Olaudah Equiiano’s autobiography entitled “The Amazing Narrative of Olaudah Equiiano: Or Gustavus Vassa, the African” creates the identity of the “enlightened slavery,” in order to appeal to the emotions of the British or American people about the transatlantic slave trading. Equiano, in saying he wants blacks to be treated equally to whites by being viewed as Judeo-Christians, is basically saying they can behave like whites. Equiano’s conversion to Christianism is also self-explained and a call for equality. Equiano’s assimilationist message is unlike that of modern African American artists, who are attempting to convince their audience assimilation as the only way to achieve equality. Equiano, however, does not define his new identity by his creed, but instead, by his ability to embrace other cultures. Equiano’s freedom is possible by reinventing his identity.
Jordan Peele’s horror flick Get Out has African-Americans that are assimilated through subjugation. Chris, the main character, does not want to be a new person, or to have more freedom. He wants to keep his identity. Chris only gains his freedom after adopting the “super predator” identity that was assigned to him. Chris has a passive role throughout the movie because the antagonists have assumed the opposite of what he is. They then threaten Chris’s perspective to make it true. Peele portrays Chris as being a passenger who is learning to break free from the emotional and social prisons that their captors have imposed on them.
Equiano’s narrative is more brutal than Peele’s and it’s essential for the abolitionists because it reveals the horrors of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Equiano is as detestable as any decent individual would be. In the narrative, we learn that slavery is a form of oppression for which one can identify the cause and the perpetrator. Equiano is dejected, but there’s still some hope. Abolition takes away the fear and, therefore, slavery can’t be objectively solved in a single case like his.
Peele re-unites the black of today with the harshness of slavery in Get Out. Chris is horrified when he’s sent to the “Sunken Place” and, as Jim explains the process, Chris says, “You’ll become me.” (Peele 1:24:10). Peele’s film reveals its protagonist in a very emotional way. It then goes on to denounce the mannerisms of those who wish to assimilate him. This rebellion, similar to abolition in the United States, is not exclusive to Chris. It ends the Armitage brothers’ process of kidnapping, body-snatching, and racial profiling. Chris’ passive, despondent behavior was evident throughout the film. He wanted to avoid confronting Jeremy, as well as the memory of his mom’s death. In the third act, Chris expresses these fears by frantically begging Rose to give him the keys. Rose abandons her façade and smiles with a sadistic grin, leaving the audience wondering how he could have escaped in the first place. It is strange how Jim tries to explain to Chris what he wants to do with Chris’s corpse. Jim says he isn’t concerned about race. That’s interestingly plausible; Jim wanted the “things you can see through,”(Peele). Jim acknowledges that Chris was making incognito racial remarks at the event. They both share an objective moment of admiring the work of the other, without focusing on the color. Jim finds it “ironic”, that you can spend a lifetime in a room with no light, creating these limited images of the world that define your perceptions and then one day wake up completely in darkness. This foreshadowing reveals that Jim had a reasonable understanding of his actions when he bid for Chris’s slave auction body. He knows Chris’s struggle of being constantly viewed as only a racial entity and not even a person. The film’s message is that power structures will continue to act in a self-serving manner, even when they understand. Jim wants eyes. So he goes out and finds new eyes.
Thomas Atwood Digges, a 1796 author of a limited edition book, had also forged an autographed letter by Gustavus Vassa. This was to indicate their correspondence. Digges placed this letter in the limited edition. Vincent Carretta PhD, an Equiano Scholar, states that comparing both Digges’ and Equiano’s handwriting is “Inconclusive”, suggesting that either person had a different scribe complete the work. Carretta speculates that Digges may have done this to avoid his own handwriting giving him away. Further, this letter references Equiano’s deceased wife Susanna in the same way as it would if she had been alive. It’s unlikely that the letter was misdated. Instead, it indicates that Digges used Equiano as a ruse to gain more money or social status. This forgery reveals Digges to be a typical opportunist, even though he may have wanted to be associated as Equiano. Peele’s movie and this letter show how the progressives want to be associated with something so different. It’s a form of humility. Digges faked Equiano’s note to save his portrayal of him.
Lisa Guerrero’s article “Can I Live: Contemporary Black Satire and the State of Postmodern Double-Consciousness,” explains relevant details about black identity and suffering points for those that identify as such. She examines postmodern sketches such as Get Out’s director, Jordan Peele and Keegan Michael Key’s “Key and Peele” as well as Richard Pryor and “Chappelle’s show”. Guerrero examines the double identity of Keegan Mike Key’s Luther, Barack Obama’s anger-translator. This sketch shows Barack as a quiet, tactful, leader who speaks in a passive, calm tone. After every statement, Luther enters and says the street-speak equivalent. Barack (Peele), explains that he had “received quite a bit of criticism from other Democrats” and Luther follows up by saying “these motherfuckers.” (Key/Peele). This dual character is representative to the pressures put on Barack Obama to assimilate to “whites” mannerisms and be seen by the public to be articulate. This also shows how important it is to maintain composure, especially in situations that cause emotional stress because the person feels threatened by power structures.
Peele uses this same analogy to continue the story in Get Out. Rose addresses the officer who asks for Chris’s ID after they run over a deer at the start of the movie. Rose is more aggressive than Chris in her attempt to understand what the officer wants to know. Although this is not the exact way Chris would behave, it does reflect some of Rose’s feelings about Chris. Chris also uses a completely different vernacular when talking on the phone with Rod, as opposed to using the same respectful language at the Armitages’ dinner table. Chris alters his tone and word choice based on familiarity. Even when talking to Rose, he uses significantly less vernacular. Lisa Guerrero writes: “The effects of post-raciality have been contradictory processes for communities of colour, particularly African Americans. They are cut off from being able claim their racial identity, yet they are singularly defined by the society through their race. Society has, supposedly ceased to notice anymore.” (Guerrero). This is clearly shown in Get Out as the Armitage’s have a purely African-American desire, with no regard to the culture or social minutiae. Equiano’s education is revealed in “The Interesting Narrative Of Olaudah Equiano : Or Gustavus Vassa The African” as a result of his Christian upbringing. Equiano’s identity double is expressed in his writing. Equiano portrays a slave who has been faithful, but in essence, he represents Peele’s concept of the “Sunken Place.” However, inside, he experiences the slavery of the outside world, which he describes as “Tortures and murders, and all other forms of iniquity and barbarity.” His double identity is a way to survive, much like the black slaves whose bodies have been taken, they exist in the depths of the souls that once were.
As a horror film, Get Out uses deep-cutting anxiety to put the viewer in a fearful state of stasis. Peele shows that jump-scares are harmless and can be quickly recovered from. This film’s pacing is consistent with its theme, as the fear of being captured again, through paranormal hypnosis or prisons, is always present. Peele’s use of a policeman to show the anxiety and weakness of a white person is an example of how they are not in touch with reality. Peele suggests, by demonstrating the anxiety of African-Americans, that it is this misunderstanding that has led to their skepticism towards neoliberalism or white guilt. Social liberalism does not directly improve the lives of white people. It is therefore safe to believe in these things. Social justice crusade may be a trend. If threatened, socio-liberal values will no longer matter more than individual needs. This kind of political malleability creates a culture that revolves around the idea of being a savior for a group of people who are downtrodden, incapable and white. The ideology can then retreat to indifference whenever it’s convenient.
Both Get Out’s faux-letter and Olaudah’s cultural appropriation go far beyond what James O. Young would describe this as “profoundly offending,” but the thievery is reprehensible and fearful. It’s obvious that Jim from “Get Out” isn’t doing it out of malice, but in order to save his or her life. Thomas Digges also does this, but the harm is that it causes minorities to be oppressed indirectly because cultural appropriation is taking place. Cultural appropriation in these two works of literature is not a matter of admiring the culture. Instead, the body is stolen instead of its spirit. Get Out suggests subtly the fact that this culture, which the outsiders so love and want to copy, is actually one of their own ancestors’ that has been tagged with the black stereotype. Dean Armitage uses outdated language and appropriation to push his fictitious interpretation of the black culture onto Chris. Dean Armitage takes Chris to the Armitage home, where he shows him a variety of cultural souvenirs. Dean says it’s a great privilege to have Chris experience someone else’s culture. (Peele) “Do you understand what I mean?” Then he shows Chris photos of his father Roman competing against Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics. This is an example of a patriarchal family’s jealousy and desire to appropriate. Walter, the groundskeeper’s real name is Roman Armitage but in the body of a young black male. Walter is obsessed by physical activities including running and cutting wood. The film shows him using what he thinks is Chris’s language when addressing Chris, calling Rose a “Doggone Keeper” (Peele. 0;39:20). The film shows that these slang words are empty when used incorrectly or to impersonate someone else. Chris, who had just spoken with Walter, told Rose that he was acting strange and that “how he says it” is what made him act weird. It is not a culturally modern attempt, but a desire to be young. This procedure allows those in their last years to continue their lives the way they did when they were young, abusing those who have been downtrodden or are already seen negatively.
They both show that despite the dramatic improvement in situations, there are still trust issues based on the divisive nature of the issue and a long-standing history of white American terrorism against people of color. These films demonstrate that, despite the dramatic improvement in situations, trust issues persist due to the divisive aspect of the subject and a history of white American terrorist attacks on people of colors. Thomas Digges and others who pretend to be Abolitionist heroes like Equiano don’t help either. They bolster Equiano’s reputation by association. Rachel Dolezal posed as an African American to get a voice in her community. However, the harm is not entirely that you are wrong. Instead, it’s that you haven’t changed.
