Equality, Race and Disability in Films - Essay Example

Equality, Race and Disability in Films: Irigaray and Levinas Philosophical Context of Equality, Race and Disability in Films: Irigaray and Levinas Philosophical Context Introduction: Ethical grounds in the filmmaking have been adhered over the years to influence the society because films are considerably one of the most effective medium for communication. Films behold characters to which the audience would relate regarding issues of race, equality and disability. It is for this reason that these characters are carefully pinned down by the storywriters. Since these characters are individuals showing positivistic as well negative context of human relations in a society, these characters are merely responsible for communication with other—where other is a philosophical opposite of same or self. The philosophy of other has been coined by the Emanuel Levinas in terms of the ethics while the extension of the philosophy of ‘Other’ in the context of feminism was noted by Luce Irigaray. In order to evaluate the philosophical intersection of these philosophers, the films The Help and The Intouchables has been selected for evaluation. Furthermore, to make the evaluation concrete, particular scenes will be discussed in the course of the paper to shed light on the consequences of race, equality and disability (Voss, 2006, P.67). The two chosen films have surely marked the issues of equality, racism and disability in their plots. Underpinning the theoretical and philosophical considerations, it is much easier to note that the Irigaray’s philosophy of the sexual differentiation and the consideration of the other are visible in the context of both films. Also, Levinas’s view states that it is on the self, not underlying the other (opposite of same), to perceive about the morality that is set in the society or in a group (Lévinas & Poller, 1972, P.92). Both these philosophies are easy to note and expound in the chosen films (Bostic, 2012 P.7). In order to evaluate the usage of the philosophy of Levinas and Irigaray in both the films, it is much important to understand the stories and the characters of the film. In short, it is necessary for the readers to know the exact plot where different issues of racism, equality and disability are evidently underpinned concept (Irigaray, An Ethics of Sexual Difference, 2007, P.48). Following are the background of the actual plots of the films: The Help Background Plot: The plot of the film has been set during the Civil Rights era which is the period of early 1960s. The film revolves around the story of a white woman who automatically creates a strong bond of sisterhood with the black maids. The white woman namely Skeeter finds about the difficult life long experiences of the black maids. Since Skeeter wants to opt the career of a writer, she beholds the real life stories of the colored women. This enlightens her mind with the facts she was never aware of (Marcus, 2008). In particular the story reflects the racist’s attacks of white families against the black people (Taylor, 2011). The plot has been set in civil right era which enables the audiences to take a glance of the period which was most complicated for the black people to make their mark in the American society. It should be noted that the film has also projected the strong character of the black women namely Aibileen and Minny who worked in the white families. Through the characters of Aibileen and Minny, readers would be able to understand the pointer of the author. Minny, in specific is a character who has become stern as she has undergone a number of racist attacks against her. The readers will surely find Minny as an outspoken character in the film. Initially as Skeeter starts to interview, these black women showed reluctance towards talking free (Wyschogrod, 2000, P. 54). They had a fear in their minds that in case they will speak for their experiences then they will be made a target of racists’ attacks or most probably be fired from the job. Throughout the course of the film, audiences will also find out that Skeeter undergoes a number of criticisms for her work in the wake of the civil rights of the colored people. But Skeeter does not feel that she should stop. Instead, Skeeter comes to realize that she never saw the hatred white people had against black people. This makes Skeeter firm on her beliefs and now trusts the black maids at her home more than anyone (Perpich, 2008, P. 87). The Intouchables Background Plot The Intouchables is a film about the friendship between two men which eventually blossoms throughout the course of the film. It should be noted that the friendship is between a caretaker and a rich man. The character of the care taker named Driss is basically a black African American who has been living with his uncle and aunt. On the other hand, Philippe is a rich man who has recently bought a mansion and needed a live-in carer. The film talks about the disability of the white man which eventually makes the black American Driss makes his way in the lifestyle of Philippe as a support (Roth, 2011). The appointment of a live-in carer is undertaken by the female assistant of Philippe where Driss is selected despite the fact he did not want the job because he just wanted to show the welfare institutions to see that he was not able to get a job. It is because of this reason that he did not communicate well in his interview. But soon in the film, audiences experience astonishment that Driss is hired. With the passage of time, Driss and Philippe become close enough and understand each other. The reason behind the likeness of Philippe towards Driss is merely because he does not treat Philippe with compassion and pity like any other person. Now that Driss wanted to go back, Philippe was down but he surely did not want to come in the way of Driss supporting his family. As Driss leaves the mansion and the job, Philippe becomes too low and does not take care of himself (Jones, 2012, P.39). It is because of this reason that the assistant of Philippe contacts Driss and tells him that Philippe has stopped taking care of himself. Driss comes back to Philippe and makes him understand that it was necessary that he take care of himself. Driss makes him go on a date with the woman with whom Philippe was in contact. As now, Driss goes away, he is sure that Philippe will be not alone and will now have a reason to live his life without being too lazy (Roth, 2011). Emanuel Levinas’s, “Self and Other” Philosophical Context to the Films: From the above plots of the films, it is much easier to note that these films denotes that people from different classes and races can across each other and bond together in a relationship which is better than those of the similar races (Irigaray, This Sex Which Is Not One, 1985. P.77). As per the philosophy of Levinas, the issue is not among the other and same but it is how the perceiving is done. Applying the theory of Levinas on the film, let us consider The Intouchables at the first place. In the course of the film, it is easier to note that the characters are able to open to each other with some passage of time. Initially, Driss shows himself a person who is not at all interested to get the job but with the passage of time, he realizes that finding Philippe as his employer was much more than being an employee. It is merely because the proximity to understand another is based upon the proximity (Caldwell, 2002 P.23). The Levinas’s philosophy also takes the account of how one would feel the closeness. As per his statement, it is the distance between the self and other which is felt with compassion (Jantzen, 1998, P.18). The intensity can be strong which allows the other to reveal himself. The experience is self-indulgent and can be after thought process. Similar instance can be found in the film Intouchables when Philippe decides to reveal about his disability which always put him in a back slash. He tries to reveal his disability to Driss because he has created a trustworthy attribute of the bond. Another extension to philosophy of Levinas is about the freedom which is associated with the revelation of self. As soon as other would reveal, it brings demand (Deutscher, 2012, P.67). It is this point where the ethics of others bring in the subject of heterogeneity. The other needs to explain the freedom which is followed by an affirmation. This can also be a denial which may cause the pronominal bond between self and other. This can be observed from the bond between the Driss and Philippe which comes to a point where the question is merely of the freedom that is required for Driss because he is further heterogeneously marked with his family members. This is in the shape of demand from Driss towards Phillipe regarding his termination of job. However, Driss has made Philippe overly dependent upon him that it was not just a termination of the job but more of the loss of connection that they both had developed over the time. This notes that the storywriter of the film The Intouchables has been able to prove the theory of Levinas as correct. This purely shows that film can be a great source of affirmation with the philosophy of ethics which demonstrates the social ideals we have in our environment (Charter, 2001, P.82). Irigaray’s “One and Other” Philosophical Context to the Films: Irigaray had given an extension to the philosophy of self and other with the peculiarity of subject. The critical approach of Irigaray is about the subject of feminism being dominated by the male perceived world (Stone, 2003, P.71). As per her philosophy, it can be noted that all trends and morality of the world and people of the world is greatly dependent upon the subjectivity of the masculine (Irigaray, Luce Irigaray: Key Writings, 2004, P.53). The philosophical context of the theory of Irigaray is visible at many instances of the film The Help. The film and the characters in the film have been projected through the lens of the world where women have been under pressure. It is the women world where discrimination is at every step. The characters Aibileen and Minny has projected that they may not be contributing the world of economics but they make a difference for those who are in the economic sectors. These women have been working as maids over the year making it possible for the white families to nurture their kids to the best. In this constant run, the families of the black women are at stakes. The film shows that the black women are not supposed to be given positions where they can excel and move ahead. Seemingly, the life circle of the lives of black women becomes contacted more and more. It is not just limited to the black women. It can be seen in the film that the protagonist Skeeter is also made the target of discrimination because she is a woman and is trying to spread the word of the black women. The film projects that the women’s voice is never considered worthy because the color system has been well-defined years ago by the masculine subjectivity (Peperzak, 1993, P.86). Resolution of Issues: Herein, specific scenes from both the films have been considered for evaluation of resolution of issues. The above notes aspects of philosophy and issues of disability, equality and racism have been resolute in the films which are visible in this section of the paper. Scenic Evaluation and Resolution # 1: The chosen scene from Intouchables is as follows for evaluation: “Driss is at a restaurant with Philippe where other men who are Philippe’s friend are also present. The scene is before the interval of the movie’s complete projection. Three friends are wearing suits preferably showing their prestigious class. As soon as the waiter serves the table with the bill, one of the friends gets up and makes lame reason of a phone call in order to stay safe from paying the bill. But Driss shows his trick as he steals the lamer friend’s phone. The friend realizes that his lame excuse has been busted and sits back when Driss puts down the phone on the bill card. While this phone trick, Driss proves himself that it is not the black man who is only to be blamed for tricks because white men also play tricks and act safe. This friend was the same who drills second thoughts in the mind of Philippe and attacks the character of Driss with racist’s statements that he is a street man and he can harm Philippe. Once Driss is done with his speech, Philippe nodes his friends and claim that Driss is honest” (Roth, 2011). Technical Analysis: The camera projection of the scene has been kept through the body cut frame. The scene is also cut to cut which keeps the angle of camera very straight. Cut to cut editing is considerably a classic mode of editing which is evident from the scene. It should be noted that the camera projection has been well adjusted with mellow lighting. The visualization is rather dim which does not make the shot too bright for a restaurant. The sound in the scene is more silent considering the dialogue delivery. There is no background music. Also, the chattering of people talking has been kept light so the audiences focus more on the table of Driss and Philippe with friends. The above scenic projections have called a great deal of attention from the reviewers. It has been said overly that the characters or more precisely the relation between American whites and American black has been projects as low. In simpler words, the blacks are merely to serve the whites because they are having a disability (Cimitile & Miller, 2007, P. 17). But on the other hand, it can be taken as much positive that the storywriter has claimed that both of them have created such a strong bond with each other that they are no more just the employer and employee. By the end of the film, it can be seen that Driss finds Philippe ways in which he can find a woman and become more meaningful with his life. At one place the director has created scenes where racism is clear to note that blacks are needed only at the time when white people need help and are having disability on being on their own. On the other hand, it can be seen that the directors have projected scenic presentations where both the men are having a great “bro-time” together at the beach. This signifies that despite the class and race difference, it’s the opinion of one to reveal to other one (Zimmermann, 2009, P.987). Scenic Evaluation and Resolution # 2: The chosen scene from The Help is as follows for evaluation: “The scene has been shot where white women are playing cards in a get together. The protagonist of the movie Skeeter is sitting with two of her friends. One of them is Hilly who is very rude to the colored women. While having discussion with Skeeter, Hilly says that she is going to start a drive for the sanitation initiative as per which each white family will have to construct a separate bathroom for the help which is mainly the black maids working in the white family homes for service. As a reply to Hilly’s comment, Skeeter claims that she should rather come up with a U bathroom for herself outside. During this discussion, Aibileen is found standing outside the room listening to this conversation. She shows high sprit when she hears Skeeter giving a blunt defensive reply to Hilly on the behalf of black women”. Technical Analysis: The cinematography of the scene is quiet basic because it was the need of the plot. The scenes are basically shot to present the look of 1960s for which more focus of the camera has been put on the body cut shot. The frames are straight and portrait based. The shoulder frame shot has also been added in the scene to show Aibileen hearing the conversation. The visualization of the scene is bright as per the need of the plot where women are having a get together. Lighting is high contrasting bright which has worked out for the projection of white scenario. The editing is swift normally shot vs. Scene. This scene is noted as a critical point of the film where the reviewers and critics claimed that the African Americans are still projected as people with no identity of their own but to have serving their fate. The usage of separate bathroom concept is surely a racist attack towards the help. The scene shows that the women did not like the fact that the black women were given such permission to talk among guests by Skeeter. Herein, it can be said that the directors have projected that surely during the civil rights era, black women were kept as maids. This tradition lasted for quiet a long time until they stood for their right as they also deserved positions in the economic sectors that would have provided them with the opportunities to excel. But at the same time, it can also be noted that the storywriter have shown that not all are same and that the writer, Skeeter gave them special position. In addition, it can be seen in the film that the need of the maids was merely because white families are not able to cope with their lives without the help of other (African women). The Irigaray’s philosophy stating women are the commodities which are exchanged by male dominating society merely for the purpose of benefits and value of purchase. This philosophy can be noted in terms of the film The Help, as the black women in the film has been displayed to serve the white families since the beginning. The stories as told by the black women educate the audiences that black women have been involved in taking care of the white families as their family tradition. The involvement of the black women in serving the white family is relatively higher which makes it difficult for these black women to take care of their own families. It has been noted in the story that while taking care and serving the white families, these black women have lost their loved ones and the special moments that they had to spend with their families. This denotes that women have been exchanged for the need of value over the years. This trend goes on for ages making the level of equality lessened. It should be noted that the resolution of the issue of is evident in the film through the point of action of Skeeter. As she writes for right of the colored women, Skeeter brings the black women to the same level of equality. In the continuous toil moil that Skeeter undertakes for the rights of the black women, it comes to notice that she wants other white families to take care of the rights of the black women as they have been involved in the care and household of white families. List of References Bostic, J., 2012. Introduction: The Recent Work of Luce Irigaray. LEsprit Créateur , 52(3), pp. 1-10. Caldwell, A., 2002. Transforming Sacrifice: Irigaray and the Politics of Sexual Difference. Hypatia, 17(4), pp. 16-38. Charter, T., 2001. Feminist Interpretations of Emmanuel Levinas. University Park, PA: Penn State Press. Cimitile, M. C. & Miller, E. P., 2007. Returning to Irigaray: Reflecting on the Early and Late Writings. Albany: SUNY Press. Deutscher, P., 2012. A Politics of Impossible Difference: The Later Work of Luce Irigaray. New York: Cornell University Press. Irigaray, L., 1985. This Sex Which Is Not One. New York: Cornell University Press. Irigaray, L., 2004. Luce Irigaray: Key Writings. London: Continuum International Publishing Group. Irigaray, L., 2007. An Ethics of Sexual Difference. London: Continuum International Publishing Group. Jantzen, G., 1998. Becoming Divine: Towards a Feminist Philosophy of Religio. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Jones, R., 2012. Irigaray. Cambridge: Polity. Lévinas, E. & Poller, M. N., 1972. Humanism of the Other. Illinois: University of Illinois Press. Marcus, P., 2008. Being for the other: Emmanuel Levinas, ethical living and psychoanalysis. Milwaukee: Marquette University Press. Peperzak, A. T., 1993. To the other: an introduction to the philosophy of Emmanuel Lévinas. Indiana: Purdue University Press. Perpich, D., 2008. The Ethics of Emmanuel Levinas. Stanford: Stanford University Press. Stone, A., 2003. The Sex of Nature: A Reinterpretation of Irigarays Metaphysics and Political Thought. Hypatia, 18(3), pp. 60-84. The Help. 2011. [Film] Directed by T. Taylor. United States: Dreamworks. The Untouchables. 2011. [Film] Directed by V. Roth. United States: Big Year Production. Voss, V. D., 2006. Emmanuel Levinas on Ethics as the First Truth. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 12 January 2013]. Wyschogrod, E., 2000. Emmanuel Levinas: The Problem of Ethical Metaphysics. Fordham: Fordham Univ Press. Zimmermann, N. K., 2009. Karol Wojtyla and Emmanuel Levinas on the Embodied Self: the Forming of the Other as Moral Self-disclosure. The Heythrop Journal, 50(6), pp. 982-995. Read More