Abstract
Filmmakers continue to use the “White Savior “ archetype to construct racialized messages in the post-Civil Rights era. These protagonists, who resolutely defend the rights of African Americans, ultimately focalize whiteness and marginalize black characters and voices. Though a white savior features prominently in both To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) and The Help (2011), The Help’s regendering of the archetype invites viewers to imagine a world in which a white savior is no longer necessary. The Help’s update on the white savior trope from Atticus Finch to Skeeter Phelan allows for deeper development of black characters and a different ending, and creates opportunities for a further shift in filmic protagonists.
Recommended Citation
MLA Citation:
Seekford, Brett. "To Kill a Mockingbird, The Help, and the Regendering of the White Savior." James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal, vol. 4, no.1, 2017, pp. 6-12, http://commons.lib.jmu.edu/jmurj/vol4/iss1/1. Accessed day Mon. year.
Included in
Literature in English, North America Commons, Literature in English, North America, Ethnic and Cultural Minority Commons, Other Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons, Other Film and Media Studies Commons
