Growing up in the Deep South, there are certain themes I am accustomed to: extreme heat, soul food, accents and racism. We usually treat racism as if it is a secret of the South that we are not supposed to let get out. Granted, I won’t ever fully grasp the true impact of racism, but I know it is still alive. Yes, I said it; racism still exists in the South, as well as in the United States generally. Unfortunately, it is a topic that rarely is approached effectively and continues to remain problematic, especially for the South.
Despite the fact that classrooms are places of enlightenment and learning, they fail to properly address slavery. Uncomfortable is not the word I could use to describe being the only African American student in a history class where the topic of discussion is slavery. One thing that never failed in all of my history classes was the screening of some movie dealing with slavery that would require a permission slip. It seems as if teachers rely upon Hollywood to help students fully grasp the time of slavery.
The recent release of the Quentin Tarantino‘s film, “Django Unchained,” is Hollywood’s newest attempt at tackling the subject of racism. The film has been criticized for its use of the N-word and adding comedy to a sensitive time in American history. But honestly, Hollywood has already done so much concerning the topic of slavery; Tarantino might as well add some humor to it and make it a western.
It was refreshing to see a movie that integrated actual history with this fictional hero. The use of the N-word is a part of the environment of that time, just like the violent scenes of slaves being whipped. Society knows the environment was cruel for slaves at the time. This movie simply builds from that reality instead of pretending audiences will be surprised by it.
The classic Hollywood depiction of slavery is usually strictly concerned with showing the cruelty and the anguish. Yes, it was a horrible time and there are stories that need to be told. If directors want to put these stories on the big screen, that is their right as artists, but a director that does not stick with the traditional biopic form of movies dealing with slavery should not be criticized.
Movies like “Amista” and “Roots” are great movies and give the viewer what they expect; a movie that tells a story of strength and perseverance. But we are talking about Quentin Tarantino, director of movies like “Kill Bill”, “Inglorious Basterds” and “Pulp Fiction.” He is not known for stories that tug at the heart strings. He is controversial, he doesn’t sugar coat, and he pushes boundaries. Despite his track record, his approach suddenly becomes problematic because he puts the issues of race in a western and uses the N-word; he has all of sudden crossed the line?
The setting of the movie is the antebellum South, specifically Mississippi. He did not purposely put the N-word in movie just for reactions; during that time it was a part of the southern dialect. He is one of the few directors who has been able to take topics like race and turn it into a love story or a western and produce a film that makes sense.
