The movie Get Out is extraordinarily symbolic and contains memorable and powerful imagery. For centuries, African Americans were enslaved, mistreated, and made to work as servants and laborers in fields. They became free people after years of struggle, but the separation of race and discrimination persist. I have been living in the United States for three years and have seen many examples of injustice among citizens both via social media and offline. I have not been through it myself, and I would not wish it on anybody. Americans of all races have been subjected to police violence, but police brutality against African Americans became more frequent for a variety of reasons. It existed for a long time but could not always be proven. Now, with technological innovation, people are able to protect themselves by using their phone cameras. This essay will discuss the movie Get Out and its symbolism, including the use of cameras, contrasting colors, and a silver spoon.
The use of cameras is a prominent symbol in Get Out. The protagonist, Chris, a professional photographer, uses the camera flash to snap people out of their brainwashed state. For example, when taking a picture of Andre, a black man, who, in fact, is possessed by an elderly white person, Chris notes a bizarre, hysterical reaction, which others explain as a seizure (Peele). The flash brought Logan to the surface of his consciousness and regains temporary control of his body (Peele). It can be viewed as a reference to show how many police brutality incidents against minorities would go unheard of if not for cameras and phones. In the movie, the camera flash is an instrument that helped people “see the light” about the unnoticed injustice. Overall, the phone camera can be a weapon in the fight against racial discrimination and prejudice.
Different colors are also symbolically used throughout Get Out to convey various ideas. For example, red is very noticeable in the party scenes of the movie as all guests wear a red piece of clothing. Thus, there are many women among visitors with red dresses on and men with red ties. Rose, Chris’s girlfriend, who lured him out to her family home, wears a jumper with red and white stripes (Peele). Red can be viewed as the color of blood and danger, as it is only worn by the people who are bidding on Chris’s body. Meanwhile, Chris and Andre, the victims, wear blue and brown clothing. The colors are used to oppose the “hunters” from their prey and to warn the viewers that the partygoers cannot be trusted. In addition, white is used in the scene when Rose is eating cereal while searching for the next victims. Dressed in all white, she does not mix colorful cereal with white milk, reflecting her beliefs on the place of minorities in American society. Overall, the colors in the movie help reveal hidden clues about the characters and their true intentions.
The silver spoon is another interesting symbol used by Peele in the movie. Rose’s mother, the Missy, uses a teacup and a silver teaspoon to hypnotize Chris (Peele). The phrase “silver spoon” is often employed to show that someone belongs to a wealthy family or comes from a privileged upbringing. Missy uses a silver spoon to put Chris in a trance. Meanwhile, the whole family relies on their wealth and their skin color to remain undetected. The wrongdoing and injustices committed by wealthy people are not known to the public because their use their money to keep them secret. Moreover, the silver spoon represents the power rich white people had over their black slaves. Chris is put in the “sunken place” by Missy, losing all control of his body (Peele). Similarly, white slavers owned the lives and bodies of their black slaves, utilizing their wealth to acquire more servants and workers. Thus, the ownership of black bodies is also evident in the usage of the spoon. Overall, the silver spoon is symbolic of the wealth and power of white people over minorities.
In summary, Get Out is a carefully crafted movie full of symbolism. The director leaves many clues to illustrate the characters’ true nature and intents and depict racial inequality. Thus, the camera flash is utilized to show that documentation of injustices can be a powerful weapon in the fight against discrimination as it helps people realize the actual standing of minorities in society. Colors in the movie are used to oppose the characters and show their attitudes towards people of color. Finally, the silver spoon symbolizes the power wealth has and how it can further racism and discrimination. It is also a representation of slavery and ownership of black bodies. Overall, Get Out is very symbolic, and I would highly recommend it.
Reference
Get Out. Directed by Jordan Peele, Universal Pictures, 2017.