District 9 focuses on some of the problems associated with racism, particularly critiquing various types of dehumanization. Consider the different ways that the alien characters are dehumanized, including stereotypes, the slum refugee camp, and also the problems associated with point-of-view in the film. Consider the ways in which the film attempts to allegorize racism and to call for empathy with the experiences of those we deem different from us, but also consider the ways in which this call to empathy might be problematic.
Try out the strong response model for your post--critique the rhetorical features of a particular part of the film, then move on to a more general critique of the ideas embedded in the film, and, if you are comfortable posting something personal in a public space, finish with a reflection.
I thought the movie was really weird at first, and it really didn’t get scary until the middle of the movie. Besides the fact that the aliens looked like prawns, it seemed like they had a lot of humanlike qualities. They walked on two feet, talked to humans, bled when they got hurt, and some of them even wore clothes. I think that the aliens were supposed to represent people that live in extreme poverty. Since the aliens were a minority in the movie, they could also be symbolic of minority groups that have trouble getting out of the situation that they are living in.
ReplyDeleteWhen MNU was evicting the aliens (who they called prawns, a derogatory term- many minority groups today are also insulted by derogatory names) it reminded me of when Japanese Americans were sent to evacuation centers shortly after the attack on Pearl harbor. Even the Japanese people that were American citizens were taken to the camps and denied civil rights. Just like the U.S. government did to the Japanese, the MNU did to the aliens. They evicted all of them, even if the alien did not cause any trouble. I also saw that the camps set up for the aliens had barbed wire, and so did the ones for the Japanese Americans. Also, the aliens came to Earth to seek refuge from their home planet, only to face racism and unfairness. The Japanese came to America to find work, and also faced the same problems. I think that we can compare the aliens to other minority groups as well as the Japanese Americans, but also in other countries besides the United States.
I think that the movie was definitely trying to make the audience aware that there are people today living in the same living conditions as the prawns. But by seeing the prawns in this situation instead of actual people, the audience is probably a little less disturbed. I also think that one of the messages in this film is to treat those that are different than you with respect. We see that Wikus was not at all fair to the aliens but once he began to turn into one he turned to them for help.
The alien characters are dehumanized throughout the film District 9. The living conditions they are forced to remain in are basically slums—the types of housing reserved for the most destitute people on earth. There were severe restrictions on the types of items they were allowed to have in their homes, where they could live, and how they were to act. Specifically, it was very obvious that the humans in the film expected a tone of respect and were extremely intolerant of even the minutest hint of dissent. Basically, the humans used any excuse in order to justify committing violence against the aliens. These attitudes reminded me of how blacks (more specifically black males) were expected to speak to whites in the segregated South. Aside from the obvious mistreatment of the aliens, I noticed a shift in language any time a human was speaking of an alien. There was a subtle tone of language which left the impression that the aliens were an “other.” The aliens were spoken of in a tone and through a language which not only was meant to leave the impression that humans were superior, but that the aliens were unreasonable. Furthermore, the visual effect of the “prawns” was derogatory as well and suggestive of how blacks were depicted at the turn of the eighteenth century. Looking closely at the movements the aliens made, they didn’t move in quite the same way as humans (even though they stood upright and walked on two legs), instead, they had movements that were more similar to apes than people. I think this was a deliberate tactic meant to comment on the racial politics that have existed worldwide in which people of color are “scaled” in terms of most animalistic to least animalistic. Another deliberate visual tactic used was the design of the aliens’ eyes. They looked very human and when the camera was focused on them, the viewer was immediately more apt to have empathy for them. I would say empathy in the context of racial politics can be problematic because even though people are not being hateful of those they feel different from, the feeling itself is indicative of a difference existing. Empathy is an emotion that is felt for someone that is different from you in some way. For instance, a healthy person might say they have empathy for a sick person, or a person may have empathy for an animal, but a person would never say they have empathy for another person simply because they are in a human condition. Empathy has strings attached to it. Even though it’s regarded as a positive emotion, it cannot exist truly unless a difference is detected by the person feeling the emotion. And, difference is the mechanism used to evoke the root of racism.
ReplyDeleteThe way the director choose to show the film plays a big part in the meaning of what he is trying to portray. The film progresses in a documentary style throughout the movie. This helps us put ourselves in the characters shoes and convey the film to be more life like. The scene where Wilkus is evicting the aliens and the camera is being jostled around to get better shots, make much more realistic and your are able to feel like you are actually there. The director also does a good job of appealing to pathos. When the families of aliens were being kicked out of their homes you felt sorry for them. This is because you can relate it to people that you know and things that have happened in the past that allows you to empathize how much pain and anger the residents of district 9 must be going through.
ReplyDeleteBy seeing how the prawns are treated in this movie, I can see how it relates to people in everyday life. There are often people living in slums that are called names and do not deserve it. We see this represented in the movie just not with people. This allows us to be more aware of our surroundings and what is going on in the world today. It also shows us how racism is in our everyday lives. It singles out people living in these conditions and represents the cruelty that people represent in this day and age.
The alien characters are dehumanized because they speak a very different language. They desperately eat gross food and are more aggressive. Obviously their appearance is the most dehumanizing thing about them. The aliens live in slums made out of shacks with dirt floors. These traits are kind of stereotypical of other cultures. Just because a group is different from the American culture doesn’t mean that they HAVE to be dirty and violent. District 9 uses racism to critique racism. The black citizens of Johannesburg are all dirty, poor, not attractive, and hate the aliens. The gang members are also all black. They practice a form of witchcraft. Yes, the movie takes place in Africa so most of the citizens should be black, but it wouldn’t have hurt to have a few good African characters. The sympathizers of the aliens are all white and intelligent. I agree with the message that racism is bad. I disagree with the method of using black as a negative stereotype to discourage racism. Women are almost completely left out of District 9. The main female character is a worried, loving wife. The main character, Wikus, begins to turn into an alien halfway through the movie. This is an appeal to pathos because the audience is more likely to sympathize with the struggles of a white actor than a CG alien. This point-of-view is a problem because the white man swoops in and saves the aliens from their problems. This is a little racist in that the aliens weren’t able to do what the white man could.
ReplyDeleteRE: Alyssa
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that there are a lot of parallels between the experience of the aliens and the experience of Japanese-Americans in World War II. However, I think comparisons can extend to basically any situation in human history where there has been discrimination. I think part of the reason aliens were used to portray the oppressed population as supposed to actual people, is that humans all over the world have become extremely desensitized to seeing people living in unfortunate positions due to their race or social class. I think the fact that aliens needed to be used in order to evoke empathy or feelings of shame in the discrimination we witness in our daily lives is disturbing. When I think about it, each day most of us see images on the news of people living in destitute positions, yet there is rarely a thought (much less a thought of action) beyond the image. That suffering just seems to exist, as if it’s a natural phenomenon. There is no connection between our actions and the result of others being forced to suffer.
Personally, I felt that District 9 was strongly symbolizing the anti-Semitism that took place during the 1930s and 40s in Nazi Germany. The film also symbolizes the war on terrorism in today’s society as the military is seen going through the slums to confiscate “alien weapons.” In addition, the integrity of mankind was an appeal to pathos in today’s society when the alien is seen helping the man despite the fact that the man had just betrayed him. This is depicting animals as being “better” and more loyal than humans. The point-of-view in the film could either be from the perspective of an alien or a human. The human could see how the aliens are a menace to mankind and must be restricted from the world. In contrast, the alien may see it as unfair treatment and almost “slavery.” These are two conflicting viewpoints because although both seem logical, the two species are unable to coexist with one another due to fearing those that are different from us. The film allegorizes racism by placing the black Nigerians in the same location and almost on the same level as the aliens. The Nigerians appear to have animalistic qualities as they try to eat the aliens, believing that they will turn into one and inherit its strength and power. Also, the Nigerians engage in gambling, “alien fights,” and prostitution with the aliens. The film calls to empathy by making audiences aware that not all things that are different from us are harmful to us. Society should be more cognizant on judging something based on appearances and stereotypes. This call to empathy is problematic due to the fact that there are some things in the world that we should not engage in and should stay away from.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most apparent rhetorical features being critiqued in the film was anti-Semitism. Jews were evicted from their homes, relocated to the ghetto, and stripped of almost all their valuables. In District 9, the aliens arrive on Earth and are placed in the slums and are unfairly evicted from their “homes.” Also, the cruel testing of the aliens in the medical labs represents the testing that was performed on Jews in concentration camps. I believe that District 9 is representing culture from how it was, anti-Semitism in the 1940s, to the current War on Terrorism. The United States has spent the last ten years searching in the Middle East for nuclear weapons and members of al-Qaeda. Not knowing what is being created has instilled fear in the minds of many Americans. District 9 has portrayed the aliens as the innocent people living in the Middle East. Our fear of terrorists is compared to the humans’ unspoken fear of aliens in District 9. In reference to the appeal to pathos, mankind is observed as selfish and inhumane in comparison to the aliens. Some of the military men openly delight in watching the aliens suffer as they kill them. Also, the pivotal moment of this critique was when the main character has just knocked an alien unconscious in order to use his ship for his own needs. Shortly after, the alien is seen helping the man who did that to him. Peter Jackson could be criticizing how self-consumed humans have become.
District Nine portrays an alien race that is considered inferior and even dangerous to normal humans. Throughout the entire film, we see segregation and racism present in various aspects between these two races. The first major dehumanization of these aliens is present in the first few scenes of the film; they are called “prawns” which typically means bottom-feeder or scavenger. In the context we see this word used it is often in a derogatory manner, such as when they are being served eviction notices and shouted at by the MNU. With this being said, this name was a way to show that often we consider those of other races (or different nationalities) to be parasitic in that they take what we don’t want and feed off of what we have or what we once had. We also see a major form of segregation in the separate slums. They were used to keep those inferior to the general population out of their way and general sight. In the movie, trash and dirt are prevalent within the slums, while the outside seems cleaner and more sophisticated. This was a way of critiquing the racial attitudes we have of viewing those we consider inferior to be primitive and barbaric compared to ourselves.
ReplyDeleteYet this film also shows us parts of the alien prospective. During the scene where the alien friend is executed, the others must watch but yet are powerless to do anything. They have no way to defend themselves without ending up with the same fate. Often, the minority is often subject to the will of the majority and is powerless to do anything to stop it for fear of punishment or death. Finally, we see the director attempt to show us that these aliens are just as human as us when Wikus attempts to take away the alien child. We often don’t think of those who we consider beneath us to have these types of emotions, or lives like ours at all for that matter. Yet a major point was made: despite differences in race or nationality, we still all have things we care about and things that are universally true, such as the love for a child.
In this film, there was much symbolism from every aspect of the movie. As I began watching this film, I felt extreme discomfort because of the way the film was portrayed. One of the first things that I came across through this film was the humans treated the prawns and the living conditions they had. The prawns were stuck living in horrible conditions that had trash and junk everywhere. This didn't seem to me as a place that they would house aliens but more as a symbolism of slums. Although the aliens are being portrayed in this film, they are symbolizing those in the world that do not have anything and are dehumanized for that. This is not just happening in this film with the aliens but also people in this world, during this time period. I think that this is extremely disturbing and rude. Not only is this film showing the horrible things that happen in slums but it is also comparing those with aliens; what they find to eat and what the condition their houses are in. The prawns were also able to walk and communicate with other humans. As Wikus was communicating with these aliens, I noticed the way in which he spoke with them. He spoke down then to them as if they did not understand, which really the humans were the ones who did not understand. I also found the way that some of them communicated with the aliens to be interesting, through selling and bargaining to hurtful and angered. The aliens had an extreme desire for cat food, which also shows that these people are not like humans and more like animals. I also felt throughout the film that it had a war-like feel as hummers and cars of that sort would drive around, pointing their guns at the town. They would track the prawns every move and finally evicted them from their houses. Another thing that caught me attention was the way in which some of the Africans acted toward the prawns. They had a certain desire for them, making them worship them and study them. It seems to me as though they are stereotyping them, showing the type of worship and ceremonies that are occurring. At the end of the film, as Wikus was about to be killed, I found a great amount of symbolism through the music. The music that was played sounded like music from the African culture, which I find very symbolic. Throughout the film, I did not find any changes in music from culture to culture until this very moment. I might be very off on this assumption; however, I found it to be symbolic towards the racism and stereotyping in this film.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Alyssa Juhnke:
ReplyDeleteI agree with you when you said that the aliens are given many human-like characteristics, symbolizing those who live in poverty. As you stated that this is showing the way they are trying to get out, I also agree and believe that it shows that others have to help them just as Wikus had to help. He first had to step in their shoes to actually feel as they do. The aliens had to do everything for themselves, making the best out of what they had, which was pretty much the worst. The were very useful and resourceful as we saw the aliens making bombs and finding food. I also found it interesting when you said that this symbolized the Japanese internment camps. This was very much a problem because those who lived in the United States and also some that fought for the United States was taken and put into these camps as if they were aliens and terrorists to the country. I agree with your statement that this is trying to tell us something about the way we view others. This could help each of us step into other peoples shoes sometimes and really feel how they do. Because of the great amount of hate toward the aliens, some part of me feels as though this film isn't just telling us that we need to step into others shoes but is criticizing other cultures in a bad way. In all your response to the film was very insightful toward the stereotypes and symbolism that District 9 provides.
The humans are treating the aliens as if they are animals, giving them very few rights. When Wikus was distributing the eviction forms, the prawn Christopher Johnson questions the legality of the eviction, “It says you must give me 24 hours’ notice.” Wikus has no valid reason for the relocation of the prawns but does justify the evacuation by saying, “We aren’t even going to charge you,” acting like the prawns are lucky that the government is allowing them to live in their country. The prawns are not given any say in the eviction and if they do not cooperate, the MNU (Multinational United) will react in a violent manner. This is critiquing the violence that occurs between different races and how the white people of Johannesburg view the black Nigerians. Wikus’ transformation from human to prawn evaluates the monstrosity of humans. Wikus, a human fighting for the move of the prawns from District 9 to District 10, experiences cruel and unusual treatment by his once own kind without giving any consent. For example, they force Wikus to shoot a prawn with an alien gun because his new hand is able to work the machinery. The monstrous nature of humans is depicted clearly through the images of the prawns being used for experiment and science. Many problems in society are brought to the audience’s attention bringing a logical appeal. The way the MNU is treating the prawns is unacceptable and Wikus, now former MNU employee, realizes that through the way he is sought out to be used for experimental purposes.
ReplyDeleteDistrict 9 is definitely an odd film, very grotesque, which I expected, but not to that level. The aliens of the film are definitely dehumanized through out this film, the most obvious being their appearance; they are portrayed as a sort of robot-bug-human being. They wore clothes, which are torn and tattered from living in a poor area, and being picked on and beaten left and right. Probably representing the major issue of people in poverty in not only the US but around the globe.
ReplyDeleteI even caught the townspeople referring to the aliens as “an infestation” and “prawns”. Which makes me think of and connect this all back to when slavery was a common practice. During slavery blacks were dehumanized, taunted with a long list of names, treated like shit by whites because they felt the slaves were “their property” so they could do whatever they like to them. Same things goes for District 9, the people in the town, felt as if the aliens were invading their space and that it was their right to try and force them off of “their property”. The call to empathy I think couldn’t have been problematic though, because the aliens weren’t really bad, they were just defending themselves from the people trying to hurt them and destroy their community. So what could be bad about having empathy for them?
I feel that the main point to this movie was to open the public’s eyes to people less fortunate then ourselves, and to realize that they too have feelings, and that overall you should treat others the way you want to be treated. Which I think was definitely a lesson learned by the main character, seeing as though in the beginning of the movie he was just a reporter trying to find evidence against the aliens that would help make them look even more like villains than they already do in the eyes of the public. But once he gets sprayed by the (lets call it a) “mysterious mixture” and starts to turn into one, he slowly begins to look to them for help, and at first they are apprehensive, but then they end up joining in and taking on the people together.
I had a weird reaction when I first saw the film District 9. I thought it is one of bad quality and purposeless films because of the camera was not stable and seemed unprofessional as well as when Wikus was introduced as naive and goofy person. This was my first reaction because I did not know anything about the film, however, later on in the film I realized how the author and the director wanted to produce the film; it was good for it purpose. The bad quality and unstable filming was used to present the film as documentary recorded film which somehow gave it credibility and realistic scenario. Also, this technique made the audience feel that the film is real news and live program. Racism is presented in many ways throughout the film. For example, in the camp the only living creatures are the Prawns “aliens” and black people. This combination of aliens and black people in a slum camp where it was highly secured indicates that black people are treated as aliens. The author also shows some of other culture traditions and believes when the black people in the camp were eating some parts of aliens’ body. I am not sure whether the author had good intentions in that scene or not. I think it is a bad side to be shown in the film because it represents animalistic way of living and dehumanizing that culture. The author poses some issues of corruptions in some departments of the government in some scenes. For, example when Wikus was assigned to evacuate the aliens, he used the alien finger print to declare that the aliens signed the paper, even though that the aliens just hit the paper and did not accept to be evacuated. Another example of government’s corruption is the secret lab where they practice unacceptable experiments. Furthermore, Colonel Koobus is representing some bad soldiers whom want to kill and torture others; get excited in killing. In addition, when the MNU made fake picture of Wikus making sex with an alien, so that they have an excuse to put him behind the sun or kill him. Also, this scene portrays racism by making it bad to have any relationship with others which represent white people having a relationship with black people. Also, when Wikus was transforming to an alien, the author states that when you join and help others you become one of them; you kill any differences which represent any minor group of culture that join a major culture. When Christopher “alien” went to the laboratory with Wikus and saw his people being treated as laboratory mice, he became sad and disappointed; lost his trust with Wikus, but when he saw the operation of examining and torturing Wikus, he changed his thought, the author emphasizes that judging on people from the first evidence or sight is wrong and maybe not true.
ReplyDeleteThe most powerful scenes in this movie for me while watching it this time around was the scene where the MNU torches the hatchery building and the other is when the MNU first shows up at Christopher's house and asks him whether or not he has a permit for his child. Using the image of burning babies accompanied by their screams, and the flippant dialogue that Wikus is trying to relay to the camera about the popping sounds they make, creates an intensely powerful scene. The rhetoric in this case is highly effective at creating empathy for the prawns. The second scene I mentioned, the “permitted child,” is also extremely strong rhetorically and calls on the pathos of the viewer to be moved by the breeding restrictions that are being imposed.
ReplyDeleteBoth of these scenes emphasize the dehumanization that is occurring in the slum. It calls to mind the various genocides that are and have been occurring in Africa since about the time imperialist moves were made into Africa. More specifically it reminds me of the Zimbabwean conflicts that have been happening in the past four or five years. Most specifically I mean the relocation of thousands of refugees into South Africa, where they are treated poorly, and hated by the native South Africans, much like the prawns in District 9. I don’t know for a fact if population control in any way happened in these events but it wouldn’t surprise me if it did. The fact that the prawns are so obviously not human in the movie illustrates exactly how the locals near real life refugee camps view their unwanted guests. However, once one delves into the society created at the camp, one realizes they are very much like humans indeed. This creates the sympathy for the prawns and the movie strives to make people reflect that sympathy onto real refugees. But, the movie also shows how this feeling is double edged, as it is in reality. The information about the prawns is minimal at best, they are starting to breed and to expand, and the fact that they have with them very powerful weapons is the other side of this sympathy sword.
District 9 displays some very obvious critiques of racism in our society. The aliens who are occupying District 9 can represent not only blacks, but other races of minority as well. However, I noticed in the film that the only other race depicted in the slums with the “Prawns” was black. The “Prawns” are dehumanized in a number of ways; first, by the way that they are literally herded into these slums that they are forced to live in. Right off the bat, the aliens are dehumanized by the way that the MNU intrudes into their ship. They are forced to live in less than livable conditions, which no human would choose. They are also targeted and killed for no specific reason. This type of killing makes me think of Nazi Germany, which could also make for a parallel to the Holocaust.
ReplyDeleteIn the first half of the movie, Wikus is portrayed leading the dehumanization of the Prawns. He intrudes their living areas (most of which are not enough to call a house), takes their belongings, and essentially tortures these creatures. This continues until Wikus himself is put into their situation. Once Wikus begins the transformation to Prawn, he is seen as less-than-human to all those around him. Wikus does not feel this way. Once this happens, the viewer begins to strongly empathize with the Prawns. As Wikus grows closer to Christopher (who ironically has a more “human” name than Wikus, the actual human) both the viewer and Wikus learn that the Prawns are not much different than humans and are only trying to get home. The empathy is shown further in seeing Christopher’s son. The viewer begins to feel very sorry for this family when Christopher and his son are separated. The prawns even have a sort of facial expression, which creates a strong sense of empathy. I believe this is conveying the message that all human beings are the same, and should all be treated as human.
In part, what happens to the aliens is what happens to many large groups of refugees who either choose or are forced to relocate to a different country as a result of poverty or natural disaster ect. Because societies are generally not in the business of taking in millions of new people from a different culture at short notice, refugees are usually forced to live separately in refugee camps until other arrangements can be made. The slums depicted in District 9 are similar to what results in similar circumstances. Real life refugees are often dehumanized and the segregationist signs directed at aliens in District 9 is an obvious critique of what sometimes happens to real people. The stories of xenophobia and apartheid have been told in countless ways and this iteration was fairly standard in terms of the story it was telling. It paralleled segregation in South Africa and the concentration camps in Nazi Germany. I’m not sure what the right term should be but the idea of dehumanizing aliens seems a little oxymoronic. More seriously, every atrocity committed against aliens in the film has been committed against real humans at some point in history. The major issue with the film is how Nigerians are depicted as nothing more than robbers, prostitutes, gang members, and murderers while it simultaneously asks us to feel sympathy for aliens oppressed by xenophobia.
ReplyDeleteThe movie District nine provokes multiple critiques of racisms and dehumanization., varying form racial slurs (Prawns) to brutal murders. Forcing the aliens to live in the district nine I felt was a reference to Nazi Germany putting Jews into concentration camps. The film does do a solid job of balancing the opinion of the viewer, showing the savage acts of the aliens when the tear humans limb from limb but also having them display compassion for their children and at one point Christopher Johnson refused to leave with out Wikus. Being the subject of horrific scientific experiments, and forced to scavenge for resources and food is again another way I feel the director tie this to Hitler’s Nazi army. However I feel that the message loses a large amount of credibility due to the fact that there are actually aliens from another plant, not immigrants from another country. This being said one would expect people to be afraid to an extent of creatures from another world. Although this flaw weakens the metaphor, it still exists and the audience can symphonize with the unearthly creatures. In my mind the viewpoint may hurt the argument for the alien side in the long run. I felt it hard to find a justification for all the collateral damage and killing (epically in the latter parts near the end) in Wikus’ attempt to get back to the mother ship. It was for the greater good of getting Christopher and his son home and I did understand his feeling of betrayal and love for his wife. That being the case to me it seamed that his motives may have been the slightest bit selfish. This being shown in the scene when he discover it will take three years for him to be cured, and in his rage knocks out Christopher. In the end though he accepts the terms of three years and allows Christopher and his son to do what they must and leave, for now. As far as my overall opinion goes, I agree with the final outcome I think what was done was right. The means in which it happened was unfortunate but inevitably necessary. I think the director, or writer could have justified the action better if they would have tied up some loose ends by telling the circumstances of the aliens being sent to earth, and if the returned seeking reparations or the keep their end of the deal.
ReplyDeleteRe: Mubarak
ReplyDeleteI never thought of District 9 being filmed as a documentary to make it appear more credible. I thought it was very interesting how you made that connection. It also got me thinking that the documentary-feel aspect of the film compared it to real-life documentaries that are filmed in other countries about poverty, diseases, and racism. In America we watch these documentaries in order to become aware about problems in third world countries. I feel that the film District 9 was almost a documentary about the same kind of issues, except within our own society. The current racism, fear of terrorists, and dehumization going on right in The United States was incorporated into the film in order to evoke our emotions towards these current issues.
I orginally did not know anything about the movie the first time. I watched it and enjoyed it to the entirety. The plot, the actors, the general concept of it. But the second time I watched it, I noticed that District 9 was eerily similar to the basic history lessons we were taught as children on how American treated other races other the whites. I believe if aliens were to visit Earth in this fashion, humans would surely treat them the same way as we have always treated others different from ourselves. District 9 made me rethink all of those old Native American history lessons because it's in a way a weird reinactment.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it took Wikus turning into an alien for him to sympathize with their situation. "You don't know what it's like for some one else till you walk a mile in their shoes." This is saying that he cannot truly understand their situation till he himself is in it. He is now an outcast much like they were when they landed in Africa and were confined to District 9. In the beginning of the film Wikus lied to the aliens and treated them like shit. he talked to them like they were stupid and naive just because they looked different and didn't speak the same language as he spoke. It is not right to judge anyone based on their race, appearance, or lifestyle. Unfortunately for Wikus, he has to become an alien to see this. He finally sees the light and actually has more genuine feelings than ever before once he was no longer human.
ReplyDeleteThe alien creatures in District 9 were dehumanized for all their differences in appearance, language barriers, and cultural traits that are viewed upon by the human race. The aliens are separated from the humans and are enclosed in their own district. They are sent to slums to live in dirty shacks and houses. I feel as though they are stereotypical of other groups that have been segregated by us: dirty, violent, and neglected as equals in society. The black characters in this movie are also a product of racism. We see that the few who sympathize and disagree with the views of segregation of the aliens, like the main character, Wikus, are white and superior intelligent. During the film, Wikus is transformed into an alien, and is forced to learn of their ways. He has to sympathize and adapt to their culture, and learns to accept them.
ReplyDelete@Meredith
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree with the statement that District 9 was heavily critiquing the racism that we hold today, I don’t think that the slums were there to symbolize the anti-Semitism but rather to show the racism views that some people hold today. These views including looking down on those that they see as inferior and trying to separate themselves from the “primitive” race because they are nothing but barbaric and dirty. Placing the Nigerians within the alien camps would put these two on the same level (as you later pointed out) and, as we see from the film, would mean that they are just as alien to us as the aliens themselves. I believe the film was critiquing our own times and thus instead of discrimination towards the Jewish descent, it has turned into discrimination of the African descent. Finally, I think that your comparison between the movie and the current war in the Middle East holds true because we see that the aliens simply want to get away from the prejudice and return to their home world in peace. When I saw the part of the film you described, I was disgusted that this man was so self absorbed that he did this only for his own gain. Instead of being delighted that he would eventually get better, he shows no gratitude until the end where he recognizes his own wrongs and helps the alien get back to his ship.
RE: Marcus
ReplyDeleteI like that you mentioned the way the movie was filmed. I agree that because it was filmed like a documentary, it seemed more real. I also noticed the camera angles while I was watching, and I remember how there were short clips towards the end that came from news cameras, which definitely looked like the real news.
RE: Sam
I really didn't think about women's role in the movie until I read your post. There really aren't any prominent women characters in the movie, maybe besides Wikus' wife, who is seen as weak. I think that in a way the movie devalues the roles of women. All the most powerful characters in the movie are men; Wikus, Christopher, Wikus' father in law, and the African man who wanted Wikus' arm. I think that the idea that women are weak and powerless is a more subtle message than those about racism, but it is definitely there. The only part of the movie that contradicts this is when the African woman was telling the man that eating the aliens will give him power. She was definitely manipulative in a way, and later in the movie the man was going to cut off Wikus' arm to get the aliens power. I think that this is the only significant part of the movie that included women.
@Allyson Yukawa
ReplyDeleteI felt the exact same discomfort you felt when I saw how the aliens were being treated and the living conditions they were forced to live in. What I don’t agree with/don’t remember seeing, is when you talk about how the aliens had “an extreme desire for cat food”, (although I don’t remember that part), assuming it happened, you make a good point when you say that it makes them seem more like animals. Although overall, I don’t feel like they were portrayed as animals very much throughout the majority of the film. And that’s I think the reason people were able to feel empathy for them is because they were able to connect through their human characteristics and personality traits. However, I do realize that they did have many animal traits such as part of their overall look, but again, for the most part I think they were more like humans than animals.
@Will Yellott
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you on the representation of Nigerians in District 9. They are all portrayed in a negative light. Even though it was pointed out in class, District 9 uses these "evil" Nigerians to critique racism. I agree with the message District 9 is trying to send, but I disagree with the techniques it uses to get that message across. The dehumanizing of aliens was pretty confusing. Science fiction/fantasy is used as a way to kind of mask the potentially polarizing issues. Mistreating a minority is something we can all agree is bad so the issue isn't really masked that well in this instance.
@ sam onusko
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about the dehumanization of the aliens, also I liked the point you made about how gender was really critiqued in this film and that there were defiantly opportunities for the director to do so. I also agree with your interpretations or the metaphors have some critiques about african americans, but i feel that it was more focused cultural critiques then race.
@Jon
ReplyDeleteI liked how you compared the movie with Nazi soldiers putting Jews in concentration camps. I had not thought of that before reading your post. There were a lot of similarities between the Jews and the prawns in this movie. We can see how they both are clearly being mistreated; yet it continues to go on. I also like how you mention that the film loses some credibility due to the fact that the aliens are from a different planet rather a different country. We can easily see that there is a lot of racism coming from this film.
@ Alyssa-
ReplyDeleteI like the way you correlated the prawns from District 9 being like the Japanese Americans during World War 2. I didn't really think about the aliens as being humans but after reading your post I can see more clearly about how the aliens could represent humans really of any class. Like world war 2, some of the Japanese had steady jobs and were part of the working class America and their rights were taken away just because the way they looked! Ridiculous! I did take into consideration the qualities the aliens had like being able to speak and communicate with the humans. I don't know if anyone else noticed this but I felt like the prawns knew exactly what the MNU were saying when they spoke to them but the MNU couldn't understand a lick of the language the prawns spoke, again, giving them animal like traits.
In response to Marcus Hawkins’ post:
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that this film has a documentary style in portraying and conveying author’s ideas. I believe this style serves its purpose in a documentary manner even though it is a horror film. The author appeals to pathos in his style by grasping viewers’ concerns in showing poverty and destruction in a documentary style. Also, this kind of filming gives credibility to the film; makes author’s ideas trusted. I have the same feeling as yours that this style makes it like a live scenario; puts you in the action. I agree with you that this film depicts some of the issues that happen in the world which some people do not know about them, or simply they ignore them because these issues did not happen to people whom they care about and they are not in his territory. The author also identifies scams that happen because of poverty as well as officials’ ignorant for such crimes in any poor area. The last but not the least, the author highlights many phases of racism.
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ReplyDelete@Meredith
ReplyDeleteThere definitely were some parallels between the holocaust and District 9. The medical testing centers and the references to the aliens being relocated to concentration camps were the most obvious. Some of the parallels you try to draw between the War on Terror and District 9 seem a little contrived. The aliens were not the ones who lived in South Africa first after all. They are essentially refugees who end up having to live separately because they aren’t South African citizens and well…they aren’t exactly human are they? Despite the fact that they aren’t human, the way they were treated was still “inhumane” and grotesque. Instead of focusing so intently on the War on Terror you could have drawn many more credible parallels between apartheid in South Africa and District 9. If you don’t know what apartheid is look it up. It’s worth knowing about. Also consider looking up what an allegory is. The call to empathy for aliens becomes problematic when the film simultaneously portrays real people (Nigerians) as nothing more than gangsters, prostitutes, and murderers. Less importantly, Peter Jackson didn’t write the script he just produced it.
Response: @ Alyssa
ReplyDeleteI definatley can see, and agree with your comparison of the alien race in District 9 to that of the Japanese, and Japanese-Americans in the US post Pearl Harbor bombings. They were contained in similar environments, in similar style camps, and were detained there without question. I agree with the idea of the aliens coming to Earth to seek refuge from their own planet, like the Japanese did in the early 1900's from their own homes, and we can "compare the aliens to other minority groups as well as the Japanese Americans, but also in other countries besides the United States". The aliens and many of these minority groups around the world are in similar situations, they are stripped of rights, segregated from the rest of the population, and become a victim of whatever differences they have.
@ Sam Onusko:
ReplyDeleteI agree that it seems a bit racist to have a white man be the big "hero" of the movie, by the way he comes out of nowhere and helps save the prawns, but Christopher (the main prawn character) also helps Wikus a lot. I think that Christopher helps Wikus just as much, if not more, than Wikus helps the prawns. The part that stands out in my mind is when Christpher helps Wikus get to safety even after Wikus tried evicting him and his family by using violent measures. This could possibly be suggesting that the black community is quite forgiving of being wronged by racists. It could also be suggesting that it is essential that all races work together to achieve a common goal.
Chris Lussier
ReplyDeleteBlog Post to District 9
The aliens are continuously dehumanized throughout the duration of District 9. Right away when the ship stalls the aliens are segregated from the rest of the human population and forced to live in a slum-like area. The drastic difference between the appearance of the humans and aliens is the director’s way of showing the barrier between the two races. The alien language is like nothing that I had ever heard before. It shows that they are not from the planet earth and further separates aliens from the human race. The fact that the aliens operate their own special weapons that humans are incapable of using demonstrates that they do not share human characteristics. They are viewed more so as animals, rather than humans, as illustrated by the dependence on cat food as their food. Wikus treats them like shit and acts as if they have no rights when he tries to evict them. When Christopher Johnson realizes MNU has to give him a 24 hour eviction notice, they use a ploy to try and get past it, symbolizing the governmental corruption. Another form of dehumanization is the derogatory term used; “prawn” referred to animalistic traits. The perspective of the film starts out from the human point of view while Wikus is still human, but later switches to the perspective of the aliens when Wikus becomes one himself. Initially the aliens were depicted as being cruel, dangerous, and good for nothing. Once Wikus cohabitates with the aliens, the viewers feel sorry for them and want them to succeed.
In my opinion this movie is symbolizing numerous different types of racism. Whether it be the aliens as slaves, (poor nigerians living among them) the jews overpopulated in the ghetto, or native americans forced of their home land. The depiction that seems the most logical to me is symbolizing the jews as aliens. They are separated from the rest of the humans purely on their appearance and lifestyle just as the jews were during the holocaust in Nazi Germany. They were forced to reside in barely livable conditions (the ghettos v. District 9). Also, they were told they would be moving to a better place (District 10) when in reality it was probably even worse than the original situation. This reminded me of how the jews were lied to and told that they were going to work in labor camps when in reality they were really going to be killed off in the concentration camps. The scary thing that occurred to me was that Wikus reminded me of Hitler in a way. His mustache, accent, and leadership all led me to this conclusion. However, at the end he turns into a good guy and does the right thing. I’m not sure if the film makers were trying to go for that, but it would be interesting to find out. It would also be fascinating to see if Hitler would have acted differently if he suddenly found out he was jewish much like Wikus all the sudden became an alien.