Butler movie 6 - En essay om multikulturalisme forklart gjennom en film PDF

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En essay om multikulturalisme forklart gjennom en film...

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Last essay by Rayana Alikhanovna Bakhtarysjeva 3STA (Social Studies)

Oil floats on water Fighting for social change or even a stolen human right is a challenging journey. This is evident in the historical picture "The Butler" by producer Lee Daniels. Inspired by true events, the movie depicts a series of eminent social and political occurrences of the 20th century. The plot revolves around Cecil Gaines who manages to work his way up to become a butler in the White House during the segregated 1900s. With regard to how the characters cooperate with white supremacy in their life, this essay seeks out to discuss how Cecil Gaines challenges racial barriers, compared to his son Louis. Furthermore, assess how their attempts to create a better life for themselves provoke the commonly believed stereotypes about people of color and finally, conclude with the main points of this paper's discussion. Cecil is passive against racial segregation. His upbringing on a cotton farm during a tough period for people of color in the south could be a foundation for his behavioral development. In addition, his father warns him to act cautiously with their white owner since this is "his world". Throughout the movie, Cecil's career prospered because he was willing to adapt the subservient life black people lived to co-exist with white people. He also practiced the words of his former employer, "you must look through their eyes, see what it is that they want, see what it is that they need, anticipate, bring a smile to the principal's eyes." These words are similar to the ones his father said. Which means there is no place for personal development or reflection in Cecil's life because he only knows hard work and believes obedience will increase his chances of survival. Cecil's son Louis fights actively to gain freedom for people of color. Contrary to his father, Louis had a relatively good upbringing and possessed everything to survive, including education. Which means he had time and resources to reflect upon social problems and figure out a way to deal with the racial injustice done to black people. Similar to Cecil, Louis has a starting point where the viewers get a foreshadowing of his future mindset when he asks his father whether he saw any white kid at his graduation. In order to contribute to the process toward change in society, he joins political movements and demonstrations, which shows his passion and belief that the segregated society should change. The character's different approaches are like a hit from different sides on the wall called segregation built with stereotypes. The Nigerian author Chinua Achebe (snl.no, 2018)

Last essay by Rayana Alikhanovna Bakhtarysjeva 3STA (Social Studies)

said, "The whole idea of a stereotype is to simplify" and because the media portrayed black people as primitive criminals since the 1800s, it truly did simplify white people's minds (nmaahc.si.edu, 2018). Nevertheless, it became everything but simple for the victims. To break an old mindset requires patience and persistence. By exposing white people to how misleading the Jim Crow representation of black people was could have minimized the fear of unknown and made equal opportunities available for black people sooner. Instead, the benefit and irony behind Cecil's conformity and obedience become clear. The movie alludes to the historical figure Martin Luther King Jr. who compliments people like Cecil, "Young brother, the black domestic defy racial stereotypes by being hardworking and trustworthy." This point makes it clear that Cecil's methods are necessary to show that black people are more than uncivilized beings, "He slowly tears down racial hatred with his example of a strong work ethic and dignified character." Which is how Cecil manages to reach the White House and directly ask the authorities of providing the African American employees equal pay for their service. "Now, while we perceive the butler or the maid to be subservient, in many ways they are subversive, without even knowing it". Although the statement does underline how Cecil's obedience contradicts with the Jim Crow representation, on the other hand, it also means to empower the oppression, Skepticism toward our contrasts is common and the movie shows how Cecil and Louis are unpleased with one another's methods. During Cecil's announcement of his Butler career, there are several close up shots on Louis' face that suggests uneasiness and possible embarrassment. Regardless of his parents' opposition, Louis decides to attend a college in the south to join civil rights movements. His involvement in demonstrations results in physical abuse and jail. Moreover, his father downgrades his efforts when Louis says, "Something special is going on down here, Dad" to which Cecil responds, "What's so special about another colored man in jail?" Despite Louis' altruistic endeavors to create a better world for black people, it also indirectly strengthened the white society's prejudiced views on people of color being dangerous criminals. Once again, there is an irony. Although the preconception labeled them as criminals, in their defense, they probably had no other choice than to commit crimes in order to survive. When you remove basic human rights from someone, such as the chance to sustain themselves, drastic solutions in form of aberrant behavior is almost to be

Last essay by Rayana Alikhanovna Bakhtarysjeva 3STA (Social Studies)

expected. In fact, the scene where the "subservient" Cecil breaks a bakery window for food displays the unfairness of these racial stereotypes. Additionally, this scene exemplifies how even passive Cecil sometimes adapts rebellious behavior in order to survive. At the end of the movie, he even acknowledges Louis' methods. There are different ways to fight for what you believe in. One does not necessarily need to go out in the streets with torches and mass protest or silently conform and allow racial chains to restrict you from stating your opinion. However, maybe finding a balance inbetween liberation and conformity could be an option. In this essay, we have discussed how Cecil's and Louis' contrasting participation in the fight against racial barriers has both benefits and challenges. In addition, their backgrounds appeared to play a significant role in how they approached oppression and racism. Moreover, we discussed how racial stereotypes create an irony in Cecil's and Louis' efforts. Mainly because a stereotype is like a reverse-card, which creates a dilemma and distorts actions to seem vicious. However, it seems like there is a synergy between Cecil and Louis and the movie successfully portrayed how liberation and conformity are two necessary components in a fight for social change and stolen human rights. Despite prejudice, stereotypes or racist caricatures, African American people were able to pull through, just as Cervantes wrote, “The truth may be stretched thin, but it never breaks, and it always surfaces above lies, as oil floats on water.”

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Anne &Emmet (2018). Blackface: The Birth of an American Stereotype. Available [online]: https://nmaahc.si.edu/blog-post/blackface-birth-american-stereotype (last accessed 24.05.19) "Lee Daniels’ The Butler". The Weinstein Company. © 2013, Butler Films, LLC.

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Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1605/1615). El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de La Mancha. Oslo: Aschehough & Co

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Monica (Ap Literature student) (2019). The Butler film analysis. Available [online] at: https://morethanthehelpingbutler.weebly.com/the-butler-analysis.html (last accessed 26.05.2019)

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Rønning, Helge. (2018, 4. november). Chinua Achebe. I Store norske leksikon. Hentet 24. mai 2019 fra https://snl.no/Chinua_Achebe...