Frederick Douglas was a slave who
witnessed the oppression that his people had to go through. He was born a slave and knew nothing more than
to be a slave and follow orders. In his narrative he describes how he saw the gruesome
beatings that his masters would put upon other slaves. Douglas went through his
slave life not having an education to be able to show him that learning is the
power to fight the oppression. This is what makes Douglas a hero to slaves and
an inspiration for all. Recently I had a conversation with my friends and some reason
the movie Django Unchained came up.
My friend in the middle of the conversation said “Django is a hero to the
slaves.” After he said this I really thought about what made him a hero to the
slaves, but I could not figure out what made him a hero. I believe this is a
misrepresentation of how Americans perceive slaves through the media.
Frederick
Douglas became a hero not through super powers or by shooting slave masters,
but through education. He understood the importance of education when one of
his masters began to teach him the alphabet and started to teach him how to
read. From this experience Douglas learned that the path for freedom was
through the power of education. Douglas realized that he was unhappy even
before education, “But, by this time, I began to
want to live upon free land as well as with Freeland; and I was no
longer content, therefore, to live with him or any other slaveholder,"(
page 122). Douglas knew that to overcome the oppression himself through
education he would not only help himself, but also help others. He had to do it
for those who woke to a life that really did not belong to them. This is what
makes Douglas a hero to me, that even though he was able to get himself an
education, what he did with it after to help others makes him a hero to slaves.
On
the other hand, Django Unchained is a
movie about a black slave in the 18th century who befriends a German
bounty hunter in order to save the love of his life from slave owners. The
audience follows Django on an adventure that leads him to kill many white slave
owners. Djagno in the movie acts as Schultz’s valet throughout the movie. Is
Django really free in this spaghetti western? It seems he is not because he is
bound by this stranger who he meets and promises freedom after the job is done.
But what if Schultz did not die and forces Django to keep accompanying him on
his bounty adventures? The ending of this movie really leaves the audience
questing if Django is really a hero for slaves and if he is really free from
slavery. Sure Django saved the love of his life, but it is only an individual
accomplishment. Gaining his own freedom and gaining the love of his life are
personal gains. This shows that he is not a hero to any of the slaves in this movie,
but only a hero to Broomhilda, his love interest. In the end is this really how
Americans want to portray slavery.
I
know it’s only a movie, but what bothers me is that a person could think Django
could be a hero to slaves even though Django is selfish. If one person believes
this then others believe that Django is a hero to slaves. I would not even
consider Django a hero what so ever because his motivation is all about himself
and to save a girl he loves and nothing else. While Frederick Douglas may not
be as flashy as Django, his intentions and actions are better. Douglas is able
to realize that education is the key through the little glimpse of education
his master gives him. Douglas has inspired many others to break the barrier of
slavery and to receive an education to gain knowledge. Even today his motives
and actions have influenced many people.
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