“But the whole point of the Sixties was that you had to take people as they were. If you came in with us you left your class, and color, and religion behind, that was what the Sixties was all about” (Michael Caine). The powerful words of Michael Caine embrace the memorable time period of the 1960’s. As the people entered into this society of change, they soon came to realize that they would not be the same as they were before. From the struggle of the Civil Rights Movement, to the victory of the Voting Rights Act, and the peaceful voices of the hippies, the Sixties can be remembered as a time of embracing each other’s imperfections. Through the use and powerful voice of film, one can argue that film has reflected the Sixties to be a journey …show more content…
From the moment it was released to the very second of today’s generation, this film has portrayed a vast measure of meaning of the pop culture. For instance, the Sixties can be identified as the period of time in which many individuals expanded their comfort zones, and desired to make a difference in the community. While referring to this specific film, Professor James E. Cutting states, “The Sound of Music was psychologically very interesting—a blindness to large things before our very eyes, a phenomenon two of our former graduate students in Psychology have parlayed into very successful careers” (Cutting). In other words, Cutting is emphasizing that this film reflects the transition the United States endured during this time. Metaphorically, it can be shown that the generation of the Sixties was under the influence of pursuing life in a “merry-go-round” manner; the people were completely uniform to their current way of life to the extent in which they could not discern between right and wrong. However, that would soon change. As the movie progresses, another major theme that revolves around the concept of the Sixties includes the main characters, Maria and the Von Trapp family. At the beginning of the film, the Von Trapp family was displayed in an organized, uniform manner. The children obeyed their commands, and they did not question those in …show more content…
This film portrays the lives of the different classes in society, and how each group of people relate to one another. Furthermore, this plot was told from the children’s perspective, and this influences the fact that these events were communicated with an open mind. Throughout the course of this story, viewers have been educated upon the fact that racism and social class contributed to the way individuals were treated in society. If a person had colored skin, they were treated as minorities while also being perceived as “trash” in the community. In fact, the black race was despised so heavily to the extent in which if a white citizen was in the lower social class compared to the African American individual, the white individual would still be treated with the upmost respect. Due to the various occurrences of the white community taking advantage of the black community, this caused the African American people to strive for the victory of gaining respect as well as create a unity between the people. Moreover, a common symbol that was emphasized throughout the film includes the mockingbird. According to author Harish Kumar, the mockingbird “[r]epresents the innocence…Initially Atticus Finch tells his children not to shoot a Mockingbird. When they ask Miss Maudie about it, ‘Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but sing their heart out to us,’ she tells them” (Kumar 3). This
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...
The documentary “Sixties: Years that Shaped a Generation” illustrates a period in United States history defined by cultural movement. Several citizen led campaigns were developed to challenge long established American institutions and traditions. This age of defiance, cultivated a counter culture which stood against social injustice, racial inequalities, and the war in Vietnam.
"I'd rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want , if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." This is what Atticus Finch tells his children after they are given air-rifles for Christmas. Uniquely, the title of the classic novel by Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird, was taken from this passage. At first glance, one may wonder why Harper Lee decided to name her book after what seems to be a rather insignificant excerpt. After careful study, however, one begins to see that this is just another example of symbolism in the novel. Harper Lee uses symbolism rather extensively throughout this story, and much of it refers to the problems of racism in the South during the early twentieth century. Harper Lee's effective use of racial symbolism can be seen by studying various examples from the book. This includes the actions of the children, the racist whites, and the actions of Atticus Finch.
Different social classes come with different perspectives and challenges, usually the belief is that higher society is much happier than those in the lower rank, but not including race into the education does not give all sides of that story. By evaluating parts in Cane by Jean Toomer, Quicksand and Passing by Nella Larsen, and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston story of class and race is being told. Color and classism have gone hand in hand for many years and evaluating the lives of characters that are considered the lowest of the low and yet made it up the totem pole brings up an important discussion. The conflicting ideas of race and class actually encourage racism and ruin the lives of characters in the black bourgeoisie.
The Sixties, by Terry H. Anderson, takes the reader on a journey through one of the most turbulent decades in American life. Beginning with the crew-cut conformity of 1950s Cold War culture and ending with the transition into the uneasy '70s, Anderson notes the rise of an idealistic generation of baby boomers, widespread social activism, and revolutionary counterculture. Anderson explores the rapidly shifting mood of the country with the optimism during the Kennedy years, the liberal advances of Johnson's "Great Society," and the growing conflict over Vietnam that nearly tore America apart. The book also navigates through different themes regarding the decade's different currents of social change; including the anti-war movement, the civil rights struggle, and the liberation movements. From the lunch counter sit-in of Greensboro, N.C. in 1960 and the rise of Martin Luther King, Jr. to the Black Power movement at the decade's end, Anderson illustrates the brutality involved in the reaction against civil rights, the radicalization of some of the movement's youth, and the eventual triumphs that would change America forever. He also discusses women's liberation and the feminist movement, as well as the students' rights, gay rights, and environmental movements.
Society is unwilling to become aware and understand before it judges. This idea has a lot of effect on the plot of To Kill A Mockingbird. In this particular situation, these problems are initiated by prejudice. These circumstances become an issue when morality is questioned. The mockingbird is a reoccurring symbol that denotes the idea of the exploitation of blameless beings by those of higher influence. The prominent theme in To Kill A Mockingbird is that the innocent are often taken advantage of by those with more power.
Although the sixties were a decade in which the United States became a more open, more tolerant, and a freer country, in some ways it became less of these things. During the sixties, America intervened in other nations and efforts were made to stop the progress of the civil rights movement. Because of America’s foreign policy and Americans fight against the civil rights movement, it is clear that the sixties in America were not purely a decade of openness, tolerance, and freedom in the United States.
Throughout history, music have defined or depicted the culture and social events in America. Music has constantly played an important role in constituting American culture, where people have expressed themselves through music during flourishing and turbulent times. In the 1930’s, Swing music created a platform for audiences to vent their emotions in the midst of Great Depression and political unrest. Such strong relationship between music and culture can be seen throughout history, especially in the sixties.
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...
Often racial injustice goes unnoticed. Television tries to influence the mind of their viewers that blacks and whites get along by putting them on the screen to act as if interracial relationships has been accepted or existent. “At the movies these days, questions about racial injustice have been amicably resolved (Harper,1995). Demott stresses that the entertainment industry put forth much effort to persuade their audience that African Americans and Caucasians are interacting and forming friendships with one another that is ideal enough for them to die for one another. In the text, Demott states “A moment later he charges the black with being a racist--with not liking whites as much as the white man likes blacks--and the two talk frankly about their racial prejudices. Near the end of the film, the men have grown so close that each volunteer to die for the other” (Harper,1995). Film after film exposes a deeper connection amongst different races. In the text, Demott states “Day after day the nation 's corporate ministries of culture churn out images of racial harmony” (Harper, 1995). Time and time again movies and television shows bring forth characters to prove to the world that racial injustice has passed on and justice is now received. Though on-screen moments are noticed by many people in the world it does not mean that a writer/ director has done their
In conclusion, while this movie mainly focuses on the more subtle side of racism, subtle forms of racism can often be even more oppressive because the subtleties often go unnoticed. The oppressors make no effort to change the racist behavior because there are not sufficient repercussions to force a change. From there, it is a slippery slope. Every unpunished action, subtle or extreme, reinforces the behaviors of the oppressor. Recognizing the problem at the source will be the key to unlocking a more tolerant future.
Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, communicates a central idea that society has good and bad qualities by using an epigraphic symbol and dynamic characterization of the novel’s protagonist, Scout. The theme of To Kill a Mockingbird is that individuals affect society in both good and bad aspects. Lee demonstrates this idea by utilizing a mockingbird as the primary symbol of the novel and characterizing Scout to reveal and understand that both good and bad exist in the world. Scout learns that all a mockingbird does is good, it sings, but never does anything that people hate (Lee 90). In the novel, mockingbirds ...
The 1960s was crammed full of many impacting events and important figures. From Hitchcock releasing one of the greatest thrillers of all time, Psycho, to Marilyn Monroe’s untimely death, to the infamous Woodstock festival. This era changed history completely and made the United States think twice about its youth. Events of the 1960s are still impacting our country as we know it today. The sudden pull from the conservative ‘50s changed America’s views on all aspects of life, including fashion, entertainment, and lifestyles.
The movie “The Class Divided” was a very inspirational movie because it taught a lesson on discrimination and racism. The film covers Jane Elliot experience with the “eye-color” exercise and it shows how the participants responded to being a victim of discrimination. The teacher who came up with the exercise was a third grade –teacher that wanted to explain to her kids the reasons behind Martin Luther King death. She divided each class she taught up by their eye color and treated them according to whatever eye color was more superior that day. Her lesson influenced and inspired the younger kids and older adults because it taught them a life learning lesson that could stick with them for years to come.
“We fight each other for territory; we kill each other over race, pride, and respect. We fight for what is ours. They think they’re winning by jumping me now, but soon they’re all going down, war has been declared.” Abuse, Pain, Violence, Racism and Hate fill the streets of Long Beach, California. Asians, Blacks, Whites and Hispanics filled Wilson High School; these students from different ethnic backgrounds faced gang problems from day to night. This movie contains five messages: people shouldn’t be judgmental because being open-minded allows people to know others, having compassion for a person can help people change their views in life, being a racist can only create hate, having the power of the human will/goodness to benefit humanity will cause a person to succeed at any cost and becoming educated helps bring out the intelligence of people.