In terms of how gender, race, and social class, films are portrayed throughout Hollywood as a form of patriarchy, where men and masculinity are highly favorable, or privileged, in comparison to women and femininity (Benshoff & Griffin, 2009, p. 213). These films tend to be very sexist, which Benshoff and Griffin (2009) define as, “the belief that one sex is inherently superior to the other” (p. 214). There is also evidence that films, especially those set in the South, are extremely racialized and display a fictional space or image.
The Color Purple was released in 1985 and immediately, it gained much controversy about black cultural representation, racism, gender roles, and social classes. Overall, it is a movie adaptation of a novel that depicts the cruelty of being raised in the south during the early years of the twentieth century. It is here where we learn of prejudices not just between races, but among same race relations. The movie is based on the character, Celie, and brings us through her life from a battered child to an empowered adult.
We are first introduced to the prejudices within her family, Celie is abused by the man she thinks is her father …show more content…
Then, Mister brings home his mistress, Shug, who happens to be the love of his life and he is oddly subservient to. Shug, who is very independent, takes a liking to Celie and learns of hidden letters from her sister that Mister did not want her to have. From my interpretation, he tried everything in his power to repress her as a woman, especially after he witnessed events that indicated her strong will and intelligence. This changes everything and with each letter read by Celie, we see her strength rise
The Color Purple was released in 1985 and immediately, it gained much controversy about black cultural representation, racism, gender roles, and social classes. Overall, it is a movie adaptation of a novel that depicts the cruelty of being raised in the south during the early years of the twentieth century. It is here where we learn of prejudices not just between races, but among same race relations. The movie is based on the character, Celie, and brings us through her life from a battered child to an empowered adult.
We are first introduced to the prejudices within her family, Celie is abused by the man she thinks is her father …show more content…
Then, Mister brings home his mistress, Shug, who happens to be the love of his life and he is oddly subservient to. Shug, who is very independent, takes a liking to Celie and learns of hidden letters from her sister that Mister did not want her to have. From my interpretation, he tried everything in his power to repress her as a woman, especially after he witnessed events that indicated her strong will and intelligence. This changes everything and with each letter read by Celie, we see her strength rise