Amst. The South
Birth of a Nation assignment
The Birth of a Nation clearly demonstrates how several social groups were stereotypically viewed in the time period of 1915.After the South is defeated by the North in the Civil War, the Southern ‘cavalier’ white class harbors many ill feelings towards the freed blacks as well as the Northerners, whom they believe are aiding the blacks.These stereotypes are the main focus of the film, which concedes with society’s views at the time.Throughout the film, the Southern aristocracy is portrayed as just and civil, despite many despicable acts they perform.
In the early stages of the film, the black slaves are seen by the whites to be almost like animals.They are given breaks during their work day to rest them, much like one may rest a laboring horse.Blacks are completely controlled by the whites, and are good for a laugh now and then.This is seen when black servants are dancing about and providing their masters with entertainment.In the mind of the whites, the main purpose of the blacks is to exist for their appeasement.During the war, as the whites become more threatened by the fact that blacks could become their equals, blacks are shown terrorizing the Cameron family.The movie makes it seem as if the blacks are doing this simply because they are trouble makers, but gives absolutely no regard to the fact that they were horribly oppressed by families such as the Camerons.It is seen by the white cavalier class that the main goal of the blacks is “ . . .to put the white South under the heel of the black South.”No perspective is given to the fact that all the blacks really want is to be equal.Blacks are portrayed as villains, as is seen in the case of Silas Lynch, a mulatto who is viewed by the whites as enforcing the power of the blacks in order to gain votes that will outnumber whites’ votes.When the blacks take over the Congress (as the cavaliers see it), they are seen putting their feet up on the table counters with no shoes on, and in general conducting themselves with little composure.Black are seen to be hungry with power, and want to take over the South. The movie did not take into account that the black citizens were simply trying to actively participate in a government that they were excluded from for so long.Thecavaliers see the bill being passed to allow interracial marriage as being and attempt by the blacks to take over white women.The movie did not take into account that white cavaliers have been documented as having had affairs with black slaves.The movie twisted the bill into being a means for the blacks to take over.One of the most horrendous portrayals of a black is when Gus chases Flora, and out of fear, she jumps off of a cliff.To assume that all blacks lust after white women, as the movie makes it seem, is unfair, and extremely harmful because of the lynchings that occurred after the movie.The portrayal of blacks, although extremely discriminatory, coincided with society’s unfortunate point of view when the film was created.
The Northern whites are seen as enemies to the South because of their aid to the blacks.They are seen by the cavaliers as “carpetbaggers”, or outsiders to the South who came to interfere with the Southern way of life.The main problem that cavaliers have with Northerners is the Freedman’s Bureau, which the carpetbaggers created.In the cavalier’s perspective,the Freedman’s bureau is “The charity of a generous North misused to delude the ignorant.”The “ignorant” in this statement are the blacks, which the cavaliers felt that the Northerners were using as a weapon against them, even after the war.Cavaliers felt the Northerners to be encouraging the blacks and taking advantage of their ignorance, when all they are really trying to do in reality is to get them off on the right start in their free lives.The film also did not take into account the plight of the Northerners realistically as they were attempting to reconstruct a nation.
Although the movie is atrociously racist and offensive to watch, it is significant testimony to how our nation though in 1915.Fortunately, times have changes, and the majority of out nation is no longer racist.However, prejudice does still exist, and it is important to realize how destructive prejudice once was in order to combat it.