ipl-logo

Hidden Figures By Margot Lee Shetterly: A Critical Analysis

970 Words4 Pages

Representation and portrayal of real-life experiences of marginalized people are often polarizing as there is a concern regarding the work's authenticity. Hidden Figures, a movie adapted from the novel written by Margot Lee Shetterly, provides an excellent pro-feminist and culturally critical re-telling of the lives of 3 of NASA’s most influential black female mathematicians during the civil rights era. The feminist lens is a critical theory based upon ideas of sex, gender, race, discrimination and equality which acknowledge the presence of power systems in place to oppress individuals based on these core concepts. The lens also proposes that when these power systems and forms of oppression are acknowledged, understanding and advocacy can occur (Egbert and Roe). As such, when one applies the feminist lens to Hidden Figures, it is seen to be very pro-feminist. The movie portrays the struggles of strong, outspoken, and intelligent black women whose identities define their lives, and experiences in the era they live in. Consequently, it can acknowledge their struggles leading to real change.
Hidden Figures is able to portray strong and empowered black women during the 1960s civil rights era. This portrayal is most notable by the character Mary Jackson, the most outspoken out of the three main characters. One particular scene which shows this outspoken-ness is when an …show more content…

This allows individuals to analyze a text through different societal beliefs and how they are implicated in media (Tarrant County College). Therefore, when one applies the cultural criticism lens to Hidden Figures, the movie brings forward the ramifications of race, gender, political climate and othering and their impacts on the experiences of the characters hence reflecting and critiquing the problems with society at the

Show More
Related

  • Summary Of The Prize By Dale Russakoff

    1781 Words  | 8 Pages

    Bulman is based on why Hollywood films represent students and education in constant way that can be predicted by the actors/plot social class based on American culture. The difference among urban, suburban, and private school genres are separated and compared to find their consistencies in films. Bulman uses Durkheim’s theory of individualism (utilitarian and expressive) to indicate how individuals are dependent on one another and although it is a product of social life, it can restrict some from recognizing their connection to the social life. This foundation of individualism guides the reader as the book further breaks down how the films ‘choose’ their plots to portray a stereotyped social class. Urban schools are in need of a savior, suburban schools have student heroes and do not need education, and the private school that challenges the culture of privilege are the three sections

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Hidden Figures By Margot Lee Shetterly

    505 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the non-fiction book called Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly, Miriam Mann showed persistence against segregation. Segregation is a societal obstacle for African-Americans, and it limits them to do certain actions and people always doubt them. You can overcome many obstacles by having persistence. To prove this, in Hidden Figures it states: “A white cardboard sign on a table in the back of the cafeteria said ‘Colored Computers’ in crisply stenciled black letters. ... Dorothy and the other West Computers watched as Miriam slipped the sign into her purse.

    Read More

  • Hidden Figures: What Was Life Like For Black Women In The 1960s

    801 Words  | 4 Pages

    Hidden Figures: What Was Life Like for Black Women in the 1960s Imagine if you were a black woman in the 1960s, things weren’t always as easy as they seemed, you would get turned down from many job opportunities and have the smallest things happen, like not being allowed in a library, wouldn’t that make you mad? That’s exactly how many black women felt in the 1960s. The story of Hidden Figures is about black woman fighting against segregation. Some different ways that that was happening was People not letting colored people in libraries and people not being able to find a bathroom because they needed a colored bathroom.

    Read More

  • Fifth Black Women Race Theory

    1433 Words  | 6 Pages

    They experience lack of mentorship, promotion in the workplace, and overcoming many other barriers in employment. Due to the racial bias on Black women and why they perform in the ways they do was because of their socio-cultural experiences, distinct history of stereotypes, and their positions throughout society. It also relates to their patriarchal views of them when compared to the social norms and when in comparison to White women. In another story about Mary, she again was up for promotion to become partner, along with eight other associates: four Black women, two White men., and two White women. Of all nine associates, one White man, one White woman, and all four Black women were promoted and leaving Mary only to be an associate again.

    Read More

  • Communication Concepts Found In The Film Hidden Figures

    957 Words  | 4 Pages

    Hidden Figures is a film that tells the story of three African American women who played essential roles at NASA during the 1960s. Katherine, the main character, is a scientist at NASA working to do the math required to launch a rocket into space. She struggles because as an African American woman trying to get people to give her the respect she deserves. Many scenes show the hardships that she had to go through in order through a normal day. This essay will be exploring three main communication concepts found in the film:

    Read More

  • Summary Of The Women Of Hidden Figures

    375 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the article " The Women Of Hidden Figures". By jessica McBirney, the women of color who worked as "computers" for NACA are highlighted. Specifically, the text gave the reader a glimpse of theses ladies past. The author explained the trials and tribulations of getting an education as a black woman. Because of the harsh discrimination on their gender and race.

    Read More

  • What Is The Theme Of Hidden Figures In Their Eyes Were Watching God

    812 Words  | 4 Pages

    The characters in the movie and the book were faced with sexism. One of the first scenes in hidden figures was when the police officer came to check on them while they were fixing their car. He started to say “I had no idea they hired…” when Dorothy interjected and said

    Read More

  • Jasper Jones Prejudice Quotes

    514 Words  | 3 Pages

    To them, Jasper is and will always be “a Thief, a Liar, a Thug, a Truant.” While the experiences of the protagonists in Hidden Figures are not as acute as Jasper’s, they still experience racism as a way of life. For example, the scene in which the women are approached by a police officer after breaking down shows how ingrained mistreatment by the police is in their lives. All

    Read More

  • Feminism In Octavia Butler's Speech Sounds

    1682 Words  | 7 Pages

    Octavia Butler is an Afrofuturist, science fiction author who writes many dystopian stories that allude to questions about gender, social structures, and an individual’s ability to control her body and sexuality. When people think of speculative and science fiction they tend to think of nerdy white men writing stories about space and light sabers, but Octavia Butler challenges this stereotype herself by being one of the few African American women in this genre. In Octavia Butler’s speculative fiction short story “Speech Sounds” there is a reversal of gender roles and a strong idea of feminism that is portrayed through the main character Rye. There is also the use of simile and metaphor to help point out flaws in the social structure of the story and the world of the reader.

    Read More

  • Gender Stereotypes In Mean Girls

    1839 Words  | 8 Pages

    Cultural theories by Kathleen Rowe, Laura Mulvey and Stuart Hall can help the audience seek an explanation to how these stereotypical gender roles are portrayed in the movie and how it can create power for the specific

    Read More

  • Stereotypes In The Film Girl's Trip

    1443 Words  | 6 Pages

    The film Girl’s Trip has been applauded for being a celebration of blackness in the primarily white film industry. The majority of the cast and the writers for Girl’s Trip are people of color. The film was much more successful than its “white counterpart” Rough Night in box office revenue and reviews. However, most of the black characters in Girl’s Trip shift through various controlling images throughout the movie. The reason these stereotypes are less obvious than they are in some other films is because each characters portrays multiple stereotypes and different times throughout the film.

    Read More

  • Salt Of The Earth Film Analysis

    1193 Words  | 5 Pages

    I chose this film because it showed how hard the union workers and families worked in fighting racial injustices, and because it inspired myself to move forward with strong ideologies and pride. 2. Stereotyping in mass media was an important concern of Chicana/o media activists because it imprinted a demeaning label by only casting Chicana/o actors with "minor roles: villains, sidekicks, temptresses, where their main function is to provide the protagonists, typically a handsome white

    Read More

  • Intersectionality In Hidden Figure Gender

    578 Words  | 3 Pages

    Having class is important because you could come from nothing and become something in a matter of time. For instance, Dorothy strived so hard to attain the position of supervisor since she was already doing the work of a supervisor but wasn’t getting the same amount of a supervisor because she was an African American. Later in the film, Dorothy subsequently got what she asked. She received the position as a supervisor and got the same pay as a supervisor. In conclusion, at the time when the film Hidden Figures was filmed it had elements of racism, sexism, and class (economic standards) which was a prime example of intersectionality and how the women were treated on a daily basis.

    Read More

  • Social Stratification In The Movie The Help

    610 Words  | 3 Pages

    Black women are treated less than because of their ascribed traits, their gender and race, and are often dehumanized and belittled throughout the movie. They are treated like slaves and are seen as easily disposable. There are several moments throughout the film that show the racial, gender, and class inequalities. These moments also show exploitation and opportunity hoarding. The Help also explains historical context of the inequality that occurred during that time period.

    Read More

  • Crenshaw's Mapping The Margins Analysis

    1376 Words  | 6 Pages

    Kareen Harboyan English 1C Professor Supekar March 15, 2018 Word Count: Crenshaw’s Mapping the Margins: The Marginalization of Women of Color Analyzed Through Generalization and A Feminist Lens Crenshaw's Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color expands on the multifaceted struggles of women of color and the generalizations ingrained in society that limit women of color and keep them in a box. In this text, Crenshaw builds on the concept of intersectionality which proposes that social categorizations such as gender and race are intertwined and have great influence on one another.

    Read More

More about Hidden Figures By Margot Lee Shetterly: A Critical Analysis

Open Document