Analysis Of Abe Lincoln In Illinois

During week nine of class, we watched the 1940 film, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, written by Robert E. Sherwood. As we continued to look at the most precise version of Abraham Lincoln each week, the one theme that stood out over the rest in this film was Lincoln’s reluctance throughout his political career, specifically on the issue of slavery. Although previous readings had glossed over this characteristic of Lincoln, Sherwood’s film even goes as far as to coordinate Abe’s reluctant attitude with the overall darkness of the background and clothing of the characters the more this trait is expressed. Mr. Sherwood’s choice to exemplify this aspect of President Lincoln was due to the World War Two era in which it was produced. Unlike previous weeks,

One reading states that the President was a “pretend…politician” and was more “a man of humble origins” (Donald, p.58-59). By directly stating these things the author showed that the lack of political experience was correlated with where he was born and raised. In a way, the author is using Abe’s humble, log home roots to justify the fact that he was timid in terms of fighting against slavery while in office, and thus creating the President’s reluctant attitude. Again, there is evidence of relating the material in the reading to the World War Two era in which it was written to demonstrate reluctance. Just as the reading uses Mr. Lincoln’s humble origins to support their message of his unwilling stance in politics, the film, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, uses a sense of darkness in clothing and scenery to accompany this version of Lincoln. For example, when Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln got into a huge argument, instigated by Abe’s unenthusiastic behavior, Mrs. Lincoln is portrayed as having on dark clothing as she battles it out with Mr. Lincoln. Shortly after this, everyone begins to cheer because they found out that Lincoln was just elected to be the next president, but the camera focused on Abe and the background around him appears darker and people stop cheering because they saw him sulking instead cheering. Overall, both the readings and the film use other characteristics and lack of lighting to draw out this week’s disinclined version of Abraham