The Birth of a Nation Questions:
1. How is the actor playing Gus costumed? What does this tell us that we should feel about Gus?
The actor that is playing Gus is costumed in bad quality clothing making it known that he is poor. He has a warn out hat on, he is all dirty and looks like he hasn’t cleaned up for a long time. He doesn’t even care to pick up a peace of his clothing when it falls off him so he doesn’t care much about it. Shows it isn’t expensive. He is also African American.
2. How is the actor playing Flora costumed? What does this tell us that we should feel about Flora?
The actor who is playing Flora is costumed in more of a daily dress she wears around. Not to nice but not warn down and looks young. She looks like she comes from a middle class family.
3. How is lighting used to make Gus seem menacing?
The lighting is kinda dark and hard to see is full completion. (more of low-key lighting) He gives off a scary look with his eyes bright white because of the lighting , especially since he’s chasing flora and won’t go away.
4. How is the lighting used to make Flora seem innocent?
It is bright and easier to see her, and it seems peaceful in the beginning when it is just her. It looks like it has some good naturally light. They make sure some sunlight is on her. (more of high-key lighting). She also has a very playful spirit and likes to be with nature and smiles and looks happy with how she plays with the squirrel.
5. How does the actor walk and what types of actions does he perform as he follows Flora? How does this tell us he’s–for lack of a better term–a predator?
Gus kinda stumbles while he walks and he creeps on to her. Once he catches up to her he starts to chase her. He runs with his hands open making him look like he wants to catch her which makes him look like a predator.
6. What actions and interactions do we see Flora engaged in while she’s being followed by Gus that tells us Flora is childlike?
Flora loves interacting with nature and kinda playing make believe. Like a child would to entertain themselves. She skips around, picks up flowers, rocks, filled her bucket up with water, and watched the squirrel and was talking to her like a child.
7. How is the music associated with Gus different than the music associated with Flora?
The music they use for Flora in the beginning is very up beat and peaceful. As soon as Gus comes into the scene the music slows down and slowly changes to a different theme. The music is more dramatic and suspenseful. After Gus asks Flora to marry him and she says no the music gets more intense. It makes the scene become darker and more dramatic as he starts to flolow her.
8. How does cross-cut editing between the Flora-Gus chase scene with Ben, Flora’s older brother, communicate to us the danger that Flora is in?
The cross cut editing they did during this scene was when they alternate shots of lines of action occurring in different places. Which was flora and Gus talking outside and then Ben’s scene inside the house. The brother seems to be in concern for flora’s safety and goes to look for flora. Flora begins to run away from Gus in her scene but Gus won’t stop chasing her and they end up on a cleft. Flora threatens Gus that if he goes away she will jump off the cleft. Ben knows she is in danger when he finds Gus clothing and cant find them.
9. Thinking back and using the theories of discourse and multiplicities, how would you say the work of writers like John Tyler Morgan and Frederick Hoffman shaped a viewing public that would accept this sequence with few to no reservations?
Some people wouldn’t like a film like this with all of the offense/racist. Going back to Morgan and Hoffman’s views and time, they shaped the way I view things little different. It can be hard to not take it all in a certain way. but in those time people did think differently and this is a film that shouldve changed the way they thought about blacks.
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