How do you think of interracial marriage?
Must according from Film: 1967 "Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner" -Stanley Kramer( see on
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCAaEbCDovQ)and 2011 " The Lovings Story"(read on
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1759682/ you don’t have to watch it)- Nancy Buirski
Follow this Thesis:
Historically, each state had the right to determine for itself whether or not to allow interracial marriage after the year
that this film was released, several states still deemed it illegal for blacks and whites to intermarry. Both of the film was
show up the interracial marriage, they also started to react as a parent in such a situation. Marriage between races at that
age is shocking, which is can easily imagine for someone?s future daughter, who would shock her parents with her proposal.
Requirements:
One 4-page essay. This assignment will address two things thoroughly: 1) what you think is the prevailing message of the
film, conscious or unconscious; 2) your thesis about this message.
1) Every film conveys a message through its plot-line, characterization, techniques. In this class we’ll be looking for a
film’s message concerning interracial relationships. A message is not a theme (themes are, e.g., interracial romance, racism,
attitudes of immigrants, the search for one’s father, the nature of political persecution). A message is a statement that
reveals an ideology or certain attitude toward the theme (e.g. Interracial romance exposes ugly attitudes in a community;
interracial romance is unrealistic and tragic in the era of this movie)
2) Your thesis about this message expresses your opinion about how the film goes about transmitting the message. (e.g. The
film shows in many ways that Joey and John are an ideal interracial couple because the black John is "too good to be
true" and will not rock the boat; By avoiding obvious racial differences and instead focusing on age-related
differences, Lethal Weapon makes Riggs and Murtaugh an ideal, "colorblind" working couple) Notice that a thesis is
always debatable?somebody could disagree with you. Your job is to provide strong evidence for your thesis, be a persuasive
essay.
I will not accept 4 pages, or even one page, of plot summary. Plot summary just tells me WHAT the movie shows us, takes what
happens in the film only at face value. I don’t need this?I have seen the movie probably a dozen times, and your telling me
what happens in the movie tells me nothing new, doesn’t enlighten other readers. It?s also where most students succumb to
plagiarism?see Plagiarism below. The purpose of your assignment is to look BEYOND what happens and tell me HOW the film
advances its agenda through its images, sounds, techniques, characterizations.
You can write about the films we all watch or other films on approval?I will provide a list of pre-approved films. You can
expand on a discussion-question response, but it must be a question that allows you to develop a thesis and write the
equivalent of a 4-page essay on it.