Allusion To Modern-Day Racism In Jordan Peele's 'Get Out'

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In his 2017 film, “Get Out,” writer and director Jordan Peele offers a satirical social commentary on racism in modern American society. The film follows the story of Chris, a young African-American man, as he travels to meet his white girlfriend’s family for the first time. Rampant with subtle and often humorous allusions to modern-day racism, the horror film reveals how scary it is to be a black man in America. The first allusion to modern-day racism occurs prior to Chris and Rose’s arrival at her family’s estate. They get into a minor car accident, and the police officer who arrives on the scene requests to see Chris’ license despite the fact that Rose was the one driving. Of course, this is reflective of the racially biased practices …show more content…

He is noticeably nervous, but Rose’s father assures him that he has nothing to be nervous about. He says that they are not at all racist, even adding that he would’ve voted for Obama a third term if he could. While this line is laughable, it is also vital to understanding Peele’s intentend message. He wants to challenge our notions of racism by shifting our attention from the more traditional, well-known forms of racism and racial prejudice to our new era of liberal racism. For Peele, the bad guys are not in white robes and pointy hats. Rather, they are seemingly well-meaning, liberal whites who quietly contribute to the systematic exploitation and silencing of …show more content…

It allows for the white “master,” so to speak, to have complete control over the host body’s mind. Although Chris ultimately saves himself from the transplant, and thus from being permanently trapped in the sunken place, he has a temporary visit to it earlier in the film when he is hypnotized by Rose’s mother. While in the sunken place, Chris is completely paralyzed. He is aware of what is going on around him, but is unable to escape. He is screaming, but no sound is coming out. The sunken place serves as an important metaphor for not only the history of slavery, but also for the way that social institutions today function to silence the voices of black Americans and keep them at an inferior position in society. In a March 17 tweet, Peele elaborated on the meaning of the sunken place. He wrote: “The Sunken Place means we're marginalized. No matter how hard we scream, the system silences

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