Essay on Tomas Alea's The Last Supper

Slavery is a contradictory subject in American history because “one hears…of the staid and gentle patriarchy, the wide and sleepy plantations with lord and retainers, ease and happiness; [while] on the other hand on hears of barbarous cruelty and unbridles power and wide oppression of men” (Dubois 2). Dubois’s The Negro in the United States is an autoethnographic text which is a representation “that the so-defined others

Though slavery is taught throughout ones education, the severeness of it isn’t usually explained how the documentary Africans in America: The Terrible Transformation explains it. Throughout school, students typically don’t examine how the racial prejudice that was associated with slavery was horrific in so many different ways. This documentary allows viewers to be

He has shown that the “blessings in which you, this day rejoice, are not enjoyed in common” (124). With the purpose of his speech firmly defined, he now has the liberty to expound upon the true evil of slavery that lurks in the shadow of hypocrisy. He employs the satirical technique of ridicule to expose the ugly nature of enslavement with equally ugly diction. Douglass’ disapproval ranges from “hideous” to “revolting” to “an outrage”, and culminates in the assertion that slavery is the “greatest sin and shame of America” (125). A far cry from the almost reverent tone of his opening statements, Douglass led his audience from the throes of a Fourth of July celebration to an intense degradation of the freedom they so

It may be initially remembered but eventually forgotten as the world moves on. However, through a powerful performance of voice, Douglass cements the speech into the minds of those who’ve witnessed it. Such a long piece of text becomes captivating to a group of people that yearn for freedom. The white audience also has a greater chance of reflection as in front of them is a figure who is personally attacking their grievous errors. For example, by asking the rhetorical question ‘what to the American slave, is your 4th of July?’

In some ways, Douglass’ message of the cruelty in slavery is most effectively portrayed through his word choice and language, rather than the actual presentation of evidence. At one point, after witnessing several acts of extreme violence towards slave, and even some murders, Douglass sums up the events with a common phrase among slave holders, “it was worth a half cent to kill a nigger, and a half cent to bury one.” While this may not be an actual fact, it is very logical, and shows why the courts would never convict a white man for murdering a slave. By choosing to use this statement, it shows how well Douglass understands his surrounding, and how corrupt and violent they are. This statement devalues an entire race of people, and that alone speaks to the reader’s heart. The logic of the statement

actually address the historical legacy of slavery, Lin Manuel Miranda’s casting brought light to the misrepresentation of non-whites in media and history. Throughout history, minority races, specifically African-Americans and Hispanics, are often whitewashed into stereotypical themes; thug life, segregation, or the “bad guy”.

In Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” the focal point is clearly the image of Jesus at the center of the table. There were various way in which da Vinci emphasized the focal point of the picture. First, his placement at the center of the circle, while being surrounded at the center of the circle highlighted his importance within the portrait. Next, the arms and head of Jesus Christ’s figure appears to form a triangle, which to my understanding is mathematically symbolic to the “Holy Trinity” Lastly, da Vinci further emphasized Christ as the focal point of the portrait by connecting his head to various lines within the portrait.

The African American portrayal in white-American entertainment, especially in films has produced malicious and ignorant beliefs of the everyday Black person. Entertainment venues such as minstrel shows and silent films are causes to today’s stereotypical views of African Americans. The African American community along with other American ethnic cultures had enough; therefore, between 1915 and 1950, the race film genre began its movement to increase positive cultural awareness to the world. This paper will examine three key elements (Keywords, Unspoken Cues, and Threads) from the films, Big Timers (1945) and Dirty Gertie from Harlem U.S.A. (1946) in explaining their significance impact and their fitting into the paradigm of race film genre.

There is no one in the entire History 1301 class that can confidently fess up to the fact that their film will have the entire audience in a trance. There’s no promise that the audience will express any interest in a movie about slavery. What I can promise is that I think the students will express an interest because it’s visual. No one in this day and age wants to read about things. They want to see things, not read them; Thus, they will pay attention; Therefore, they get educated.

The two narratives we’ve watched, read, and discussed bring more to the table than one would expect, by personally opening my eyes to the cruel, insensitivities experienced by the slaves. Furthermore, the ability to learn of this bloody and solemn history from the perspective of those at the receiving end was a valuable opportunity. The narratives; The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave written by himself and Twelve Years a Slave written by Solomon Northup and adapted by John Ridley, allowed for an immersion into the contemptible sights, sounds and intense feelings surrounding the slaves.

12 Years a Slave is an emotionally driven movie and book that exemplifies the painful truths of slavery. Slaves were killed, raped, hanged, and were viewed as property with no heart or soul. The scenes of beatings taken place, and slaves being hung, will make any hearted witness grimace and cringe in despair. This particular genre of entertainment is needed in order to inform and teach the history and stories behind the slave trade. It gives a vivid insight of how my ancestors were mistreated and felt the burning of hell every day. Solomon said, “He could not compare to nothing else than the burning agonies of hell” (45). We talk about slavery and how cruel it was, but I would not know unless I actually had to experience it myself. I’m not a voyeur of slavery, but I am a spectator through reading and watching. I do not enjoy reading a novel or observing a film that involves anything with black suffering, but in contrast I believe that by engaging in this type of theatre you can become a witness. I use this source of entertainment to gain knowledge and learn a sense of entitlement to my own history.

The film 12 Years a Slave, an adaptation of the 1853 autobiography by a slave named Solomon Northup, depicts his everyday life after his rights and freedoms are ripped away. Through the unpleasant slave auction scenes to the sickening slave punishments, 12 Years a Slave is a heartbreaking story that unfortunately conveys the harsh truth on the issues surrounding slavery. Consequently, during the film there are many themes and events that trigger different thoughts and reactions varying between viewers, and importantly a better understanding of Solomon Northup’s story and slavery itself.

The controversy of racism scorches Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass written by Frederick Douglass himself. Douglass unveils the atrocious truth about slavery that was hidden for so many years. Every beating, every death, every malicious act was all recorded for the people of the U.S. to finally see the error of our ways. The short essay, Slavery as a Mythologized Institution, explains how people in that time period justified the disgusting behavior that was demonstrated regularly. Religion and intellectual inferiority were concepts that were used to manipulate the minds of everyone around into believing that practicing slavery was acceptable. However a very courageous man, Frederick Douglass challenges those beliefs. Douglass debunks the mythology of slavery in his narrative by rebuking the romantic image of slavery with very disturbing imagery, promotes his own views on the intellectual belief of slaves, and exposes the “system” for promoting the disloyalty among slaves.

Discovering that whites maintain power over black slaves by keeping them uneducated and that knowledge as the path to freedom at only seven years old, Douglass sought to share this valuable information nationwide. Therefore, Douglass resolved to educate himself and used his knowledge to release himself from the grasp of slavery, this resurgent disease in human affairs, hoping that sharing his experiences will lead its abolishment. The “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” was written to expose the horrors of slavery to a wider public, particularly northern whites unfamiliar with its savagery. Douglass not only tells the reader what he experiences as a slave but, provides detailed imagery of the sheer sadistic cruelties of slavery.

While many today would equate Christianity with purity and virtue, it is interesting to note how at some points in history, mostly during the times of slavery, there is “a striking paradox in the portrayal of slave-narrative violence- namely its frequent association with Christianity” (Ferguson 297). The Christian slave-holders professed their love for God in church, and then turned around and acted out violently against their slaves. The narratives of Jacobs and “Douglass demonstrate [this idea of] how the slave owner’s world negates and even perverts its own value” (Gates xviii). The true Christian values in the slave-holder’s life are nowhere to be found, as they commit demeaning and demoralizing actions against their slaves that go against