by Brittany
12 years a
slave, I hesitated to watch this
film because I knew without a doubt that it would be a great film,
but I felt as though we should be creating films at this point past
slavery. But after February's Black History month I saw an uproar on
social media of people upset with Google using Harriet Tubman's
picture as one of it's headliners for the same reason I felt
indifferent about the film. I instantly was offended because I feel
like you should never down play a person so key to our current
existence. Then I instantly thought of my initial reaction to the
film. So with an open mind I watched the film, and like expected I
enjoyed it. I thought the depiction of slavery was accurately
depicted. I instantly connected to the “Patsy” character played
by Lupita Nyong. Women in slavery suffered for everyone. They were
objects of unwanted affection, had little voices or presence and like
the woman “ Eliza” their children were stripped of them at any
moment. But this film gave another side to slavery not that one that
we saw in the classic Roots.
This one told of a freed man who was kidnapped into slavery. After
watching this I thought of one thing and that was the response of
others to the film. I would say it is of great historical context
allowing its viewers to see another side to slavery, but I'm sure
there are nay-sayers, and supports alike. The first thing I noticed
in my research of this is on iMDb the film received 97% rotten
tomatoes! Not only was I shocked, I instantly thought typical, and
aggravation to the idea that someone could have not enjoyed such a
intense tale.
Now
I'm looking into articles and I didn't have to look far for
ignorance. I found an article about an elderly woman who spoke
ignorantly taking context from the film entirely too far. The title
of the article
Slaves
would be very handy. . . I wouldn't mind a few myself: Race row after
artist attacks hit film 12 Years a Slave during university talk...
The
woman spoke in context and out of mind. This type of “jokes”
remind me of those Gallagher, and Bonilla-Silva spoke of. How those
whom “are not” racist use these racial jokes to pass their racism
off lightly. In the article it talks of this woman making the
statement of thinking slaves would be handy post watching the film,
and the only black person in the audience having an issue with this.
Once again racism like this went untouched because it fell under the
umbrella of being “taken out of context.”
This
constant need for Americans to dismiss the problem instead of ending
it is a cancer in our country. An untreated cancer that runs fluidly
in all aspects of American culture. Self control and thought process
are necessary in today's society one hundred and fifty percent. This
woman, like many who favor her, is supposed to be of a higher class,
she is an “artist” whom is supposed to have an “open mind” ,
but instead ignorance pours from it. Another article I found was The
Blood and Tears, Not the Magnolias talks
about the other side of this film. The part I found the most
interesting. How this showcases not just slavery but how this man
was enslaved, but mentally he remained an intellectual. I've never
seen a film about slavery like this, Northup's story is true story
which showcases a part of AMERICAN history that many do not want to
give much light to, but if we continue to tell tales of those who
have gone without voices, not just those who were in slavery, but the
stories of the covered American's we as a country will develop the
necessary nerve to eventually get an understanding towards race and
the possibility of racism ceasing to exist can possibly be true.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/18/movies/12-years-a-slave-holds-nothing-back-in-show-of-suffering.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2013/10/18/arts/18TWELVE_SPAN.html
://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2616059/I-wouldnt-mind-slaves-Award-winning-artist-Maggi-Hambling-sparks-anger-making-controversial-comments-12-Years-A-Slave-university-talk.html
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