Jordan Peele's "Get Out". An Analysis of the Gothic Construction of the Other in Relation to Neoliberal Racism in 'Post-Racial' America

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• 1. INTRODUCTION
• 2. AMERICAN GOTHIC
  • 2.1 AMERICAN GOTHIC AND THE RACIAL OTHER
  • 2.2 CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN GOTHIC
  • 2.3 HORROR AND AMERICAN GOTHIC
• 3. THE BLACK OTHER
  • 3.1 DANGER AHEAD: WHITE SPACES
  • 3.2 A FAMILY AFFAIR: THE ARMITAGE'S LEGACY OF RACIST THOUGHT
  • 3.3 A PAST THAT HAUNTS THE Present: The THEME OF SLAVERY
    • 3.3.1 Georgina and Walter as Personifications of Slavery
    • 3.3.2 Blackness as Commodity: The Modern Slave Auction
  • 3.4 WHITE LIES, BLACK TRAUMA: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HYPNOSIS AND PHOTOGRAPHY
• 4. THE WHITE OTHER
  • 4.1 WHITE PRIVILEGE
  • 4.2 DESIRES AND FEARS OF THE WHITE OTHER
  • 4.3 RESISTANCE AGAINST AND LIBERATION FROM The White OTHER

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis provides a comprehensive analysis of Jordan Peele's *Get Out*, exploring its use of the American Gothic genre to critique neoliberal racism in a supposedly "post-racial" America. It examines how the film portrays the marginalization of Black characters and the role of white liberal characters in perpetuating systemic oppression. * The American Gothic genre and its historical relationship to race. * The portrayal of the Black Other in *Get Out* and its social commentary. * The inversion of the "Othering" process in the film, highlighting the white liberal as the true "monster." * The film's critique of post-racial discourse and the persistence of systemic racism. * The representation of white privilege and its role in maintaining racial inequality.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

1. INTRODUCTION: This introductory chapter establishes the context for analyzing Jordan Peele's *Get Out* through the lens of American Gothic. It highlights the genre's historical role in addressing societal anxieties, particularly those related to race, and emphasizes the film's relevance in the context of ongoing racial injustices and the persistence of systemic racism despite claims of a "post-racial" America. The chapter introduces the film's plot and its exploration of interracial dynamics, racial microaggressions, and the ultimate threat posed by white characters to the Black protagonist. It lays the groundwork for the thesis's argument that *Get Out* utilizes Gothic conventions to expose the insidious nature of liberal racism. 2. AMERICAN GOTHIC: This chapter delves into the historical and literary aspects of American Gothic, tracing its evolution and its capacity to engage with taboo subjects and marginalized voices. It explores the genre's characteristic tropes and conventions, such as haunted houses, hidden chambers, and narratives of victimization, which serve to highlight repressed societal anxieties and transgressions of boundaries. The chapter discusses the genre’s inclusive nature and its historical use as a platform for challenging dominant narratives. This contextualization is crucial for understanding how *Get Out* employs Gothic elements to critique contemporary racial dynamics. 3. THE BLACK OTHER: This chapter analyzes the film's portrayal of the Black protagonist and his experience within the white liberal setting. It details the various forms of subtle and overt racism encountered by the protagonist, ranging from microaggressions to the ultimate threat of physical domination. Specific examples from the film, such as the Armitage family's behavior, the significance of hypnosis and photography, and the historical context of slavery, are examined to illustrate how the film uses the Gothic to highlight the dangers faced by Black individuals in a society that claims to be "post-racial." The analysis explores how the imagery and narrative structure contribute to a sense of impending doom and dread, characteristic of Gothic narratives. 4. THE WHITE OTHER: This chapter shifts the focus to the portrayal of white characters, specifically the white liberal characters who present a façade of progressiveness while perpetuating systemic racism. The chapter examines the motivations and anxieties of these characters, exploring how their desire to maintain their privilege and control contributes to the oppression of the Black characters. The analysis explores the complex dynamics of power and the ways in which white characters use their social standing to manipulate and exploit Black individuals, thus reversing the traditional "Othering" process typically seen in Gothic narratives.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

American Gothic, neoliberal racism, post-racial America, Jordan Peele, Get Out, racial microaggressions, systemic racism, white privilege, Black trauma, horror genre, social critique.

Frequently Asked Questions: Analysis of Jordan Peele's *Get Out* Through the Lens of American Gothic

What is the main topic of this analysis?

This analysis provides a comprehensive examination of Jordan Peele's film, *Get Out*, using the framework of American Gothic literature. It explores how the film critiques neoliberal racism in a supposedly "post-racial" America, focusing on the portrayal of Black characters, the role of white liberal characters, and the persistence of systemic racism.

What are the key themes explored in the analysis?

The key themes include the historical relationship between American Gothic and race; the portrayal of the Black Other and its social commentary within the film; the inversion of the "Othering" process, highlighting the white liberal as the "monster"; the film's critique of post-racial discourse; and the representation of white privilege and its role in maintaining racial inequality.

What is the structure of the analysis?

The analysis is structured into four chapters: An introduction setting the context and introducing the film; a chapter exploring the historical and literary aspects of American Gothic; a chapter analyzing the portrayal of the Black Other in *Get Out*; and a final chapter focusing on the portrayal of the white liberal characters and their role in perpetuating systemic racism.

What specific aspects of *Get Out* are analyzed in detail?

The analysis delves into various aspects of the film, including the Armitage family's behavior, the significance of hypnosis and photography as tools of oppression, the historical context of slavery and its representation within the narrative, and the use of Gothic imagery and narrative structure to create a sense of dread and impending doom.

How does the analysis utilize American Gothic conventions?

The analysis uses the conventions of American Gothic – haunted houses, hidden chambers, narratives of victimization – to highlight the repressed societal anxieties and transgressions related to race that are central to *Get Out*. It shows how Peele utilizes these conventions to expose the insidious nature of liberal racism.

What are the key takeaways from this analysis?

The analysis ultimately demonstrates how *Get Out* masterfully employs the American Gothic genre to provide a sharp social critique of contemporary racial dynamics, exposing the complexities of systemic racism and the insidious ways in which it persists even in a society that claims to be "post-racial."

What are the keywords associated with this analysis?

The keywords include: American Gothic, neoliberal racism, post-racial America, Jordan Peele, *Get Out*, racial microaggressions, systemic racism, white privilege, Black trauma, horror genre, social critique.