Final paper for history class analyzing American history depicted in film.
In this particular assignment I am analyzing the movie “The Help” (2011).
Assignment Guidelines
• Students will produce a detailed analysis of a film that depicts some aspect of African American history.
• Your analysis should focus on the following four topics:
1. History as it is represented in the film: What is the historical narrative presented by the film? What cinematographic devices are used to enhance the portrayal of the past? How does the shooting and editing of the film contribute to its depiction of history? Does the film use symbolism in its dramatization of the past? How, overall, is the past interpreted in the film? Does the film reflect a particular bias or point of view?
2. The History depicted in the film as it is understood by historians: How did historians interpret the past represented in the film at the time of its release? What is the dominant interpretation of the past represented in the film currently? In what ways does the film conform to, depart from, or challenge these interpretations?
3. The historical context that informed the making of the film: In what ways was the film shaped by the historical contexts—political, ideological, cultural, etc.—in which it was made? Can the film be ‘read’ as a historical document that reflects the time of its production? How?
4. The critical reception of the film at the time of its release and its subsequent influence: How did critics and audiences respond to the film? Is there any evidence that the film changed its viewers’ understandings of history? How did the film influence subsequent writers and directors? What is the current range of opinion, among film critics and historians, of the film’s significance?
• Papers should be coherent, concise, and well-organized examinations of the topics above.
• Papers should be double spaced, 11 or 12 point Times New Roman font, with standard margins, and no gaps between paragraphs. It should be no more than 10 pages in length. Be sure to proofread and edit carefully: spelling and grammar count (!). You should cite your sources using MLA
