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The text I chose to analyze was the movie “Django Unchained.” This film is set in the 1800s and is about a slave, named Django, (played by Jamie Foxx), and his “owner”, Dr. King Schultz, (played by Christopher Waltz). Shultz is a bounty hunter and he needed Django to help identify two white men who watch over the slaves in the fields. In return, he would buy Django his freedom. However, Django eventually becomes a bounty hunter with him to get enough money to buy his wife out of slavery.

This movie shows a lot of the disgusting acts that occurred during this time. For example, in the first scene there are a group of slaves who are all tied up with iron clasps on their ankles. It then zoomed in on the iron and how it absolutely tore away any skin underneath it. However, these slaves were still made to walk through the night to their destination. The gore and inhumanity in this made me squirm.

Shultz did not care for or approve of slavery, so he was happy being Django’s friend. He even bought a horse for Django, and they both went into pubs together. However, whenever people saw them in pubs or Django riding a horse, they always stared and then resorted to run away or yell derogatory words. I found interesting that the slaves did this, too. In addition, when the people yelled at Django, they always yelled at Schultz for “allowing him” to have a horse or to be in a pub drinking a beer. I thought this was interesting too.

I think this most closely relates to de Beauvoir’s One and the Other. Since Django has different colored skin, he is represented as the Other, because it deviates from the “class” that the One needs to preserve. I also think that some of the actions done to the slaves is similar to the John Lewis book we read. The slaves never asked for this and they never retaliated. They were portrayed as peaceful people who had horrible things done to them as they were stripped away from any humanity.

This is a link to a youtube video where the people are surprised to see Django riding a horse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCTj0TgyGH8

For this assignment I chose to write about the 2010 version of the Karate Kid. In this film, Tre (played by Jaden Smith) moves to Beijing from Detroit with his mother. Tre initially has a very difficult time adjusting to the new culture and is the victim of significant bullying. One day after being bullied, he is rescued by Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) who teaches him how karate and acts as a father figure of sorts. Mr. Han helps Tre to adjust culturally and teaches him many life lessons in respect, discipline, and control.

I really like this film, and I think that it does a great job addressing the ‘othering’ that one may experience when they migrate. The injustice that Tre is experiencing here is not necessarily systemic, as he is experiencing injustice at the personal level that may contribute to a larger system of injustice. He is bullied because of his differences; when he moved to Beijing he did not yet speak Mandarin, and he did not yet have the skills valued by the people living there (this film specifically explores karate). His values and ideology also contrasted to those of the people living in Beijing. All of this resulted in the injustice that Tre experienced.

When speaking of the migrating group in this film (Tre and his mother), it is interesting to see the way that the film perpetuated this idea that Tre should have to conform directly to the standards of the non-migrating group. Tre was, in general, not accepted when he initially moved to Beijing. He experienced ‘othering’ as a result of his cultural differences. Throughout the film, Tre learns to fit in and begins to become more and more like the non-migrating group. He is taught the skills and ideology of the non-migrating group by Mr. Han, and by the end of the film he is accepted into his new home. In this way, the film is suggesting that the migrating group should shed parts of themselves and conform to the culture of the non-migrating group.

For this assignment, I have selected the movie The Help. Presented in theaters in 2011, The Help is centered on a novel written by Kathryn Stockett in 2009. The Help refers to the hired help that many white families had in the south to assist in raising their children. Both the film and novel follow the story of black maids in Jackson, Mississippi during the Civil Rights Movement while raising a young white woman. This movie was intended to push aside stereotypes and prove to people who think people of color, specifically women, are lazy, not useful, and less valuable. By sharing their side of the story, individuals like Minny and Aibileen. They are maids for white families that can express the experiences that they endured.
At this time, one of the white children, Eugenia “Skeeter” is pursuing a career in journalism and becoming a writer after graduating from Ole Miss. When she returned home, she got the idea to write from the perspective of one of her maids to show the undaunting and segregated life that they live. Many try and persuade Skeeter to not write about this topic because it would expose the maltreatments of the ladies, especially since slavery is supposed to be over.
Minny is one of the maids who is trying to work and make a positive name for herself. She is later fired for using the guest bathroom rather than using the set bathroom for people of color at the house she was working. She was also called a thief by Hilly, who she was working for. Hilly chooses to spread this rumor in hopes to make it impossible for her to find a new job.
Though this film was referencing life in the 1960s, the airing of it in the 21st century is beneficial to show how things were years ago. The discrimination that occurred during these times was uncalled for and unbelievable. However, bringing awareness to these conditions and experiences can hopefully continue to help show that regardless of our race, internally, we are the same. My hope is that as the years go on, there will be continuous improvements made to eliminate the stereotypes. And like Skeeter, a small effort/ push can make a difference. 

When They See Us is a Netflix series based on the true story of the Central Park Five. The series focuses on the mistreatment of the five juveniles by the justice system. The Central Park Five were five teenage boys that were hanging out in the evening in Central Park, New York City. The case occurred in 1989, and on the same night a white woman named Trisha Meili had been jogging at the park. She was found severely beaten and raped and was in a coma for 12 days. The victims accused were five young boys, Black and Hispanic, all around the ages between 14 and 16 years old.

Photo of the Central Park Five and the Actors that played them in the series

Left to right: Antron Mccray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Yusef Salaam, and Korey Wise.

The young boys were convicted of a crime they didn’t even commit, just because of their race. The teenage boys were robbed of their whole lives in just a second. They ended up serving, “between six and thirteen years in prison, eventually won a $40 million settlement from the city” (Morales). These innocent boys were only targeted for this crime because of their race. They were immediately shown as thugs and criminals in the media after the arrest. New York Police officers arrested them and they were taken to the station. These young boys were scared out of their minds because they didn’t know what they did. Lawyers claimed they were coerced into admitting to a crime they didn’t even commit. All these boys were under the age of 18 and yet were interrogated by police officers without their parents being present, which is illegal.

Injustice, race, socioeconomic status and discrimination are all main themes of the show. The series shows the injustice these young boys faced during this horrible time. The show also hits on the fact of how people of color often don’t have the knowledge of how the law works. Some even have problems with legal representation because they can’t afford to hire a good lawyer. In other cases, like the Latino communities, many encounter injustice because of the language barriers they may face. This is presented in the series, when the parents of the accused are flooded by the process of the law, and had difficulties with knowing how to properly support their children.

The oppression these young boys faced reminds me of the topic we discussed in class intersectional identity. The boys were poor disadvantaged New York boys who weren’t treated as equal as others. They were Black and Hispanic young boys and that makes them minorities. Minorities have always been seen as dangerous and criminal like to the white communities. The justice system sough to oppress them in their broader community because of their skin color, socioeconomic status, and the fact that they were minorities.

I think the creator of When They See Us wants us to takeaway the discrimination that many face based solely on their race and socioeconomic status. The creator wants us to see the effect that the wrongful convictions had on these innocent young boys lives. The creator focuses on showing the injustice that young minorities face in the American legislation and how one wrongful conviction can change a person’s entire life.

Sources:

Morales, Ed. “Perspective | ‘When They See Us’ Is a Reminder of the Racial Hysteria That Gripped NYC in the 1990s – and That Still Lingers.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 7 June 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/06/07/when-they-see-us-is-reminder-racial-hysteria-that-gripped-nyc-s-that-still-lingers/.

The Hate U Give

Starr Carter lives in two worlds divided by race and socioeconomic class, Garden Heights and Williamson Prep. Garden Heights is the poor, predominantly black neighborhood that she grew up in. Williamson Prep is the wealthy, majority-white high school where her parents send her and her brother so that they get a good education and stay away from trouble. Her life in both of these uneasy worlds is soon shattered when she witnesses her childhood friend Khalil Harris get murdered by a white police officer. Starr faces difficult pressure from her community as she was a witness in the deadly encounter. Starr has to find the strength to stand up for Khalil and do what needs to be done to make a change in her community for justice. Khalil Harris is the name that changes the town of Garden Heights.

Race, socioeconomic class, and identity are explored in the movie, The Hate U Give, as Starr struggles to live in the predominantly black neighborhood of Garden Heights along with her majority-white high school of Williamson Prep. Starr feels like she has turned her back on her community and finds herself not belonging in either one after transferring to Williamson Prep for school. The movie also does a great job at displaying the way society, especially here in the United States, uses stereotypes of black people to account for violence and racism towards them. The film also shows how the cycle of racialized poverty can affect a community and keeps it from the resources and opportunities to prosper financially.

The Hate U Give can be compared to the concept of the One and the Other, which we have discussed earlier this semester. We see Starr and the people of Garden Heights as part of the Other after the fatal accident with Khalil. The people of Williamson Prep and the other white individuals of the town are part of the One as they see themselves as superior over the Others. The white police officer involved in the accident was seen by the judge as innocent in the situation and he walked away with no charges. 

I think the creator of The Hate U Give wants us to take away several important lessons after watching the film. The creator exposes the controversial issue of police brutality along with the Black Lives Matter movement. It also makes us aware of the stereotypes of black people with violence and racism and how these are used to protect white communities. This work deals with the controversial issues of identity, power, injustice, and how they can either benefit an individual or harm their well-being. I believe the creator wanted viewers to question how race and socioeconomic class are used to define a person and how they are seen by other people especially the police and those of authority.

For my text review I have chosen one of my favorite TV series I have watched since I was a kid. The show is called House, is a medical drama that stars Dr. Greg House as a famous infectious disease specialist who solves medical mysteries with his team of young diagnosticians. He can be hard to work for as he likes to play mind games.

This show began its fame in November of 2004 and ended in 2012. Dr. House clashes with many colleagues as he picks up on subtle hints to get a diagnosis. Though his views are controversial, he is determined to find the diagnosis of every patient no matter how difficult it may be.

This show conveys many topics from our class, especially in season one when we first meet all the characters. Many characters have different ethnicities, religious attributes, and political outlooks. These topics come up often as Dr. House likes to rag on their appearance, ethnicities, and viewpoints. Season one showcases 22 episodes that revile how the team copes with all the torture as well as helping others at the same time. Even with the rags and blatant abuse from their superior, they know he is a genius, and they want to learn from him.

We see many examples on how he displays his viewpoints on a vast majority of controversial topics with humor mixed in. Just because he means it like a joke, does not always make it better and can be offensive. We have learned in this class to be observant, and more able to identify ways of seeing differences. We can see and learn from this show, mainly on how not to approach someone of different ethnicities, religions, and political stands. Between religion, gender, injustices, and race, this show comes together to help many people.

The movie I chose was “Hurricane”, a movie directed by Norman Jewison and starring Denzel Washington, released in the United States on December 29, 1999. Based on actual events, the film tells the story of the hurricane champion Rubin Carter who was accused of murder and regained his freedom years later with the help of enthusiasts.

The movie mainly describes Rubin Carter (Denzel Washington) after a period of troublesome teenage years and finally grows into an unbeatable middleweight boxer on the ring, nicknamed “Hurricane.” But a murder in a New Jersey bar destroyed his good hopes. He was charged with a triple murder, and the sentence was very long. While in prison, Carter wrote his story into an autobiography and published it. A few years later, after reading Carter’s book, a young American living in Canada, Martin (Weissler Lyon Shannon), felt that this book made him discover life’s direction for the first time. And meaning, he also believed that Carter was innocent, so he began to communicate with Carter. At first, Carter was unwilling to accept the help of these kind strangers. Still, when he saw an extraordinary enthusiasm and selfless dedication of these people for his case, he decided to continue with the confidence and determination to rebuild. In his battle for justice, the evil forces of racial discrimination secretly made things complicated, intending to trap the hurricane to death in a cell. Still, with the continuous efforts of enthusiasts, Carter was finally found not guilty and regained his freedom.

In my opinion, during this semester, we reviewed works involving identity, injustice, and intercultural relations from different perspectives, primarily works about race, gender, nationality, and a lesser degree of religious beliefs, such as Black Panther. And this film is closely related to the subject we are discussing.

In this movie, the systemic unfairness presented by racial discrimination is fully demonstrated. As a black, the protagonist encounters the waterloo of life when he is booming, and all kinds of unfair treatment and incidents follow. This also reflects a common phenomenon in contemporary society, where racial discrimination and inequitable treatment still exist. The movie finally gives people beauty and hope. It arranges countless hardships for the protagonists, but it also finally realizes hope and freedom for them. Real-life may be even crueler. No one can give us a promise. After hardships, there will be happiness.

Here is the link for image:

https://baike.baidu.com/pic/%E9%A3%93%E9%A3%8E/4749588/0/bd315c6034a85edf3e172a6540540923dc5475d9?fr=lemma&ct=single#aid=0&pic=bd315c6034a85edf3e172a6540540923dc5475d9

Marvel Studios has recently been releasing another limited series weekly on Disney Plus called The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. It has only released 4 episodes (minor spoilers ahead), but the series follows the heroes known as the Falcon (Sam Wilson) and the Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes). So far in the series, a new group of super soldiers have popped up and been committing crimes in the name of their cause. Sam and Bucky are trying to track them down to stop them and the possible creation of even more super soldiers. Bucky is a super soldier himself that was created by the evil group known as Hydra to be controlled and used as an assassin against his will. At the beginning of their search, Bucky takes Sam to an unknown Black super soldier, named Isaiah Bradley, that Bucky fought while being forced to work for Hydra. Sam is a very highly ranked and trusted Black superhero that works with the United States government and military, but he had no idea Isaiah even existed. Isaiah was basically a Black Captain America that came after the original Captain America, Steve Rogers. However, he is now an old man that becomes very upset by their unexpected visit and immediately asks them to leave. Before they leave, Isaiah is able to reveal that his existence was hidden from the public. The United States just used him for his abilities after Steve disappeared and was no longer able to act as their super soldier. Isaiah was even imprisoned and then tested on after they no longer needed him. This completely different treatment of Isaiah compared to Steve represents the clear systemic injustices that plague the United States. The scene after leaving Isaiah’s house also shows Sam almost getting arrested by cops for having an argument with Bucky, a white male. The officers are acting hostile towards Sam and almost arrest him until they realize he is an Avenger. I believe the story of Isaiah is included to try to show that even when Black people achieve power and use it for good to help others, they are often oppressed by the system and taken advantage of. The encounter Sam has with the police is also included to drive home this statement because Sam was only treated fairly when the officers realized he was a celebrity. These scenes are included in the overall story of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier to remind viewers of the systemic injustices Black citizens encounter every day, and to encourage us to consider what we can do to counteract this flawed system.

Sam and Bucky Arguing with the Police Officers

One of my all-time favorite family shows to watch is Modern Family. When I was younger, my family and I would watch a couple of episodes each night, and each night the show left us all laughing. However, what I failed to see and examine is how the show often refers to identity as many different cultures, lifestyles, and backgrounds are intertwined within this one, big family.

For the purposes of analyzing the show, I would like to focus on season 4 of Modern Family and the identity of the Tucker-Pritchett family, specifically Lily’s identity. Cameron and Mitchell, an American-gay couple, had adopted a Vietnamese-born child, Lily.

The effort to explain and discover Lily’s identity within this modernized family of two gay parents, is most clearly exhibited in season 4 episode 19 called “The Future Dunphy’s.” In this episode, Lily is learning about how parents’ heritage become their children’s heritage in school, so Lily makes the connection that since Cameron and Mitchell are gay, she is too. (9:20). Mitchell and Cameron try to explain that her heritage is actually Vietnamese, but soon realize they do not know much about Vietnam and Gloria, Mitchell’s stepmom, calls them out on their lack of knowledge regarding their daughter’s culture. As a result, Gloria offers the idea to take her to a Vietnamese restaurant, so that Lily can have “a taste of her culture” (10:45).

This episode represents the many challenges and problems that Lisa Ko touches upon in her novel, The Leavers, of interracial adoption and Deming’s Asian-American identity and experience. The result of Lily’s interracial adoption is that she is closed off from the Vietnam culture and exclaims that “she hates Vietnam” (14:41). Some can argue that this is Cameron and Mitchell’s fault as they are uneducated and forcibly assimilated her into White culture earlier in life unconsciously. However, Mitchell and Cameron finally realize that Lily feels the need to say she is gay because she felt lonely and unlike her adoptive parents. So, Mitchell makes the statement that, “The three of us are a family even though we come from different places. You were born in Vietnam and I grew up in a city. But the point is that we’re a family because we love each other.” He also adds that keeping in touch with your heritage only enriches your culture. Although Cameron and Mitchell had been mistaken in the past for not addressing how Lily sees her identity, it was important that they supported and understood that she felt left out as an adopted child and wanted to be more connected to her parents by being gay. In the future episodes of Modern Family and speaking of interracial adoption in general, it is important that Cameron and Mitchell are open-minded about Lily’s heritage and respect however she identifies, as well as make an effort to become more educated and culture about her Vietnamese heritage.

In conclusion, the show uniquely acknowledges different cultural identities while infusing the theme and idea of a loving parent’s influence upon a child’s upbringing. Regardless of the couple’s sexual preference they are able to impact their daughter who wishes to identify with them.

https://adoptionswithlove.org/adoptive-parents/modern-family-adoption