The Idea in Movies Portrait of Teresa and Salt of the Earth - Coursework Example

Portrait of Teresa and Salt of the Earth The Visual Media, one of the mediums to express one’s idea/emotion is also an efficient tool for social criticism. The directors make use of their films to express their ideas/ emotion and as their mouthpiece to fulfill their responsibility towards society. The Cuban film industry is well organized and possesses melodramatic factors. After the Cuban revolution, the film industry entered a new phase known as the Golden age of Cuban film industry. But the film industry in America is completely different because it deeply influences the world cinema. In addition, the history of world cinema is interwoven with the history of American cinema, especially the Hollywood. The film Portrait of Teresa by the Cuban director Pastor Vega deals with the struggle of Teresa to “fit into” the ideals of revolutionary Cuba. The film Salt of the Earth by the American director Herbert J. Biberman deals with the theme of male domination and female struggle against the same. Thesis statement: an investigation into the roles of Teresa in ‘Portrait of Teresa’ and Esperanza Quintero in ‘Salt of the Earth’ by comparison/contrast method. In the movie ‘Portrait of Teresa’, the role of Teresa is so significant because her life and experience reflects the role of women in the Cuban society. The character of Teresa reveals the contradiction between revolutionary and traditional values. For example, Teresa was forced to take on major responsibilities in her family, which consist of her husband and sons. The development in the Cuban society provides immense opportunities to its citizens. Teresa works in a textile factory in the skyline of Havana to fulfill her personal responsibility towards her family. In addition, she works at a recreational dance group in the evening. The changing values of the domestic and public field affect her life and she ineffectually tries to satisfy both the spheres. The character of Teresa represents the hard working women folk in the Cuban society. She operates textile machinery in the morning session and involves in dance rehearsals in the evening. So, one can easily identify that female life in Cuban society is a struggle for survival. Teresa’s late night rehearsals irritate her husband and it badly affects her personal life. But this leads to her short temperedness towards others at the textile factory meeting. She does all the works at home like preparing breakfast, helping her children, preparing evening meals, and cleaning the house. Here, one can see that almost all household works are done by Teresa, without any help from her husband. This reveals the pathetic condition of women in Cuba. But, the Family Code introduced in Cuban society helped Cuban women to share all household responsibilities with their husbands and to improve their standard of living from low to high. Esperanza Quintero, the female character in the film ‘Salt of the Earth’ is introduced as the wife of a miner. She lives in a village called San Marcos with her family. The film deals with the strike conducted by the working class against the Empire Zinc Company to make sure that their wages are equal to that of the Anglos. Esperanza Quintero’s husband, Ramon Quintero facilitates to systematize the strike as a leader. Besides, he is a well known social worker. When his attitude towards his wife comes under consideration, one can see that Esperanza Quintero is forced to live the life of a second class citizen. So the character of Esperanza Quintero reveals the pathetic condition of women who are forced to be cornered by male domination. Meanwhile, Esperanza Quintero bears her third child and she shrinks into the shell of her personal responsibilities as a mother. This forces her to be passive and to keep herself away from the strike. So she fails to claim her equal rights at home. But her husband does not consider her as an equal partner and he does not admit her views. Finally, the introduction of Taft-Hartley Act helped the women workers to be equal with men. David E. James makes clear that: “Never before had a Hollywood film shown a strike from the workers’ point of view, as noble and successful” (James 122) the film Salt of the Earth represents a new era in Hollywood by showing a strike from the point of view of the working class. So, the role of Esperanza Quintero in the film ‘Salt of the Earth’ reveals the hardships that are faced by women in a male dominated society. In the movie ‘Portrait of Teresa’, the character of Teresa is depicted as a hard working woman, forced to meet both ends of her family by her own. She struggles hard to survive and it leads her to further critical situations. At the same time, Esperanza Quintero the female character in the movie ‘Salt of the Earth’ faces similar situation in her life. For instance, both these characters represent the cornered life of women folk in the main stream of Cuban and American societies. Besides, their personal life consists of hardships related to certain personal responsibilities. Esperanza Quintero is totally neglected by her husband, Ramon Quintero and it leads to tension between them. Moreover, she is helpless to raise her voice against her husband because of his dominance in family matters. At the same time, Teresa is under the suspicious eyes of her husband. So the similarities between these characters make clear that there must be social change to consider women as equal to men. Considering the relationship of Teresa with other characters in the movie ‘Portrait of Teresa’, one can see that she had much better social relationship. She is working in a textile factory, which provides must opportunity to have contact with other individuals. But her relationship with her husband is not so good because he used to provoke her on family matters. Anyhow, their relation becomes worsened by his habit to suspect his wife on her late coming habit. But the relation of Ramon with Miriam, another character, leads to further tension in the family. Teresa used to maintain cordial relation with her co-workers at the factory. At the same time, Esperanza Quintero in the film ‘Salt of the Earth’ faces difficult to maintain cordial relation with her husband due to his domination in her individual and social circles. But she is capable to maintain warm relation with her co workers in the Empire Zinc Company. Both the female characters are cornered in their families but are capable to maintain cordial relationship with other characters, beyond their husbands. When the cultural difference between Cuban and American societies come under consideration, one can see that the American culture is flexible but the Cuban society is rigid to an extent. The character of Esperanza Quintero represents the American culture with its multicultural and multiracial characteristics. The Cuban culture is entirely different from the American because it is a closed society which does not allow other cultures to interfere in its matters. But the Cuban revolution and related development really helped women to come to the forefront of the social and political scenario of the society. The success story of Teresa to fulfill her private and public responsibilities proves that the Cuban culture allows women to grow beyond their families and as productive citizens. So, one can see that the comparison between Esperanza Quintero and Teresa on their experiences, relationships, and cultures prove that their experiences and relationship with others are similar but they represent different cultural backgrounds. Teresa, the female character in the film ‘Portrait of Teresa’, directed by the famous Cuban director Pastor Vega. Teresa represents the typical women in Cuban society. Michael T. Martin opines that: “a new revolutionary mythology rooted in the female figure.” (Martin 155) the films like ‘Portrait of Teresa’ are helpful for the viewers to indentify the revolutionary identity of female figure in Cuban society. When one tries to interpret the character of Teresa through the perspective of the director, one can see that the character represents the contradiction between revolutionary and traditional ideas in Cuban society. In addition, the director shows keen interest to point out the hardships faced by women who are forced to act double roles in their life. They are struggling to balance their personal and public life. But Teresa’s attempt is not so easy because her role in her private life as a wife and as a worker in public sphere affect her mental and physical health. In the film ‘Salt of the Earth’ directed by Herbert J. Biberman, the renowned American film director, the character Esperanza Quintero represent the victims of male domination in the society. When one tries to view the character of Esperanza Quintero through the perspective of the director, it is evident that she represents the hardships faced by women in any male dominated society. Besides, Esperanza Quintero represents the suppressed femininity and their roles in private and public life. These film makers made use of their female characters to criticize the attitude of the society towards female folk. The settings of both these films are different but the theme and its treatment is same. Besides, the role of the director as a social reformer who fights against evils in the society is fulfilled to an extent. The success of both the films prove that cinematography it is an effective medium to fight against evils in the society and to lead the society towards development. The modern world is advancing towards development in all fields. But this development sometimes neglects the importance of traditional values and responsibilities. For instance, Teresa’s status in her family and in her society is different. In her family, she is forced to fight with her husband. But her aim is to fit herself into the ideals of revolutionary Cuba. So the clash between traditional male dominated private life and the revolutionary social setting of Cuban society is the problem of Teresa. But the struggle for existence really ruins her personal life and status in the society. Esperanza Quintero faces the same problem but her aim is to transform the role of female folk in American society. In the end, she proves that women are able to capture leadership and equal to men. Moreover, the film deals with the issue of equity of wages, which is important among working class. As the miners who work in mines face serious health problems, the film fulfills its social responsibility towards the working class. Both the female characters are not ready to give up, but to fight for their rights. So, the character of Teresa and Esperanza Quintero represent the spirit of modern women who are ready to fight for their social rights but conscious of their duties towards their family. As the modern world is becoming more and more complex, the themes selected by both the directors prove their responsibility towards the society. In addition, the character of Teresa and Esperanza Quintero represent the modern women who are not ready to give up their aim. Summing up, the task of a director in a film is to make use of his/her characters as his/her mouthpiece for social change. In the films ‘Portrait of Teresa’ and ‘Salt of the Earth’, the directors are with their aim to change the mindset of the society on the issues like gender discrimination and gender equality. Besides, Teresa’s role in the Cuban society is to force her fellow beings to fight for gender equality. At the same time Esperanza Quintero’s role is to force the American society to understand the value of equality among the members of the society. The comparison and contrast between these characters on their experiences, relationships, and cultures make clear that their experiences are similar. The revolutionary social setting in Cuba helped Teresa to be successful but Esperanza Quintero had to suffer a lot to regain her rights. Their successful relationships beyond their family setting prove that they are capable to maintain relations in their public domains. But difference in attitude towards women in Cuba and America hinder the progress of women to be the productive citizens of the society. So, the significance of these characters is beyond the scope of the films but extends as the powerful protest against male domination and suppression of human rights. Works cited James, David E. The most typical avant-garde: history and geography of minor cinemas in Los Angeles. California: University of California Press, 2005. Martin, Michael T. New Latin American cinema. Michigan: Wayne State University Press, 1997. Read More