How Race Affects the Role a Character Plays and Reality

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Recommended: Films misrepresenting race

Usually as a viewer, you watch certain movies for the purpose of getting entertained. While, generally a person looks for movies because of the superficial amusement that it brings them; they never really tend to think deeply into the content of the movie. However, from reading Signs of Life, included in the essay are two examples of literary pieces. These pieces will allow the reader to reflect upon everything they more than likely disregard when it comes to watching movies. The two literary pieces consists of The Offensive Movie Cliché That Won’t Die by Matt Zoller Seitz and Race Relations Light Years from Earth by Mitu Sengupta. The Offensive Movie Cliché That Won’t Die piece focuses on the critique of the “Magical Negro”, which is seen throughout several movies as the virtuous African American that paves the way in favor for the white protagonist’s success. While, Race Relations Light Years from Earth centers around instead of the “White Messiah”; which generally means a white protagonist thrown into a world that is viewed as “inferior” to his kind. Where from that the “White Messiah” gains their trust and acts on righteousness (but viewed as “betrayal” from his kind), to help restore the inferior land and fight back. The similarities within these pieces are that both authors have the purpose to inform the readers in mind, regarding the central theme describing that when movies tries to elate the status of race as good, it in turns cause an opposite effect. Both authors also used an abundant supply of supporting details and some visual aid to get the reader to understand the essay. The main difference is in the major ideas revolving around how race affects the role a character play and reality.
Starting with, the similariti...

... middle of paper ...

...lacks into a certain name. The difference in Race Relations Light Years from Earth is the constant glorification that the white race had received and will continue to receive. People have no problem with having the white race as dominant, while even giving themselves a boost in character.
In conclusion, the similarities within these pieces are that both authors make their piece revolving the racism of movies. However, the main difference is actually in how the movie is viewed; with the acceptance of having Africans Americans as the side character, and the need to uphold praise for the White Hero. So that you know that next time, you watch a movie you can contemplate about the inferred message that it brings.

Works Cited

Maasik, Sonia, and Jack Solomon. Signs of Life in the USA: Readings on Popular Culture for Writers. Seventh ed. Boston: Bedford, 2012. Print.

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