Ethnic Notions: Film Response Essay

Gender and racial identity was a form of discrimination in the world and they were interrelated that fuelling the injustice social phenomenon and problem. For example, women were a particular group and as a symbol showed the social abuses, acts of violence and biggest discrimination based on the sexual difference and racism. The difference of color, race, gender were the big biases not only to deprive of women’s an equal rights education opportunity, health insurance or care, personal credit, but also to help racist and sexist to deny women get the work, food and shelter equality. On the one hand, everyone has their own identity which was the individuals’ psychological relationships to relate social systems. Based on the Repost of Gender and Racial Discrimination which focused on and pointed out there are some barriers to limit women get the rights or empowerment in daily life and advancement in their career, especially the sexuality and racial biases. (Zagreb, Croatia). So, the personal value, socioeconomic status, education attainment, age, ethnic and racial, gender and social class identities were the invisible standards to decide and evaluate women should be got what kind of treatment in their life. Also, people almost preferred to create identity based on the gender and racism in the daily life. because it was a part of self-concept for the kind of person, the color of skin and the

Stereotypes are defined as an oversimplified image or idea about a specific type of person. It is believed that stereotypes about African Americans began in the United States around the 18th century. Anti-Black stereotypes arguably the most developed racist stereotypes in racial framing and have been used as foundations for the capture, enslavement, and later, the subjugation of African American people. Stating that stereotypes are just a joke is an understatement of the consequential after – math racial images and stereotypes have on the African American population. Even stereotypes that are considered positive are often concealed with negative implications and reasons as to why they exist. Most people may think they only hold stereotypes in the back of their head, but studies show that people are more likely to fall back on them in making judgments when they feel challenged, face uncertainty, or experience sensory overload. Using information from class, comparisons from the films we have watched and Ed Guerrero’s Framing Blackness, this paper will analyze the stereotypes in the television show Empire.

The film Ethnic Notions examines the various caricatures of African Americans in popular culture and the consequences of these representations from the 1800s to the 1980s. The film showed how America went through a face of injustice for a period of time. The internet defines stereotype as qualities assigned to groups of people related to their race, nationality and sexual orientation, to name a few. (Kemick) Throughout American history, African Americans have been victims of stereotypes in many ways. White majority use violence caricatures, stereotypes, dominance, subordination and the media as ways to overpower African Americans.

Ethnic Notions : the 1987 film documentary by Marlon Riggs describes about the growth of African American cultural depictions through various caricatures and stereotypes which were used against African Americans.

The movie 'Ethnic Notions' describes different ways in which African-Americans were presented during the 19th and 20th centuries. It traces and presents the evolution of the rooted stereotypes which have created prejudice towards African-Americans. This documentary movie is narrated to take the spectator back to the antebellum roots of African-American stereotypical names such as boy, girl, auntie, uncle, Sprinkling Sambo, Mammy Yams, the Salt and Pepper Shakers, etc. It does so by presenting us with multiple dehumanized characters and cartons portraying African-Americans as carefree Sambos, faithful Mammies, savage Brutes, and wide-eyed Pickaninnies. These representations of African-Americans roll

The history of African Americans in early Hollywood films originated with blacks representing preconceived stereotypes. D.W. Griffith’s 1915 film, Birth of a Nation, stirred many controversial issues within the black community. The fact that Griffith used white actors in blackface to portray black people showed how little he knew about African Americans. Bosley Crowther’s article “The Birth of Birth of a Nation” emphasizes that the film was a “highly pro-South drama of the American Civil War and the Period of Reconstruction, and it glorified the role of the Ku Klux Klan” (76). While viewing this film, one would assert that the Ku Klux Klan members are heroic forces that rescue white women from sexually abusive black men. Griffith

This paper highlights the negative stereotypes of African Americans that are reinforced in Tyler Perry’s films. The misrepresentation of African Americans in the media has become normalized, meaning African Americans in stereotypical roles have become accepted (Tosi, 2011). The misrepresentation of African Americans in Perry’s films can be traced back to his cruel upbringing. This paper discusses the issues of having common stereotypes portrayed in Perry’s film. In addition, this paper utilizes Eric Festinger’s social comparison theory to explain the potential consequences of negatively stereotyping African Americans.

Ethnic Notions, a film documentary directed by Marlon Riggs made in 1987, sheds light on the evolution of African American stereotypes in American culture. Ethnic Notions portrays the roots of false and exaggerated generalizations during a time where blacks were not treated equally. It exposes very basic classifications for racial depictions that are still seen in today's society. The racial profiling in this film begin in the mid 1800's and continue to the 1960's. During these times, the use of media was the most adequate way to transfer information and ideas. This is why it was used to propose black inferiority. Black children and adults were present and drawn toothless, with big, white lips. They were also show as happy servants, dancing and enjoying a segregated life. These images

The above collage is composed of images that represent different things that people used to justify slavery in the United States in the 1800’s. The image in the top left depicts a presumably African American man with a very cheesy smile. Slaveowners sometimes said the the slaves were happy and enjoyed being in slavery. They would argue that outside of slavery African American’s might not be able to earn a consistent living. The happy man shows that they thought slaves were delighted with slavery when, in fact, they were not.

In his essay, “In Living Color: Race and American Culture,” Michael Omi links television shows to the notable classification of race in America. He argues that media’s depiction of racial stereotypes influences the thoughts as well as attitudes of Americans towards their surrounding racial groups. Similarly, in the articles “Put on a Happy Face,” “Working Class Whites,” and “Being an Other” Benjamin DeMott, Angeline Price, and Melissa Algranati provide examples of television shows to deliver their points of view. DeMott discusses the fictional relationship between Caucasians and African Americans which is often represented in popular culture but does not reflect the reality of everyday life. He criticizes some television shows for depicting

First of all, by avoiding stereotyping movie directors are able to mitigate the racial problems of the modern society. Even with their unrealistic stories and scenarios, movies and films are thought by many to be the replica of the real world showing the utmost truth about people. However, often times film writers and directors employ racial stereotypes in movies, displaying personifications of specific ethnicities in negative derogatory or one-dimensional ways. Ethnic stereotyping may be shaping the way people view individuals from underrepresented ethnic minorities; due to the massive influence of the movie industry; this phenomenon of racial prejudices causes discriminations and violence among citizens. For example, there is an ongoing

Television has been a source of entrainment for many years but, the problem that comes TV shows and the commercials is that there is not much diversity when it comes to race and ethnic groups. Race are categories that are defined by society which typically are based on what is convenient for the dominant group. In society people believe that race categories are real which then comes with real consequences and causes many issues (chapter 8 lecture slide 7). People also use race categories to classify themselves and others based on characteristics such as; physical differences and moral differences (lecture slide 7). With there being race categories, many of the groups such as African Americans or Hispanic are either not shown much screen time or they are portrayed as “bad” or “struggling” people this is because of the category that society has put these ethnic groups in. Although, TV entrainment has started to change who the lead of their TV shows or movies are and how they are being portrayed, there is still much stereotyping. This essay will be discussing some of the TV shows that have been examined and what type of roles the racial/ethnic minorities played.

Ethnicity is something that is a given and it is not something that can be erased. Hollywood’s old time thinking is doing a disservice to not only consumers but also insulting to people of color.

Secondly, filmmakers and directors have a social responsibility to avoid stereotyping ethnic characters is because they are sending a bad message to children that watch the films. There are films that show stereotyping of an ethnic group that children watch with their parents which often teach kids things without realizing it. For example, the movie Lucy the main actor that plays Lucy kills a Taiwanese taxi driver with a gun because the taxi driver did not speak English. In this moment Taiwanese children would possibly be too scared to speak in their language in fear of being killed. It also shows the Caucasians to be angry that some Taiwanese don’t speak English and it is ok to kill them. The stereotyping isn’t only in non-animated films but

In this research paper, I have been asked to analyse the representation of race in the World, African or South African Cinema.