“Mudbound,” directed by Dee Rees, is an evocative and deeply moving film that provides a stark portrayal of the intersection of race and class in post-World War II Mississippi. The film intricately weaves the lives of two families—the black Jacksons and the white McAllans—against the backdrop of the American South’s pervasive racism and social stratification. By delving into their interconnected struggles and aspirations, “Mudbound” lays bare the systemic inequalities and personal battles that define the era. This reflection will explore how the film addresses these themes and the profound impact of World War II on the characters, particularly Ronsel Jackson and Jamie McAllan. Through its compelling narrative and complex character development, …show more content…
The Jackson family—Hap, Florence, and their children—are tenant farmers who toil on land owned by the McAllans. Despite their relentless hard work and aspirations for a better future, the Jacksons remain trapped in a cycle of poverty exacerbated by the pervasive racism of the time. Hap Jackson’s dream of owning his land remains unattainable due to economic barriers and racial discrimination. Florence Jackson’s employment by Laura McAllan, born out of necessity, underscores the power dynamics and lack of autonomy that black individuals faced during this era. In stark contrast, the McAllan family, though not wealthy, enjoys privileges and opportunities denied to the Jacksons solely based on their race. Henry McAllan, who purchases the land without consulting his wife Laura, epitomizes the patriarchal and racial hierarchies of the time. The McAllan family’s struggles, while significant, are cushioned by the social safety net that their race affords them. The film starkly portrays these intersecting inequalities through various …show more content…
Jamie’s relationship with Ronsel becomes a defiant act of solidarity that ultimately costs them both dearly. The wartime experiences of Ronsel and Jamie challenge the established racial and social norms. Ronsel’s exposure to a less segregated world emboldens him to demand respect and equality, while Jamie’s trauma and guilt drive him to reject the racism inherent in his upbringing. However, their personal growth and attempts to transcend racial boundaries are met with violent resistance, underscoring the tenacity of systemic racism. Ronsel’s return to the deeply segregated South is a jarring reentry into a society that refuses to acknowledge his service and sacrifice. Despite fighting for freedom abroad, Ronsel finds himself stripped of basic human rights at home. His dignity and courage in the face of such blatant discrimination highlight the stark contrast between his wartime valor and the racial prejudice that continues to plague his everyday life. Jamie, grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder and a sense of guilt over his actions during the war, finds an unexpected kinship with
Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun" and George Tillman's box-office hit Soul Food explore the hardships and trials of black family life, and through the characters, setting, and theme of both the story and the film, the issue of class and the search for community is discussed.
The first social issue portrayed through the film is racial inequality. The audience witnesses the inequality in the film when justice is not properly served to the police officer who executed Oscar Grant. As shown through the film, the ind...
The film observes and analyzes the origins and consequences of more than one-hundred years of bigotry upon the ex-slaved society in the U.S. Even though so many years have passed since the end of slavery, emancipation, reconstruction and the civil rights movement, some of the choice terms prejudiced still engraved in the U.S society. When I see such images on the movie screen, it is still hard, even f...
Lareau’s main argument in the text is that when children grow up in certain environments, parents are more likely to use specific methods of child rearing that may be different from other families in different social classes. In the text, Lareau describes how she went into the home of the McAllisters and the Williams, two black families leading completely different lives. Ms. McAllister lives in a low income apartment complex where she takes care of her two children as well as other nieces and nephews. Ms. McAllister never married the father of her two children and she relies on public assistance for income. She considers herself to be a woman highly capable of caring for all the children yet she still struggles to deal with the stress of everyday financial issues. The Williams on the other hand live in a wealthier neighborhood and only have one child. Mr. W...
The audience is confronted with an African-American family who live on a Southern offshore island, that ultimately depart and all come together to remember the importance of their ancestors and goes to show the past should not be forgotten. While some of the family departs for the North, others stay behind and live on the soil with their
Both the Younger family and the Johnson family are similar because both share their ambition in wanting to achieve the Black American Dream. However, only the Younger family is able to achieve it because they have goals, working adults, money, and support. They have the freedom to move into their new home in Clybourne Park, despite White supremacy, stereotype, and greed standing in the way. Unfortunately, despite meritocracy, not all Blacks have money and support to transcend themselves into upward mobility. The Johnson family is not able to achieve the Black American Dream because there is no goal set, only one working adult, and no money and support involved in their lives to offer them freedom. It is a lot harder to have upward mobility with no family support especially when society is against the individual. The Johnson family’s unsuccessful attempt to achieve the Black American Dream illustrates that it is not meant for all Blacks living in America. Perhaps it is impossible for all Blacks to excel in America because not all Blacks are privileged to have what other Blacks
To the modern white women who grew up in comfort and did not have to work until she graduated from high school, the life of Anne Moody reads as shocking, and almost too bad to be true. Indeed, white women of the modern age have grown accustomed to a certain standard of living that lies lightyears away from the experience of growing up black in the rural south. Anne Moody mystifies the reader in her gripping and beautifully written memoir, Coming of Age in Mississippi, while paralleling her own life to the evolution of the Civil Rights movement. This is done throughout major turning points in the author’s life, and a detailed explanation of what had to be endured in the name of equality.
In the blockbuster movie The Blind Side, director John Lee Hancock brings to light an emotionally charged and compelling story that describes how a young African American teenager perseveres through the trials, tribulations and hardships that surround his childhood. The themes of class, poverty, and also the love and nurturing of family encapsulate the film mainly through the relationship that Mrs. Tuohy and Michael Oher build during the entirety of the movie. This analysis will bring together these themes with sociological ideas seen throughout the course.
balanced, realistic depictions of blacks in America The film is about a Chicago family who
A main theme in this novel is the influence of family relationships in the quest for individual identity. Our family or lack thereof, as children, ultimately influences the way we feel as adults, about ourselves and about others. The effects on us mold our personalities and as a result influence our identities. This story shows us the efforts of struggling black families who transmit patterns and problems that have a negative impact on their family relationships. These patterns continue to go unresolved and are eventually inherited by their children who will also accept this way of life as this vicious circle continues.
The Netflix Original movie Mudbound is a period piece that takes place during WWII. I like this film because it is a very emotional movie and it also surprised me from time to time. The movie is about two men who return home to Mississippi from the war. Jamie McAllen is a white man who befriends Ronsel Jackson who is black. During this time period this was very rare especially in Mississippi which was a very racist state. Also this is unexpected and looked down upon because Jamie’s father is a member of the Klu Klux Klan.
The film invites the fantasy, black men exist in childlike relations to economic matters and would cede their material gains to be in a certain set of social relations
The movie showcases the significant differences on both sides of town, yet fails to touch base on the systemic issues that caused coloured communities to be impoverished compared to the nice suburb white communities. The movie fails to incorporate the corrupt intentions of racial capitalism that was not only built on black bodies, but continues to put black communities in the marginalized subsections of the United States. Garakai Chengu
The Ewells, the worst of the white community, are still considered superior to the black community. They are a family of low power in the white community, having no education, money, or traceable ancestry. In a town where lineage governs the social class, the Ewells are at the bottom. The same descriptions of the Ewells can be used to describe any African American family. However, the one difference that sets them apart is skin color, seen through the separation between the two community’s living locations.
Within this paper, you will witness the struggles of society for colored men and women, while particularly seeing what these maids have endured. We come across many psychological themes throughout this movie, most importantly to me, aggression and violence, racism, ethical issues and resolution.