Injustices such as racial, gender, class, and nationalities are all examples of topics discussed and visited throughout this class. With each of these, we have dug deeper into the meanings behind them, and the effects that they have on society as a whole. However, I came across a documentary that stood out to me when it involved many of these same issues in a single, life-changing, and heart-shattering story. ABC 20/20 is a tv show that broadcasts nonfictional documentaries of many kinds, news stories occurring within the world, etc. The story that grabbed so much of my attention was that titled, “Nowhere to Run: The Ahmaud Arbery Story.”

This story takes place in a little town in Georgia by the name of Brunswick. It was a Sunday afternoon when Ahmaud Arbery, a younger African American male, decided to go for a run in the neighborhood. At the time, his mother didn’t know this, but Ahmaud ventured out of his own neighborhood, and into the other across U.S. highway 17. The two neighborhoods were very divided in many ways. On Ahmaud’s side, the houses were more run-down (in comparison to the other side), lack thereof better educational opportunities, and more African American current and accepting residence. While the other half of the

This picture is representing Brunswick, the town Ahmaud resided in. As well as the chart showing sex, race, and ethnicity statistics within the county, too.

highway housed more newly built and renovated homes, ‘prim and proper’ type of citizens, better educational hopes, and a whiter communal neighborhood that was not very accepting of those within the black community. In understanding the socioeconomic locations of these two close, but very divided, citizens, worlds of completely different lives were lived.

The heartbreaking racial discriminatory roles that three of the citizens opposite of Ahmaud’s place of residency took next was beyond inhumane. It was claimed by two of the individuals driving within the same truck, that they observed a black man running in their neighborhood which drove them to assume he was running from something. That something was subconsciously expressed from the two man as being involved in some type of criminal activity, etc. This drove the men to stalking Ahmaud while he ran in front of their vehicle. As Ahmaud was chased throughout the neighborhood from street to street, a neighbor who became the third party involved, joined in the chase in his own vehicle. Ahmaud was eventually trapped with no getaway in sight and was shot in the middle of the street by the two first party individuals.

Through the persistence and preservation from Ahmaud’s family, friends, and world-wide supporters, justice was served to all three individuals that participated and created such a racially injustice crime. This story brings to light how racial divide is still occurring within the United States today. Nonetheless, deeper-rooted divides also play a crucial role in understanding how flawed cities are within this country and how severe it is, regardless of one’s race, gender, class, ethnicity, and residency.

Source: 

Roberts, Deborah. “Nowhere to Run: The Ahmaud Arbery Story.” ABC 20/20, season 44, episode 8, ABC, 26 Nov. 2021.

The Upside was released in September of 2017 and The Upside is a remake of the 2011 French film The Intouchables. This is film is a true story about the journey of two men named Phillip and Dell. Phillip was in a paragliding accident and as result is now a quadriplegic. Phillip is in need of a caregiver to help him with his activities of daily living. Dell has recently been released from prison and is required to get job as part of his parole. Dell accidently becomes part of the interview process for Phillip’s care and Phillip selects him. Both Phillip and Dell are struggling in life. Phillip is struggling after losing his life and is no longer himself and is struggling with depression. Dell is trying to have a relationship with his son. Each character brings this baggage to the relationship. As the film progresses Dell begins to learn how to take care of Phillip and helps him begin to enjoy his life again. Dell throughout the film begins to

try and have a better relationship with his son and to do right by his son’s mom. This doesn’t go perfectly or smoothly for either of them but by the end they both have regained their passions for life and began to understand what they are passionate about.

The film tackles many different inequalities include racism, socioeconomic status, and ableism. Phillip and Del each experience a form of Othering. One of Phillip’s neighbors tries to convince Phillip to fire Dell because of his record and belief that he will try and steal from other people in the building including Phillip. Phillip also experiences a form of Othering in the case that people talk down to him or talk to the person that he is with rather than him because of his condition. The writer of this film inspires conversation about racism, ableism, and socioeconomic status. Through the friendship of Phillip and Dell the writer shows that by putting your trust in someone and not letting other preconceived judgements about someone a true, meaningful friendship can be gained by people who are different from each other. The writer also shows how having a relationship with someone different from you can allow you to learn some very valuable lessons.

Imagery used:

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNzY3NzYyNjI0N15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNjYzMDc0NjM@._V1_.jpg

Disney & Pixar’s Luca

              Luca is a Walt Disney Pictures production that released on June 13^th, 2021. The movie is set on the Italian Riviera and follows Luca Paguro, a young sea monster boy who can take the likeness of a human when he steps onto land. The ability to change isn’t controllable as one drop of water begins to turn their skin back into a sea monster. This movie, like other Disney classics, takes a look into otherness and self-discovery.

Luca Paguro is fascinated by what the world looks like after some items fall to the ocean floor from a boat. This desire is met with a strong backlash from his parents, especially his mother who is fearful of what humans would do if they saw Luca. Luca deals with the feeling of otherness from both sides, humans and his parents. His mother threatens to ship him to the deep sea with his Uncle Ugo who is an anglerfish. Luca sneaks away from home and is pulled out of the water by Alberto Scorfano who is also a young sea monster boy. He has ventured onto dry land, so he teaches Luca how to walk and act like a normal human. Both venture to the local town and learn of a sort of triathlon that involves swimming, riding a bike and consuming a huge amount of pasta in the middle by a local girl named Giulia. She is bullied by a very popular local kid who does not like Giulia as she only comes to the town during the summer. Anyone that doesn’t seem from the town, he does not like.

The film looks to understand how a person goes through feeling like the Other and not connected to any group of people. For most of the movie, Luca feels alone and lost despite having Alberto as a close friend. This is because his parents are angry and looking for their lost son to take back to the ocean, all the while he can’t admit to Giulia he is a sea monster, let alone anyone else in the town. Luca even turns his back on Alberto, a pivotal moment of Lucas journey, when Alberto is found out to be a sea monster and is banished back to the ocean. Luca chimes in and yells at Alberto to go back where he came from. Luca is scared, not ready to admit he is a sea monster so he sides with the towns people instead of coming clean as well. In the end, Luca competes in the triathlon where he shows that he is a sea monster as well. Giulia comes to terms with this and saves Luca from the town bully by slamming her bike into the town bully.

The movie looks at Otherness through Lucas perspective and how a young boy has to deal with not “fitting in”. He has desires to go to school and do normal human activities but is being dragged back to the ocean by his own parents. By Luca admitting he is also a sea monster, his parents are exposed by the rain as well as a pair of old women who are best friends and have lived in the town for a long time. This shows that even other people are hiding and scared to come forward that have lived normally in the town without others knowing.

Work Cited:

Casarosa, Enrico, director. Luca. Disney+, Walt Disney Productions, 18 June 2021, Accessed 3 Dec. 2021.

Daniels, Robert. “Luca Movie Review & Film Summary (2021): Roger Ebert.” Movie Review & Film Summary (2021) | Roger Ebert, RogerEbert.com, 18 June 2021, https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/luca-movie-review-2021.

Willmore, Alison. “Review: Pixar’s Luca Is a Literal Fish-out-of-Water Fantasy.” Vulture, Vulture, 17 June 2021, https://www.vulture.com/article/luca-review-disney-pixar.html.

In the book The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, we go through a journey of a young shepherd named Santiago. Santiago is a Shepard who comes to be quite unsatisfied with his life. He chose to become a shepherd because this allowed him to travel the world as he so pleases. Santiago started to have dreams every night where he would hear a young boy’s voice whisper to him to seek treasure at the foot of the Egyptian pyramids. Because he noticed that he was becoming too content with his life he decided to go on a journey in hopes to pursue a purpose in his life. In this book, one’s purpose in life is referred to as their personal legend. Throughout his journey, Santiago comes across multiple people that aid his path specifically the king who convinces him to follow his dream and the Alchemist who teaches Santiago about the principles of alchemy. A lot takes place on his journey of finding the treasure. Santiago got sidetracked and dealt with adversity but through it all Santiago always got back on track because he was determined to fulfill his personal legend which he eventually does at the end of the story. The central theme of Santiago’s journey was for him to seek the life that he felt was made for him. He had a job where he makes money got to travel but he felt he was destined for more. Santiago had a talent for alchemy and wanted to pursue it even if it meant he had to drop everything and travel the world to achieve his personal legend. Alchemy is defined as the process of taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary and that is what Santiago did with his life and is what the author intended readers to take away from his life. This journey of finding out one’s purpose/identity is a concept that we went over through our class.

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, a romantic novel published anonymously in three volumes in 1813. The growing relationship between Elizabeth Bennet, the daughter of a country gentleman, and Fitzwilliam Darcy, a rich aristocratic landowner, is the focus of this classic of English literature. Pride and Prejudice is set in rural England around the turn of the nineteenth century and follows the Bennet family, which consists of five very different sisters. Jane, the eldest, is mild-mannered and modest. She is Elizabeth’s confidante and friend. Elizabeth, the novel’s heroine, is intelligent and vivacious. She shares her father’s disdain for society’s conventional views on the importance of wealth and rank. The third daughter, Mary, is plain, bookish, and pompous, while the two youngest, Lydia and Kitty, are flighty and immature.

This story depicts key societal themes and the impact these themes had on the lives of the novel’s characters. One of these themes is social class, which is a major contributor to the story’s characters’ problems. Social class is an underlying issue in the lives of the characters, and it has a significant impact on the decisions they make throughout the novel. Every character recognizes the significance of social standing, and it plays an important role in the development of each individual in Pride and Prejudice. Although they were initially estranged from each other due to misunderstandings and prejudices based on first impressions (it was the first name of the novel). By refusing to dance with Elizabeth, he insulted her. He stated, where she could hear him, that he was not in the mood to prefer young ladies who had been slighted by other men. Despite this, he began to admire Elizabeth, and after further contact with her, he realizes she is the most intelligent, discerning, and virtuous woman he has ever met. He falls in love with her, but his pride prevents him from lowering himself to her social class at first.

This particular part is very similar to Spivak’s Subaltern because in his book he discusses about how the power dynamics affect the lives of two different groups. He explains the relationship between the subaltern who in this case is Elizabeth and its oppressor who is Mr. Darcy. Something that is very similar between these two relationships is the oppressor is always in the illusion that he is great. Mr. Darcy, for example, is the most obviously proud and prejudiced character. On the one hand, his pride is understandable given his wealth and social standing. He is accustomed to being treated as a social superior and an authority figure, and social codes of behavior ensure that characters of lower social status respect him. Darcy’s pride, on the other hand, is obvious, and he clearly sees himself as superior to the other characters with whom he interacts. Darcy also exhibits prejudice and is quick to pass judgment on the people he meets. He does not keep his opinions to himself and is willing to persuade those around him. For example, he admits to Elizabeth that he tried to break up Jane and Bingley’s relationship, saying, “I have done everything in my power to separate my friend from your sister.” In his letter, he later explains that he did not believe Jane truly loved Bingley. This demonstrates that he believes his observation of Jane was correct and that he did not consider whether his assumptions about her feelings were correct.

What people can take away from this story is that it is important to understand the other person before making assumptions or using information that you make not know is true against them. It also tells us that having pride in doing good things is acceptable but thinking that no one is above you and everybody has to meet your requirements in order to interact with you is wrong. Although the social class plays an important role in building pride, it all comes down to how well you behave.

Austen, J., Langton, S., Birtwistle, S., Firth, C., & Ehle, J. (1995). Pride and prejudice. London: BBC Production.

The Hate U Give is a film that follows the story of an African American girl named Starr Carter. Starr’s family resides in a predominantly African American neighborhood. However, Starr goes to school in a very wealthy and white neighborhood. Starr constantly juggles her life in the two very different places and struggles to find a balance between both.

The main incident of the film that drives the majority of the story occurs when Starr’s childhood friend, an African American male named Khalil, is driving them together in a car. Khalil is pulled over for no apparent reason and begins getting questioned by a white police officer. He is asked to step out of the car while the officer runs his license. When Khalil reaches into his car for his hairbrush, the officer shoots him in the chest. Starr runs out of the car to help her friend and is then handcuffed while she watches Khalil die. The rest of the film follows the aftermath of the incident for Starr as she struggles with her identity and fights for justice. 

This film relates to Simone De Beuiviors’ othering theory.  Her theory describes how different aspects of society like culture, politics, and economy are what create instances of inequality and lead to the “othering” of certain groups of people. This act against Khalil represents this theory as it shows how African Americans as a group are being completely “othered” by society.  In this film, Khalil and Starr are the ones othered by the white police officer. They are treated differently because of their skin tone. 

The officer assumes Khalil is dangerous and kills him for no reason at all. Khalil becomes a symbol for all African American people. Starr along with many others begin to fight this systemic injustice of how African Americans are treated by police officers. Starr also struggles with her identity as an African American. She attempts to embrace her identity as an African American person but struggles with how people will react to her in a school surrounded by white people. Overall, the treatment Khalil and Starr receive from the officer is an example of othering and is a clear systemic injustice as they are treated differently because of how they look.

In 2018, CW productions released their first season of the hit TV show, All American. Season One illuminates Spencer James’s decision to transfer from his hometown, Crenshaw, located on the south side of town, to Beverly Hills High School that opens the gate for stronger football opportunities. Living with his single mom and little brother, Spencer struggles to face and balance his priorities, future, and needs once he moves in with Beverly’s coach. Although All American fulfills the craving for a teen drama, it realistically demonstrates the problems found within society today in terms of injustice, identity, and power. 

Once attending Beverly Hill High School, Spencer faces many means of racism as he has to fight for his identity. His new teammates hold a predetermined perspective of Crenshaw and refer to him, his friends, and past teammates in a negative, brutally racist manner. Beverly’s students reflect the message of a single story, as put by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, as they assume Spencer is incorporated in gangs due to him living on the south side. Adichie’s words enlighten and relate her idea to power as she claims “Power is the ability not just to tell the story of another person, but to make it the definitive story of that person” (Adichie 10:09) This conflict reiterates the stereotypical issues found within the black community. Viewers are able to watch the struggle Spencer experiences balancing the relationships from both sides of his life. 

Privilege is another aspect viewers watch Spenser having to balance. He struggles with not getting caught up in his success and opportunities at Beverly, while still prioritizing his loved ones back in Crenshaw. This leads to demonstrating his difficulty with identity as he balances these dual lives. The standard of living provided to him in Beverly is uncanny to the scenario at home. As a high student, he finds difficulty in knowing what and when to prioritize him versus his family, all while trying to tend for two completely different communities. Many hold Spencer’s success against him as they feel betrayed that he left Crenshaw. 

All American has brought a reluctant reality onto the TV screen, giving just a glimpse into the conversation of identity and injustice. 

Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. “Transcript of ‘The Danger of a Single Story.’” TED.

https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story/transcript?language=en

I’ve always believed that books redefine the boundaries between reality and imagination. Wonder by R.J. Palacio is no different to my notion. Renowned author Palacio published this work in early 2012, and from there, it has changed the generational outlook on the relationship between facial deformities and prejudice. A tale about a young boy named August, or “Auggie”, Pullman diagnosed with Treacher Collins syndrome, this novel explores various heartwrenching concepts such as identity, power, and injustice. 

His story is shared through the perspective of those closest to him, and this gives readers a better glimpse of his struggle to accept himself, particularly in unforeseen circumstances like at school or even familial interactions. To highlight, throughout the beginning, Auggie has a Padawan-style braid. As the story continues, it’s revealed that the protagonist uses the braid as a safety net for his identity as it’s one of the few physical features he can control. Once Auggie cuts his braid, it signifies to readers that he’s willing to define his identity beyond physical traits. Rather, Auggie can

embody his personality without shielding himself through trivial hairstyles. Unfortunately, Auggie only came to this realization because of the innumerable amount of prejudice he faced from classmates through verbal and physical abuse. Unfortunately, encounters between those who are disordered and those who are can be detrimental, as seen in Palacio’s work. 

Reflecting on Wonder, I’m once again reminded of Adichie’s Ted Talk, Dangers of a Single Story. Far too often did strangers use their assumptions to define August Pullman’s story. It’s this behavior that results in negative portrayal. Adichie perfectly documents this feeling by saying, “ She had felt sorry for me even before she saw me.” Likewise, even those closest to Auggie like his family, with the exemption of his sister, immediately resulted in pity. 

Wonder continues to leave me pondering. Now, I’ve acknowledged how Palacio wanted his readers to fixate how materialism and eurocentrism deteriorates societal progression. As depicted in the novel, humans see differences as motivation for garnering power over others or for inflicting injustice. This piece challenges readers to be mindful of microaggressions against targeted groups, hopefully encouraging conversations that move towards positivity.

The film Knives Out, directed by Rian Johnson and released in 2019, takes a deeper look into entitlement and abuse of power that grew from unchecked privilege. The film follows the detective case of Benoit Blanc as he studies the case of Harlan Thrombey’s mysterious death. Harlan Thrombey was a crime novelist, a wealthy man, with a large family and a personal nurse, Marta. 

Marta, the main protagonist, becomes close with Detective Blanc during the investigation as she held a different position in the case compared to the rest of the family. The Thrombey family treats and talks about Marta with a sense of entitlement over her due to her race and class. The Thrombey family is privileged due to their stable social and economic power, both of which Marta lack due to her undocumented mother. 

This relationship, between Marta and the Thrombey’s, is much like the master – slave dialect. For much of the film, Marta is the slave and the Thrombey family is the master. This is due to both parties understanding where their social standings rank in relation to the other; for example, Marta was only present among the family as Harlan Thrombey’s nurse, and nothing else. However, after Harlan’s will was read, the relationship flipped. Marta become the master as she inherited everything, thus making the Thrombey family the slave. This flip is an important part of the film as it removed any power and privilege the Thrombey’s had due to their easy access to money, and left them in a state of confusion and chaos.

This film has the ability to make the audience think after it finishes. Marta is in a completely different position from the start of the film, and it is beneficial to reflect back as to how it happened. To close this off, it is important to build relationships off of the quality and character of a person, rather than how much money they will give you, because a strong relationship built off of character will take you farther in life. And Marta is the perfect example of that.