Kaleigh Hannigan
Professor Ayala
EN 104
3 April 2023
Division in the Prison System The Netflix documentary, 13th, captures the ongoing division between justice, race, and mass incarceration in the U.S. The film develops its argument through authors, professors, activists, and political figures. The film is named after the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery except as punishment for a crime in the U.S. After the passing of this amendment, African Americans assumed their life would change for the better, and they could finally feel like real human beings. Over 100 years later, African Americans are still enduring hardships solely based on their race. While 13th presents a clear argument, to pass an evaluation, it needs to meet a certain
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A sufficient criterion of an effective argument is to include a counterargument. The documentary, 13th, passes the evaluation because it effectively utilizes rhetorical devices; however, it fails in meeting the sufficient criterion by omitting a counterargument. The appeal to pathos was the most often rhetorical device used throughout the film. This increases the effectiveness of the argument because it evokes emotion in people watching the documentary. During the film, the director includes clips and photos of violent events to show the torture African Americans went through. Raw footage of lynchings and abuse were shown to connect to viewers’ emotions. These graphics successfully portray the suffering people went through rather than only hearing about it. The pain and heartache viewers feel supports the argument because it creates a sense of sorrow for how horrifically these people were treated compared to the privileges we have now. Although Americans have more freedom now than years prior, racial discrimination is ongoing. 13th further uses pathos by including …show more content…
A multitude of authors, professors, activists, and political figures are shown throughout the documentary as credible sources. Many presidential speeches were shown including ones by Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan as trustworthy appeals to ethos. The use of historical figures enriched the audience’s trust because they are recognizable individuals amongst society. Furthermore, some of the speakers included are: Attorney and Founder of Essie Justice Group, Gina Clayton; Grandview University Professor of History, Kevin Gannon; and formerly incarcerated activist, Glenn E. Martin. The director strengthens their argument by using individuals who have strong credentials as well as connections to the disturbances of African Americans. One quote that stuck out throughout the film was spoken by American lawyer, Bryan Stevenson. He said, “the Bureau of Justice reported that one in three young black males is expected to go to jail or prison during his lifetime” (37:15). As someone who studies this topic as a profession, it makes his statements more profound to the viewers. With the addition of pathos and logos, ethos effectively persuades the audience with an effective
The film 13th was documentary that explains mass incarceration, Jim Crow, and slavery as being the same forms. Through use of statistic, testimonies, and stories, the documentary portrays a message of what is and has been going on and has a call to action. The film starts off with explaining how there is a loophole a clause of the 13th amendment that makes it unconstitutional for anyone to be a slave except criminals, and ever since that loophole was discovered there was a mass of African Americans arrested. Although the film was able to show evidence for the parallels between slavery, Jim Crow laws, and mass incarceration, it did not provide solutions for this problem.
Racism is portrayed as a pervasive and deeply rooted problem in the movie. Specific examples of racism include the police officer's assumption that Khalil was dangerous solely based on his race, the media's biased portrayal of the incident, and the systemic racism within the criminal justice system. These instances highlight the unequal treatment and stereotypes faced by people of color. For teaching and learning, the film provides a platform for discussions on racial bias, prejudice, and the need for societal change.
In the documentary 13th by director Ava DuVernay, a racial stigma is investigated regarding the skin colors of those being incarcerated in the U.S. prison systems. Some questions being introduced in 13th leave us intrigued and those relate to the presidents at the time handling every situation differently. Those questions and many more will be answered along with a critique of the handling by those in power regarding incarceration. Many symbols with meaning are introduced in 13th, such as the whites power over the media, their exaggeration of the release of Birth of a Nation and the presidency itself. The documentary goes in-depth into the incarceration of many blacks, and it does that with the questions it asks.
13th tells the detailed story of how Thirteenth Amendment was used as a tool to use incarceration as a legal continuation of former slave system. According to the Section 1 of Thirteenth Amendment “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction”. The amendment was ratified by required number of states on December 6, 1865, and therefore abolished slavery. However, the director of the movie not fully agrees with 13th amendment fully stopping slavery.
By analyzing the 13th Amendment, the film argues that although slavery was legally abolished, it persisted differently through the criminal justice system. The documentary exposes mass incarceration's root causes and dire consequences, particularly for Black Americans, and calls for change in the current system.
The documentary 13th was released on October 7, 2016 and it triggered a worldwide shock. As a documentary, it was adept enough to address several ongoing issues, especially regarding the maltreatment of African Americans, but the documentary was shaped around the theme that African Americans were never free, and continue to fight for that freedom. The content within the documentary varied from earlier times where slavery, segregation and, Jim Crow laws existed to the more implicit manner of racism that is presented through the massive imprisonment of African Americans, and unjustified use of the criminal justice system against them. The documentary revolves around three main themes: the overrepresentation of African Americans in the media,
The documentary, 13th, by Ava Duvernay highlights the exception of the 13th Amendment, the one line that states that slavery is abolished except as a punishment for crime. Despite those words being there from the moment the amendment was passed, everyone paid a blind eye to it and thought it was an amazing milestone in American history. In fact, this was never a milestone, throughout the past 150 years, despite all of the new amendments
In The 13th they go over the fact that African-Americans were put into prison for long sentences for petty crimes, and were able to become enslaved because the 13th amendment allows it, as long as it’s a punishment for a crime. After slavery it was challenging for African-Americans to find jobs, so some, mostly black men, had to resort to theft to feed their families, but if they were caught they were put into prison for elongated sentences. This made the stereotype of fatherless black homes and that African-Americans were thieves and a cycle of African-Americans going in and out of prison. In Just Mercy, an African-American, Walter Micmillian, was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of a white woman. Although he has proven his innocence with witnesses and alibis, he is determined to be guilty.
The film has a strong connection with Michelle Alexander’s book, “The New Jim Crow”. Where she explains how we as individuals may think we know how the system works. We only know so little based on what these media outlets say. That it is more than just that. Those who are on the inside know how these facilities operate.
The film highlights the deep-seated racism and government overreach that have historically targeted Black Americans, particularly those who have used their platforms to speak out against injustice. It also underscores the ongoing struggles of those who suffer from addiction and substance abuse and the need for greater compassion and understanding in addressing these complex issues. Moreover, the film raises important questions about the intersection of art and activism and the ways in which cultural figures have been both celebrated and persecuted for their political beliefs. Ultimately, the issues raised in the documentary affect us all, as we continue to grapple with issues of race, justice, and power in American society. In terms of potential solutions, the film underscores the importance of continued activism and advocacy in fighting for civil rights and social justice and the need for greater awareness and understanding of the issues facing marginalized communities.
In the documentary I am Not Your Negro about James Baldwin and 13th documentary directed by Ava DuVernay both amplified the injustice of the black community over the years. Each documentary illustrates the current obstacles that are set in place, which perpetuates our oppression. In the film 13th directed by Ava DuVernay explains a well-informed researched look at the American system of incarceration, precisely how the prison industrial complex distresses people of color. Her analysis could not be more timely nor more irritating. The film builds its case section by shattering piece, inspiring levels of shock and outrage that stun the viewer, leaving one shaken and disturbed before concluding a visual memorandum of hope intended to keep us active
However, conflict between the protagonists was unavoidable due to their opposing personalities and ways. Nonetheless, their values, propaganda, goals, and friendship triumphed over these adversities. These students, along with their families and other black men, embodied the film's most important themes: empowerment, equality, and education.
Angela Davis Once said “Well for one, The 13th Amendment to the constitution of the U.S. which abolished slavery, did not abolish slavery for those convicted of a crime.” Although the amendment was desperately needed it made more problems for the U.S.The thirteenth amendment was about abolishing slavery. Many people had different opinions about this amendment. The amendment affected our nation dramatically. The 13th amendment to the United States Constitution says that, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
The “13th” is a documentary about the American system of incarceration and the economic forces behind racism in America especially in people of color. One of the claims that the author mentioned is that today incarceration is an extension of slavery. It is also mentioned that most of the time in society we are defined by race. In the documentary, we can see how African Americans are sentenced for many years since they are too poor to pay their fines or sometimes most of these people plead guilty to get out of jail fast. However, African Americans are separated from their families and also treated inhumanly in prisons just because they are of a particular race.
The purpose of the 13th documentary is to spread the message that although it was ruled that the concept of slaves is no longer prohibited, minorities such as African Americans and Latinos are still mistreated, and are imprisoned for minor offenses. Imprisonment of minorities for minor offenses is an excuse to still allow slavery. Since this topic is something that affected minorities for years in a negative way, it is important for the creators of this documentary to include emotionally-charged content in order to get the audience to feel and understand the harm this issue causes and promote a change within the criminal justice system. The documentary tries to appeal to the audience’s emotions by including disturbing clips and images of the mistreatment and abuse towards black people, as well as having people who endured this abuse in the past talk about what they experienced and what they felt at the time. One moment from the documentary that stood out to me was when they started to show