Author: dietz.166

Text Review – Hercules

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Hercules | Disney Movies

Disney is known for producing inspiring movies for children. Hercules is one of those movies. It follows a boy who is trying to find his place in society. Hercules is the son of the god Zeus. However, as a baby, Hercules was taken from the gods by Hades and turned half mortal. Because of this, he is no longer allowed to live with the gods in Olympus. He is found on Earth by a couple who take him in a raise his as their own. Once Hercules becomes a teenager, it is obvious he is very different from his peers. He is too strong and tends to destroy things on accident. He is seen as an outcast in the human world. Once Hercules finds out that he is a son to a god, he must prove himself to the gods in order to live in Olympus with them. He begins training and learns to control his strength. He fights off many monsters, however it is not enough. Zeus says that Hercules needs to do something heroic and to listen to his heart. In the end, Hercules gives up his own life to save the life of the woman he loves. Because of this selfless act, Hercules becomes a god. However, he chooses to live on Earth to stay with the love of his life.

Throughout the film, we watch Hercules struggle to figure out who he is. He identifies both as a human and as a god. This struggle in identity is what makes him an other in society. He does not fit in either the human world nor the god world. The humans treat Hercules like an outcast and the gods will not allow Hercules to live with his family since he is not a full god. If we look back on The Leavers, we can see how Deming and Hercules are similar. Deming struggles to find his place in society while struggling to understand his identity. Both are viewed as others within their societies. In the movie Hercules, we watch as society shuns Hercules. His own father tells him not to move as he goes into a store in town and leaves Hercules outside so he cannot accidentally wreck anything. By the end of the movie, he is still seen as an other but society now likes him.

In our own world, we see this happening everyday, especially in schools. The kids that are different from everyone else are looked at as the other. They feel like they don’t have a place. The movie is supposed help showcase that even if you are an other, you can standout and embrace your differences.

Disney's animated Hercules is getting a live-action reboot produced by the Russo brothers - The Verge

African Americans in Film – Black Panther Context Presentation

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Black Panther was a movie that changed much of Hollywood and the film making industry when it first was released in January of 2018. Up until this point, not many movies, especially not super hero movies, featured an African American as the main character. This is the first megabudget movie to ever be produced that had an African American actor and a mostly black cast (Smith). The main characters in the movie are black actors. There are only a few white characters in the movie, and they play a minor role. Black Panther was a movie many blacks had been waiting for.

When Hollywood and film making for began, racial segregation was still very prominent. “Slavery, Hollywood and Public Discourse” talks about how, in the early years of film making, black characters were portrayed by white actors who painted their faces black (black face). One of the first major silent films produced was Birth of a Nation. This film portrayed slavery of African Americans. This was the typical view of blacks in films for a long time in history. “Slavery, Hollywood and Public Discourse” explains that in 1977, the movie Roots was one of the first to try to depict the difficult struggles blacks faced in America. However, this movie came 62 years after Birth of a Nation. This is a long time to hold the view of blacks as slaves or servants in films.

Why is it important to show diversity in films? Sharman quotes a professor, George Gerbner, who says “representation in the fictional world signifies social existence.” If you think about this, you can understand that if people are recognized and represented in films and other forms of the fictional world, it helps develop their existence in the real world. This is why Black Panther is so crucial to film history. It allowed blacks everywhere to picture themselves in this film, as a superhero. Black Panther came during a time in American history where 41% of African Americas were at or below the poverty line (Smith). This film showed blacks that they can be and do anything. It portrays blacks as smart, powerful and victorious, something the world needed to see.

 

Bibliography

Sharman, Russell. “African Americans in Cinema.” Moving Pictures, University of Arkansas, 18 May 2020, uark.pressbooks.pub/movingpictures/chapter/african-americans-in-cinema/.

“Slavery, Hollywood, and Public Discourse.” National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian, 8 Feb. 2018, nmaahc.si.edu/blog-post/slavery-hollywood-and-public-discourse.

Smith, Jamil. “The Revolutionary Power of Black Panther.” Time, Time, time.com/black-panther/.

 

Diary of Systemic Injustice – Unrest in Haiti

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For my Diary of Systemic Injustice Showcase, I have decided to explore and elaborate on the unrest and protests in Haiti. I have done some research on the topic as it is a great example of systemic injustice. Back in 2018, the people of Haiti began peaceful protests that were for the lowering of gas prices. However, the protests have yet to stop. They have evolved since 2018 and lead to protests surrounding the president and the people’s calls for him to step down from office. The nation is in a state of distress and many people are suffering. The New York Times article called Haiti Braces for Unrest as a Defiant President Refuses to Step Down explains that children have been fundraising money that will be used to pay ransom for fellow classmates and friends who have been kidnapped by gangs. The human rights of Haitians have been stripped from them as many are scared to go to the grocery store and schools have closed because of the violence and protests. The president also has refused to step down and has not helped to create a better situation. Instead, he is planning on changing the constitution of Haiti. Many people are worried that the constitutional change will be approved because the voting will not be fair. 

Also, the gang violence has many people believing that the president has been supporting the gangs. The New York Times article says, “Haitians suspect that the proliferation of gangs over the last two years has been supported by Mr. Moise to stifle any dissent.” The gangs targeted neighborhoods that did not hold the same views as the president. They also attacked protestors who were protesting for their own human rights. 

This is an example of systemic injustice because the government in power has full control and is not doing anything to help the people. The people have been suffering for 2 years and things have only become worse. The voices of the Haitian people have been suppressed and their own human rights have been taken. This is all because of the governing power. The system in Haiti is unjust and is creating the lifestyle that they have today. This relates back to the course material on Hegel and the Master-Slave Dialectic. Here, we can see that the “master” is the government of Haiti. The slave in this case would be the people of Haiti. In my understanding of Hegel, I interpret the reading to say that the master must make the slave understand that they are the slave. The master is in charge and the slave must follow orders and obey the master. Once the slave realizes this dynamic, the master not longer has control over the slave. Here, we can see that the Haitian people no longer respect or follow orders from the government. They have figured out the master-slave relationship and are now trying to dissolve it in order to take control and change their government. 

 

Media:

The New York Times: Haiti Braces for Unrest as a Defiant President Refuses to Step Down

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/07/world/americas/haiti-protests-President-Jovenel-Mois.html?smid=url-share

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/07/world/americas/haiti-protests-President-Jovenel-Mois.html?smid=url-share

Here is a picture from The New York Times showing a protest taking place in Haiti.

Students marching through the country’s capital last month in response to the kidnapping of an elementary school student that morning.