Legitimacy of Movies in History - In Class Essay

      To question movies as a legitimate and effective way of teaching is to question the very importance of learning by seeing and hearing. Through cinematic learning one can effectively learn and observe not only the awe striking moments in history such as battles, but movies are also able to accurately depict the daily lives and attitudes that simply cannot be conveyed on paper. One might question the legitimacy of cinematic learning due to the multiple variables that might lead to inaccurate representation of history, one of these being the motivation to gain revenue in the box offices. Though this can be the case it is important for one to look upon these "inaccuracies" as creative scenes, possibly inserted in order to emphasize an important portion of history that is otherwise not present. Movies can aid in the learning of U.S. history by showing the daily lives of characters and by exaggerating or manifesting scenes to accurately portray their historical importance. In the movie Glory, one can easily depict how the directer accurately portrayed the daily lives of the soldiers. 

     In many cases, people find it difficult to accurately imagine daily lives of past generations and circumstances. For example, it is challenging for a 21st century student to imagine the daily lives of black soldiers in the civil war. It is neither negligence or another form of arrogance that prevents this, simply the fact that given privileges found in todays society, such as sanitary hospitals 

or shoes for soldiers, were not available to the mass in WWI.  The daily life of black soldiers in      

the civil war can be difficult for one to imagine, for it differentiates from society's norms in todays world in such a level that only movies can accurately teach this subject accurately. In the movie Glory one can observe the graphic scenes in which Denzel Washington's feet were severely mauled due to the lack of shoes and the presence of unforgiving terrain and conditions. Moments like this can only be describes as gruesomely effective in envying empathy in the audience. By showing scenes such as this directors can involve senses that the audience has never used to learn, such as sound and visuals. One cannot know the sound of gunfire and screams of agony on the battle accompanied by the showing of wounds, such as Denzel's, from a text book. These details, although not favored by some movie goers, are crucial for a cinematic learning experience and are what truly differentiate learning by watching a movie from reading and discussing topics. Many teachers may desire to support cinematic learning, but worry due to the possibility of historical inaccuracy brought upon by the director. This fear, while justifiable, is futile in many cases. This is so due to the fact that many producers and/or directors purposefully enter or alter a scene in order to convey an aspect, for learning purposes, not previously available to the audience.

   

 Shoes worn by soldiers during the Civil War

   

      What many consider historical inaccuracies, others claim to legitimatize the so called inaccuracies as creative interpretation used to accurately portray events. The audience can observe this, in cinematic experience, 12 Years a Slave when Solomon is woken by Patsey in the prime of the night. Patsey, a fellow slave, begs Solomon to set her free by ending her life and hiding her body in the swamp. The emotions portrayed in this scene truly curdles the audience's blood, for the thought of conditions that would be present to evoke this mindset must truly be Hell. Historically, this encounter never happened. In fact, it was Mistress Epps who confronted Solomon in the night in order to bribe him, with gold, to murder Patsey and hide her corpse in the swamp. Although history does not tell us the encounter did not occur between Patsey and Solomon, history does convey Hell like conditions in which many would die or commit suicide to escape. The director/producers took the liberty of changing this encounter with Solomon because an opportunity was seen to aid in giving insight to the life of black slaves in the South. By seizing the opportunity and changing the scene the director/producers invoked rightful empathy in the audience and aided in their learning experience.

                                                  Patsey and Solomon interaction in 12 Years a Slave. (http://www.slate.com)

     The abundance of variables that may, and often do, cause historical innacuracies in movies is frightening. But with the right approach, that being attentive listening and note taking, cinematic learning offers more than that of a textbook. By using visual and auditory effects and by the alteration of scenes movies give necessary insight to the daily lives of past generations. 

Works Cited

The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2016.

 

By Inaccurately Depicting the 54th as a Regiment of Former Slaves, Glory Reveals the Deeper Truth 

     That Blacks in General Were Not the Natural Slaves That Southerners Believed Them to Be and That Abolitionists Feared That They Might Be. “Who Asks Now. "Editorials." Ashbrook. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2016. 

Morgan, PHILIP D. "Slavery Counterpoint." New York Times. NY Times, n.d. Web. 

Northup, Solomon, Sue Eakin L., and Joseph Logsdon. Twelve Years a Slave. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State UP, 1968. Print. 

"Slavery; Human Trafficking." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2016.