The Birth of a Nation (1915) is still seen as a monumental film due to its innovation of filming techniques that are still used today. For example, one of D. W. Griffith’s key contributions was his pioneering use of cross-cutting to follow parallel lines of action. An early audience might have been confused by a film that showed first one group of characters, then another, then the first again, But Griffith successfully uses such a technique in a chase scene that is rarely not use in an action movie today. Besides cross-cutting, There are at less 16 other ways in which Griffith was an innovator, ranging from his night photography to his use of the iris shot and color tinting. Due to Griffiths efforts, this is a film of great visual beauty and narrative power.

However, the movie is racist and unapologetic about its attitudes, which are those of a white Southerner, raised in the 19th century, unable to see African-Americans as fellow beings of worth and rights.

With that in mind, answer the following questions:

Is it possible to separate the content from the filmcraft? If art should serve beauty and truth, can great art be in the thrall of hateful ideologies? Can we still find beauty in such an ugly past? Is it reasonably okay to enjoy viewing such art with such a message?
Are there more recent films, TV shows, music, pieces of art that press against the same types of issues? If so, how do we/should we respond to them?
Identify at least three specific moments in the film in which film craft is used to either deify the white “heroes” or demonize African American characters.
Use specific vocabulary and concepts we learned to describe what you’re seeing and intended effect on the viewer.

FILM LINK : https://archive.org/details/dw_griffith_birth_of_a_nation

Your essay should clearly separate your answer to each question by recalling the number of each question.  You should submit your answer in one single Word document.  Your entire essay should have 3 to 5 double spaced pages.  You must use what you need to answer each question completely.

No research is required to answer this question.  The course materials should be more than enough to provide you with the information needed to answer the question.  When referring to published documents (including this course’s textbook and additional readings, videotaped lectures, power point presentations, and films), you must cite them properly, following the author-date Chicago manual of Style (see the Welcome page on this website).

1. What conceptions of Africa do you bring to the course? Be honest- theres no right or wrong answer.
2. From what you have heard, read, or watched (films of various kinds), what are some common stereotypes held about Africa?

This assignment is graded according to your ability to identify and articulate a central theme, marshal evidence from the course’s materials to support the position outlined above as well as to show your ability to follow directions, present accurate information and cite examples from the text that you paraphrase. Finally, this assignment will be graded on your demonstrated ability to provide adequate explanation of historical context and adhere to the rules of English grammar.  For this assignment, I look for whether you have re-stated the thesis and whether you have developed logical paragraphs that explain how the examples you have chosen support your statement about the question’s focus/target.

I have attached the materials needed for the essay.