"Reel Women: Black Women and Literacy in Feature Films"

This article explains the portrayal of black women's literacy in mainstream film. I thoroughly enjoyed the article because it made me think more in depth about how black women are viewed by white society and how this image is paralleled in motion pictures. An interesting fact that I obtained from the article was that a recurring theme in movies with a black female lead is that a black woman can only succeed with the assistance of a white benefactor. A majority of black women on screen are illiterate or posses minimal literary capabilities. Dowdy explains in the article that a particular character's literacy in a film can be determined by who the character surrounds themselves with or what type of situation they are in. For example, if a character surrounds themselves by drug dealers and prostitutes this particular character is most likely a high school dropout. Another example, is if a character is facing a pending eviction notice they probably have not attained a high school diploma. Dowdy continues with explaining nine films that were released over a sixteen year period. Each film has a black female lead but no character is without a major flaw. Most seem to have slight literary proficiency to none at all. (With the exception of a teacher who eventually commits suicide. So I have come to the conclusion she doesn't count.) However I do disagree with Dowdy's critique on how Celie from The Color Purple did not posses much literacy in the film. I highly disagree because in the film and in the book the main character learns how to read and write through her sister Nettie. Also when she was unfortunately separated from her she faithfully wrote letters to her sister on a weekly basis.
When reading the critiques on each film I found that all were indeed very similar. A majority of black women portrayed did not have a college degree nor were interested in pursuing higher education. Most seemed to be determined but helpless without the assistance or support of a white benefactor. Many abandoned their responsibilities to help a white person in need. After reading this article I feel like I will become more critical of films and the filmmakers intent. I never realized that nearly every black woman in film was heavily burdened by the woes of illiteracy. I might not notice the situation this of a black female character but someone of a different culture might think that all blacks are this way in reality. Through this article I have realized that film perpetuates the stereotypical views that white society has about black culture. In addition I have realized how important it is for black people to get involved in the media to reverse the stereotypes presented in films. Until then I feel as though black women in particular will be portrayed distastefully. -Maya Dixon