Children’s Literature Association Quarterly Discussion

Introduction

Destin Daniel Cretton’s gripping legal thriller “Just Mercy” is based on the real story of civil rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson and his attempts to defend Walter McMillian, an Alabama man who was wrongfully imprisoned and now faces the death penalty. The movie explores intricate problems with racism, class, and the criminal justice system, providing a theoretical framework for research based on principles from academia.

Racial Narratives

The film is set against the backdrop of Southern America’s pervasive systematic racism. It draws attention to the racial bias in the legal system, especially in light of Walter McMillian’s incorrect conviction. The movie shows how race is still a deciding element in the criminal justice system by drawing on critical race theory. The way in which McMillian’s case is portrayed draws attention to how racially biased court systems, police enforcement, and the death sentence are. The movie does a good job of examining how racial bias affects legal outcomes via the prism of Bryan Stevenson’s character (Murphy, 408). Children’s Literature Association Quarterly Discussion

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The White Savior Complex

By analyzing the story structure, the film presents the idea of the “white savior complex.” Michael B. Jordan plays Bryan Stevenson, a Harvard-educated lawyer who makes the decision to focus his career on representing underprivileged people, primarily people of color. Stevenson’s sincere dedication to justice is clear, but the movie raises concerns about how a well-educated, affluent white person is portrayed as the hero who saves the falsely convicted Black man. Postcolonial theory can be used to analyze this element, which calls into question the narrative’s maintenance of racial hierarchies and power relations.

Counter-Narrative Elements

“Just Mercy” offers an alternative account of American history that challenges popular assumptions based on race. The film casts doubt on the idea of a post-racial society by exposing the shortcomings in the judicial system. It challenges viewers to address the lingering effects of prejudice and enslavement and discusses the claims made by critical race theorists regarding the ongoing influence of historical injustices on the present. Children’s Literature Association Quarterly Discussion

Class Dynamics

The film delves into the examination of class dynamics in the framework of the criminal justice system. Black working-class man Walter McMillian is left to fend for himself against an unfavorable justice system. Marxist theories of class struggle can be used to explore this element and show how racial injustices and economic inequality are intertwined (Roediger, 57). The movie adds to the larger discussion about economic inequality by highlighting the vulnerability of those without financial resources when navigating the legal system.

Conclusion

To sum up, “Just Mercy” is a valuable text for a theoretical examination of the relationships between race and class. Utilizing ideas from Marxist viewpoints, postcolonial theory, and critical race theory, the film offers a sophisticated examination of the intricacies of the American legal system. One can learn more about the ways that racial and class disparities exist and are maintained within societal systems by critically analyzing the movie. “Just Mercy” is a useful tool for talks about race, ethnicity, and class in the modern setting because it makes viewers consider the larger ramifications of its story.

Works Cited

Murphy, Caitlin. “Out of Solitary Confinement: Representations of Youth Incarceration in Young Adult Literature.” Children’s Literature Association Quarterly 46.4 (2021): 401-413. https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/article/850528/summary?casa_token=v0flKNs4JQsAAAAA:KCT_ZtKVUxlgdfSTFa50xnE9x0hMcExPW9_eURuGPTXyUCZeD3iEc0uN3_Rhr686ZCdvPBtJ6xk Children’s Literature Association Quarterly Discussion

Roediger, David R. Class, race, and Marxism. Verso Books, 2019. 

You are to choose a movie from the following list that you have not seen before and watch it in its entirety. You will then write a two-page double-spaced report (reflective but academic, not informal journaling) critiquing the movie with concepts and theories you have learned in the course. Your topic and focus is wide open, but should draw on course resources, texts, articles, etc. to identify and analyze the plot, themes, interactions, and/or other aspects of the movie along racial, ethnic, and class lines. For example, are there underlying racialized ideas in the movie? How does this movie address topics relating to race, ethnicity, or poverty? What narrative/s does this movie weave about race, ethnicity, or poverty? Does the movie communicate a racialized idea subtly (white savior complex, portraying people of color in a certain way, etc.)? Does this movie offer a counter-narrative to common perceptions of American history along racial lines? A counter-narrative to current racial or class stereotypes? This is not an opinion piece but is a brief theoretical analysis; thus it should include appropriate sources and a works cited page. You can earn up to 25 points depending on the quality of your writing. Children’s Literature Association Quarterly Discussion

Movies (You should screen these movies according to your convictions for ratings. The teacher does not endorse any particular movie. They are chosen for their subject matter and may contain objectionable content for some viewers):

McFarland, USA
Just Mercy
The Hate You Give
I am Not Your Negro
13th
Life and Debt
Living Undocumented Children’s Literature Association Quarterly Discussion