Stereotypes In The Imitation Of Life Movie

Set in 1947, the film adaptation of the Imitation of Life (novel, 1933); was produced by classic Hollywood to display real-time race and class relationships. The story introduces us to an aspiring New York actress, Lora Meredith, and her daughter, Susie, who met Sarah Jane and her mother Annie, on Coney island beach, becoming the loving and loyal Mammy, Sarah Jane, a girl whose life was fueled by her hatred for being Black, and the blatant inequality she faces when others find out her true race. Here, a story begins… while it was supposed to be temporary, racially expected characters ensue. As Hollywood took stereotypes that ensure African Americans' “Place and behavior”, this essay will go over three stereotypes that greatly impacted the

Sarah Jane was most impacted by this racial inequality when it is revealed that despite passing for White, is truthfully half Black. We see two main instances of her being mistreated: one; when she is physically abused by her white boyfriend and two; loses a job at a nightclub for hiding her true self. Similarities are seen in the film ‘Pinky’ where Pinky left her grandmother for a nursing education but told no one about her race. While their situations are very different, Pinky displays a very prominent issue of how just being biologically African American can affect your treatment. Sarah Jane was denied a job she did well in. But, as soon as she assumed the name “Ms. Linda” in the west she was able to secure a much fancier job. When Pinky was confronted by the police after the subject of her biological grandmother came up. Because of their familiar connection Pinky, at the end of the movie was forced to fight a deliberately willed piece of land all because of her race. Both of which are clear inequalities that are played as expectations that no matter who “black” you are there are privileges you inherently don't receive. Outside the movie, the inequalities continued when even casting the films. After World War 2, the push for colored people in films became stronger with the development of the National Association for the Advancement of colored

When studied each one carries attributes that may or may not be obvious but are there. Annie was a loved character but was still captured in the reign of “Mammy". Related to her daughter, Sarah Jane who characteristically displayed hatred for all things non-white, she ended up alone and seemed to have bad luck primarily due to her race. It was seen as sad that these young women were faced with hardships only because they were not 100 percent white, none of which was their fault. All of which heavily directed “Imitation of Life” to plug in primarily African American stereotypes Throughout the early to mid-1900s of Classic Hollywood it was these roles that kept viewers in favor of slavery ideals while normalizing parts of a Black person that did not fit all. Those of us that are biracial and non-passing today, are being shown stories, many of whom are inherently untrue and lack equality, know there have been many positive changes for people of color as a whole but for these notions to be published only 50 years or less ago is a relation that attributes still affect our