. I'll jump on your face, tattoo your chromosomes.

This is basic math, but basic math is too easy for you burros. So I'm going to teach you algebra, because I'm the champ. And if the only thing you know how to do is add and subtract, you'll only be prepared to do one thing: pump gas.

Chuco ("Finger Man Jr."): Hey, ripping off a gas station is better than working in one. Que no?

Angel ("Net-head"): Órale!

Mr. Escalante: Órale! I'm a tough guy. Tough guys don't do math. Tough guys deep fry chicken for a living. 'Cause Órale! You want a wing or leg, man?

Who ever heard of negative and positive numbers? Anybody?

Frank Garcia ("Poncho"): Yeah, negative numbers are like unemployment. Ten million people out of work -- that's a negative number.

Mr. Escalante: We're gonna need a lot of Kleenex 'cause there's going to be a lot of bloodshed. Have you ever been to the beach?

Student: Yeah.

Mr. Escalante: You ever played with the sand?

Student: Yeah, I played with the sand.

Mr. Escalante: Finger Man! C'mon, finger man. You ever dig a hole? The sand that comes out of the hole, that's a positive. The hole is a negative. That's it. Simple. Anybody can do [it]: - 2 + 2 = ?

Net-head? Órale! Answer it. Come on, you know the answer. - 2 + 2 = -- fill the hole. Órale! If I had that on my hand, I wouldn't raise it, either. C'mon a - 2 + 2 = ? Anybody can do it. Fill the hole. -2 + 2 = ?  C'mon, just fill the hole. You can do it. You gonna let these burros laugh at you? -2 + 2 = ?

I'll break your neck like a toothpick. Órale!

Angel ("Net-head"): Zero.

Mr. Escalante: Zero. You're right. Simple. That's it. - 2 + 2 = 0. He just filled the hole.

Did you know that neither the Greeks nor the Romans were capable of using the concept of zero? It was your ancestors, the Mayas, who first contemplated the zero. The absence of value. True story. You burros have math in your blood.

Chuco ("Finger Man Jr."): Hey, kimo sabe todo. The man knows everything! Órale! Kimo sabe.

Mr. Escalante: Órale! Okay. Parenthesis means multiply. Every time you see this "(     )", you multiply. A negative times a negative equals a positive.

"A negative times a negative equals a positive. "

Say it.

"A negative times a negative equals a positive. "

Say it!

Mr. Escalante and Class: "A negative times a negative equals a positive. "

Mr. Escalante: Again!

Mr. Escalante and Class: "A negative times a negative equals a positive. "

Mr. Escalante and Class: "A negative times a negative equals a positive. "

Mr. Escalante: I can't hear you!

Class: "A negative times a negative equals a positive. "

Mr. Escalante: Louder!

Mr. Escalante and Class: "A negative times a negative equals a positive!"

Mr. Escalante: Louder!

Class: "A negative times a negative equals a positive!!"

Mr. Escalante: Why?