I emailed Dr. Bailie on 4/18 to decide on a time together to talk on WebEx.

The film, The Birth of a Nation was directed by DW Griffith and was Premiered in 1915. This silent film was new and big but showed a lot of white supremacy. They brought new things to this film such as crosscutting editing, cameo profiles, and close ups which brought people admiring the film. At the time this stuff was all knew and exciting. Even though you have the bright side to this film, Birth of a Nation had a very rude racist interpretation. Some people would clap their hands and hide behind the fact that it is racist, and some people did not let the special new effects distract them from this disturbing racist interpretation on African-Americans. This film time is during the pre-Civil War South, and it is portrayed as everything was perfect, which also is known as the “moonlight and magnolias” fashion.

The Birth of a Nation shows real life evens and it is a way that discourse shapes worldviews. During this film I asked myself “are blacks inferior”, yes, they are, it is like whites are putting them in their own discourse community and that they aren’t welcome in theirs. This makes it inferior and racist. A part in the film I’d like to speck on that brings this topic all together in a way is the scene Flora and Gus. During this time in the film reconstruction is going on, which means after the Civil War. Gus is a poor African American soldier and is interested in Flora, who is a young girl from the Cameron family. Gus has intentions to marry Flora. During this scene it is protruded as menacing, editing they do with the tone of music makes it feel this way, coming off as a tense moment. Flora is not ready for marriage from how she portrays herself, playful and childlike. Gus see’s right through this and continues to go for her. He follows her around in the forest and when he ends up approaching her she rejects him, hits him, and runs off. This begin to get very tense at this time and Gus starts to chase after Flora to get his way. He doesn’t know how much he will regret this till the Klan decides to hang and kill him.   

• I Emailed Dr. Bailie about a time to talk on WebEx

How do you think the “knowledge” created by biological determinists and white supremacists in the Supreme Court effected the laws crafted and applied to US territories?

I think the knowledge created by biological determinists and white supremacists in the Supreme Court effected the law crafted and applied to US territories is childish because they didn’t have as much knowledge back then. It caused the Supreme Court to look down on the people on those island because they were different then them and they didn’t see them as equal. The supreme court took there view on these people and made the wrong decision to not give them the rights they deserve. They created laws in those territories to reflect their racist views. The bad thing is that now that times have changed and over 100 years have gone by, but for these laws, nothing has changed. This is not knowledge, it’s raciest and ignorant. The Supreme Court only thought about themselves and they didn’t want the minorities to take over their power and supremacy.

The program I will be using to write up my finial drafts will be on Microsoft Word, also using MLA Essay Format.

First Person Free Write:

Before watching a movie it is important to avoid doing as much research as possible, don’t want to get any spoilers. While I watch a film or movie it is good to write down a word or phrase that stands out so that I can recall scenes or story information that catch my attention and that I deem important. After it is over and you watched it through it is good to go back to parts to get a better understanding. It is good to think of the plot, theme, tone, the characters, costume, the editing and so much more. When trying to read scenes from a movie and connecting it to the concept of discourse communities can be tricky but making sure that the scenes match up with the discourse community it is portraying to be. The people creating the movie have their own discourse community to create this common goal of what they want the movie or film to turn out or be portrayed as. This is how Griffith made it possible to compose the scenes into the concepts he wanted. Coming together as a discourse community and making the scenes up and how it all comes together is what it is all about.

Notes from the film- Birth of a Movement:

• Birth of a nation is known for being inaccurate and racist.
• The newspaper editor was William Monroe Trotter
• William waged a battle against D.W Griffith.
• Griffiths father passed when he was 10.
• From age 14 to 30 he is traveling the country to try and become an actor.
• By the 1890’s he was an inspiring stage actor (Which was what is dream was)
• He was struggling and needed money during this time though because he wasn’t all that talented

Questions from Birth of a Movement:

1. What were the names of the newspaper and the organization started in response to both The Birth of a Nation and white supremacy in general?

The story on the news paper was “Negroes Mob Photo Play”. At the top it was titled The Guardian. The first film on the newspaper was the “”Birth of Nation” causes near-riot”. The writer was William Monroe Trotter against D.W Griffith.

2. How do you think the organizations referred to in the previous question were ways to legitimate black Americans’ discourse concerning white supremacy and Jim Crow Laws?

3. What were the prime differences between Trotter’s and DuBois’s approaches when it came to combating white supremacy?

4. When discussions to ban The Birth of a Nation failed, what methods were used to disrupt screenings of the film?

5. What specific, illegal–but often overlooked and unpunished–act of violence against black Americans was common in the United States at this time, and why was The Birth of a Nation seen as a possible accelerant for this ritualized violence?

Questions from Birth of a Nation:

What is the deal with Dr. Cameron (the old guy who sorta looks like Sam Elliott) about to bash in the head of his daughter, Margaret right before the Klan shows up? What fears about sex and intermixing are being referenced here, and where have we read about this before? Who else was about to get her head bashed in?

Dr. Cameron was about to bash the head of his daughter, Margaret because I feel he was in an stressful moment and didn’t know what to do. I guess he didn’t want the African Americans killing his daughter so he was going to have to hurt her. Intermixing is not acceptable during this time and is shamed upon. We have read about this before from Morgan and Hoffman stories. Also it looked like the other little girl was also about to get their head bashed in. (I’m a little confusing by this part of the film)

What’s up with that final scene of a city on the hill, people living in paradise, and Jesus? What do you think Griffith is trying to say about a society where white supremacy is not only custom but the law?

The last scene looks like happiness and peacefulness, they look like they are celebrating. Everyone is dressed up and they are hugging and waving at each other. They all look like they have no worries. At the end the whites are happy and the blacks don’t get to be and that is what is showing that white supremacy is a thing and it is not only custom by the law. This film is very strong and racist.

The Birth of a Nation Questions:

1. How is the actor playing Gus costumed? What does this tell us that we should feel about Gus?

The actor that is playing Gus is costumed in warn out clothing making it known that he is poor. He has a warn out hat on, he is all dirty and looks like he hasn’t cleaned up in awhile. He doesn’t even care to pick up a peace of his clothing when it falls off him so he doesn’t care much about it. Shows it isn’t expressive. He is also African American.

2. How is the actor playing Flora costumed? What does this tell us that we should feel about Flora?

The actor who is playing Flora is costumed in more of a daily dress she wears around. Not to nice but not warn down. She still has a young look to her. She looks like she comes from middle class family.

3. How is lighting used to make Gus seem menacing?

The lighting is kinda dark and hard to see is full completion. (more of low-key lighting) He gives off a scary look, especially since he’s chasing flora and won’t go away when she tells him to.

How is the lighting used to make Flora seem innocent?

It is bright and easier to see her, and it seems peaceful in the beginning when it is just her. It has some good naturally light. They make sure some sunlight is on her. (more of high-key lighting). She also has a very playful spirit and likes to be with nature.

How does the actor walk and what types of actions does he perform as he follows Flora? How does this tell us he’s–for lack of a better term–a predator?

Gus kinda stumbles while he walks and he creeps (keeps low). Once he catches up to her he starts to chase her. He is pretty clumsy. (They use like a red tone lighting during this scene)

What actions and interactions do we see Flora engaged in while she’s being followed by Gus that tells us Flora is childlike?

Flora loves interacting with nature and kinda playing make believe. Like a child would to entertain themselves. She skips around, picks up flowers, rocks, filled her bucket up with water, and watched the squirrel. (talking to herself)

How is the music associated with Gus different than the music associated with Flora?

The music they use for Flora in the beginning is very up beat and peaceful. As soon as Gus comes into the scene the music slows down and slowly changes to a different tone. The music is more dramatic and you feel like something is going to happen. After Gus asks Flora to marry him and she says no the music gets more intense. It makes the scene become darker and more dramatic.

How does cross-cut editing between the Flora-Gus chase scene with Ben, Flora’s older brother, communicate to us the danger that Flora is in?

The cross cut editing they did during this scene was when they alternate shots of lines of action occurring in different places. Which was flora and Gus talking outside and then Ben’s scene inside the house. The brother seems concerns and goes to look for flora. Flora begins to run away from Gus in her scene but Gus won’t stop chasing her and they end up on a cleft. Flora threatens Gus that if he goes go away she will jump off the cleft. Ben knows she is in danger when he finds Gus clothing but can’t find them. Ben yells out for her.

Thinking back and using the theories of discourse and multiplicities, how would you say the work of writers like John Tyler Morgan and Frederick Hoffman shaped a viewing public that would accept this sequence with few to no reservations?

Some people wouldn’t like a film like this with all of the offense/racist. Going back to Morgan and Hoffman’s views, they shaped the way I view things little different. It can be hard to not take it all in a certain way. This whole scene I just watched was dramatic. Flora didn’t have to run away from the man or hit him but Gus should have also backed off of when the young girl (Flora) told him to.