The Black Horror Aesthetic: Deconstructing Racial Dilemmas Through Film and Literature

by | Mar 2, 2024 | Film studies

 

The films “Get Out” and “Us” directed by Jordan Peele, alongside the narrative of “Wet Pain,” mark a transformative era in American cinema, challenging the notion of a post-racial society through the lens of horror and psychological thriller. Peele’s assertion that “Get Out” was penned in the “post-racial lie” of the Obama era underscores the films’ critique of superficial anti-racist ideologies, employing metaphors and symbolism to delve into deeper societal issues. This essay aims to explore how “Get Out,” “Us,” and “Wet Pain” collectively address racial dilemmas, using implicit narrative techniques to foster societal introspection and dialogue.

Incorporating “Wet Pain” expands the conversation, introducing a unique perspective on racial identity and the struggle for recognition within a society that often prefers to overlook these challenges. By analyzing key metaphors and symbols across these works, this paper seeks to understand how Peele and “Wet Pain” navigate the complex terra

YOUR ESSAY:
LENGTH: 1,800 words (approx. 7.5 pages; word count is more important than the page count – for a film or short story, also must include an additional 750-word academic rationale – see guidelines below)
Based on the books, literature and films we have studied so far—or similar horror works you find during your research—craft an essay discussing your understanding of the themes in the Black horror aesthetic and their meaning, context and/or effectiveness. You should refer to the course work and at least two secondary sources. (Outside scholarship is required—TWO articles or blog posts, for example—but you must discuss at least two class works even if they don’t have equal weight.) Be as specific as possible.
POSSIBLE APPROACHES: You may write a compare and contrast essay about two or more of the works we have studied (or comparing a work we have studied to another outside of class); an analysis of two or more works; or present a specific argument (i.e. argumentative essay) that you then use your analysis of works to bolster.
You should have a thesis statement in your first paragraph and lay out your subtopics. Each paragraph introducing a new subject or idea should have a topic sentence.

 

 

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Sample Answer

Sample Answer

 

Title: The Black Horror Aesthetic: Deconstructing Racial Dilemmas Through Film and Literature

Thesis Statement: The emergence of the Black horror aesthetic in works such as “Get Out,” “Us,” and “Wet Pain” challenges societal narratives of post-racialism by employing metaphors and symbolism to delve into deeper racial issues, fostering introspection and dialogue within contemporary American cinema and literature.

Introduction:
The Black horror aesthetic, exemplified in films like “Get Out” and “Us” by Jordan Peele, alongside the narrative of “Wet Pain,” signifies a transformative era in American cinema. These works critique the superficial anti-racist ideologies prevalent in society and navigate complex racial dilemmas using implicit narrative techniques. This essay seeks to explore how these pieces collectively address racial challenges, emphasizing the importance of fostering societal introspection and dialogue.

Subtopics:

1. Deconstruction of Post-Racial Society Narratives: Analyzing how “Get Out” challenges the notion of a post-racial society during the Obama era, as asserted by Jordan Peele.
2. Metaphors and Symbolism in Black Horror Aesthetic: Exploring the use of metaphors and symbolism in “Get Out,” “Us,” and “Wet Pain” to delve into deeper societal issues.
3. Racial Identity and Recognition in Society: Discussing how “Wet Pain” provides a unique perspective on racial identity struggles within societal norms that often overlook these challenges.

Analysis:

1. Deconstruction of Post-Racial Society Narratives:

– “Get Out” critiques the façade of post-racialism by portraying the insidious nature of racism masked under liberal tendencies.
– Peele’s statement about the film being written in the “post-racial lie” era underscores the need to confront systemic racism.

2. Metaphors and Symbolism in Black Horror Aesthetic:

– In “Us,” the doppelgängers symbolize suppressed identities and societal shadows that are often ignored.
– “Get Out” uses the concept of hypnosis as a metaphor for how society blinds itself to racial injustices.

3. Racial Identity and Recognition in Society:

– “Wet Pain” explores the struggle for recognition within a society that prefers to overlook racial challenges.
– The narrative in “Wet Pain” sheds light on the complexities of navigating racial identity in a world consumed by stereotypes.

Conclusion:
The Black horror aesthetic, exemplified by works like “Get Out,” “Us,” and “Wet Pain,” serves as a powerful medium to challenge superficial anti-racist ideologies and provoke discussions on racial dilemmas within contemporary American society. By employing metaphors, symbolism, and unique perspectives on racial identity, these pieces foster introspection and dialogue critical for societal growth and understanding.

By examining the themes and narratives of these works, it becomes evident that the Black horror aesthetic not only entertains but also educates, urging audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about race relations and societal norms. Through the lens of horror and psychological thriller, filmmakers and writers like Jordan Peele and creators of “Wet Pain” are reshaping the landscape of American cinema and literature, paving the way for a more inclusive and introspective cultural discourse.

 

 

 

 

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