Identity In Moonlight

In Barry Jenkins’ 2016 film, “Moonlight,” the theme of heteronormativity and identity appears. In this essay, I draw on the “fight scene,” where Chiron is beaten by Terrel and Kevin for his sexual orientation and use the concepts of repression and shame to critically reflect on queer youth, their experiences with bullying and the long-term psychological impacts they face during adulthood as a result. “Moonlight” gives the audience a unique look into the young man’s journey as he grapples with his identity and homosexuality in a community where it is unwelcome (Jenkins, 2016). The viewer is introduced to a young black man growing up in Miami through three distinct chapters: first, a child known as Little, then a teenager known as Chiron, and

It practically seems as though we are watching the fight through Chiron's eyes due to the camera shaking and the quick, erratic movements. The beginning of the scene resembles an animal circling its prey just before it is going to pounce. Due to the speed and how rapidly everything occurred, the three main characters were eye-catching wearing the colours white and blue. The chaotic and violent scene was anxiety-inducing, as the music was also fast-paced and foreshadowed the horrible fight that was about to take place. Terrel and Chiron both wore white in this scene, and while generally representing innocence, I would contend that it can also represent Chiron's sense of emptiness as a result of being unable to feel comfortable in his true self. In Terrel's instance, though, I think it symbolizes the coldness he feels toward Chiron at that precise moment. Additionally, blue is a colour that often represents loyalty, trust, and vulnerability. Kevin wearing the colour at this moment could indicate that he has officially lost all trust within his relationship but was also in a vulnerable situation as he decided to protect himself and hide his sexuality, rather than protect Chiron; and proceeds to throw the first punch. Before the hit, the camera changed to Chiron's perspective, which felt like it represented a betrayal to both the audience and Chiron. Chiron's only true friend of his age up to this point had been Kevin, and in the scene before this one, the audience had witnessed an intimate interaction between the two. The camera shakes violently as the struggle progresses until Kevin hits him one last time and Terrel and the rest of his crew start pounding him on the ground (Jenkins, 2016). The