Analysis Of Django Unchained

Django Unchained: An Attempt at a Positive African Male Image Movies and television shows over the last few decades have portrayed African Americans primarily as the negative characters in films. Whether it is from them being portrayed as the enemy in films to the characters who lack education and manners, Africans, primarily serve as secondary characters in films. Django Unchained directed by Quentin Tarantino attempts at breaking this common hold on Africans as secondary character role players in films, by creating an African American lead role character named Django (Jamie Foxx). In Django Unchained a former slave Django is set free by a white bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz (Christophe Waltz). Django sets on a quest along with

He displays a character with a clear mindset that is driven on what he believes to be correct. For example, Django has no issue whatsoever in killing his former masters. The film tries to present the African male image positively by displaying that the stereotype of submissiveness was indeed not followed by the main character Django. However upon a further analysis into the film it becomes apparent that Django, who was the films attempt at portraying a positive African male was actually the exception to every other black character role that is played in the film. The other African characters in the film were indeed portrayed as extremely submissive and loyal individuals. In one scene a servant named Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson), who was a slave for Master Candie, proves the stereotype of submissiveness placed upon Africans. Towards the end of the film when Mr.Candie gets shot and killed, Stephen was the first to react instantly by crying over his master’s body and morning over his death. The fact that Stephen who proves the stereotype of loyalty and submissiveness was so loyal to his master who disrespected and mistreated him his whole life really goes against the positive image portrayed by Django. Also, throughout the film all African characters other than Django are displayed as being super submissive towards their masters. Many Scenes showed Mr. Candie 's slaves complying with all of his demands. Overall the films attempt to show Django as a positive lead due to the fact that he breaks the stereotypes placed on the Africans in the film fails due to the fact that all the black characters surrounding Django were indeed compliant and loyal, and that Django was an exception to all of these other Africans in the