Through interpreting literature, readers can discover hidden meanings, both intentional and unconscious of a written work. English Literary theorists use common theories such as Romanticism, Marxism, Constructionism (& Deconstructionism), Freudian, or Feminism to help decipher author intent in writing. Often, authors create elaborate stories with little explanation of character development, actions or why the conclusion ends in a certain way or so abruptly. Any written literature can be interpreted, including the numerous Hollywood movie scripts performed and herald on the silver screen. As we consider many Hollywood Films and write a number of interpretations, we will compile them into an easy reader to additional help. Our opening film is Top Five.
In, Top Five, Chris Rock writes a comedy masterpiece full of laughs and logical lessons learned. Whether intentional or unconsciously, Rock, opens the consciousness of Blacks living in today's post-modern America. What is disclosed in this film can be trivially denounced as comedic or rather, simply a coincidence of writing. However, Literary Theorists using African American theory see another unsettling reality…
According to the movie Top Five, viewers enter the story to find a established Black Actor, named Andre Allen, as he enters a phase in his life when he wants to be considered serious and credible. So, he makes a hypothetical film called, Uprize, which is about a Haitian Revolutionary, who kills a bunch of white people in a fight for freedom from slavery. The protagonist, Allen, is trying to escape being type casted as a comedy star for his previous work, in the hypothetical film, Hammy the Bear. Thus, he is amazed at the amount of criticism from both whites and blacks about the new film (Uprize). Meanwhile, he is engaged to be married shortly, to a beautiful reality TV star and Allen has agreed to an interview by a second major character, a reporter named Chelsea Brown.
Literary Theorists using African American Theory and Freudian Psychoanalysis see a second story which is buried in the lines of the writer. Andre Allen can be interpreted and seen as the modern Black Man in America. The modern Black Man wants to be dealt with as serious and credible, but he is only seen and taken seriously as a funny Sambo or rather, a Savage Animal, who is funny. The ideas and projects like taking arms and fighting for his liberation is immediately struck down for a number of reasons. One, it promotes Black Liberation, which is taboo in a society which silently practices colonialism using Black people. Black Liberation represents Black Manhood, Black Intelligence, Black Nationhood and the end of white domination, which is silently assumed and maintained in post modern America. Any notion of revolution is subversive to the current White Capitalist Supremist power structure and so must be denounced or discredited to keep the entire house of cards, credible and from falling. Another reason was stated candidly by Kevin Hart's character, support of such ideas is detrimental to the Black Man's dubious position and health. Therefore, if a Black Man wanted to succeed in modern day America, he cannot be openly seen to support Black Liberation, or everything he holds dear, his job and livelihood could be cut off. This is truly an unintended unconscious interpretation of the script, but the theory remains true. (Is Chris Rock questioning the state of the Black Man in modern America?)
What is equally shocking about the unconsciousness of this film, is the engagement of the protagonist, to a reality TV star, named Erica Long. Now, Erica Long is a beautiful Black Woman looking to reign in her success on reality TV with her public wedding to the movie star, Andre Allen. The news of the wedding and plans have created a media frenzy full celebrities and rich sponsors. This is the moment that will break Erica Long into Stardom.
According to African American Theory and Freudian Psychoanalysis, Erica Long is the modern Black Woman in America. The Black Woman's allegiance to the American dream has been forced upon her and thus, her existence has become somewhat a surreal reality. She has become a real reality star. The Black Woman's ultimate quest for success has changed from the lessons in her African roots to anterior values like celebrity, fame, marriage and family, placing the Black woman alongside all the women of America, competing for the best "catch" of a man. She is facing the reality of life here in the foreign culture of modern America. Erica does not consider that her values are superficial and unreal, even new, representing the state of mind of the modern Black Woman, who operates in a foreign world of superficial values with total amnesia of her past and a near refusal to go back to life before this reality (show) life began. And just like in the film, any situation, circumstance, or event that affects the modern Black Man, such as cheating or his going to jail, also jeopardizes her quest to success, and is ultimately detrimental to her position and health as well. Erica Long, just like the modern Black Woman has been forced to become an opportunist for survival, but she is still inextricably intertwined with the fate of the modern Black Man.
The writer of Top Five discloses intentionally or unconsciously the state of Blacks in post-modern America. So much can be extracted from the film. The doubtful Manager/Promoter character of Jazzy Dee, played by Cedric the Entertainer. Dee represents the ambigious unsophisticated management of small black businesses, which when compared to other successful businesses, Black or White, is portrayed as untrustworthy and unreliable. Thus, this portrayal of the Black businessman by the writer, as slothful, lends reason to why Blacks today fail to support their own small business like in the past, due to this post-modern negative connotation of bad service. This view is imposed, and selectively applied because the other black businessmen in the film, are not hung by this same negative connotation.
There is the exploitation of the black woman, as seen in the sleazy sex scene with the two escorts. The protagonist says it was the lowest point in his life.
To Be Continued… Please email CFAmayeobu@gmail.com for the entire article.
