The last representation of Black female in a film that I saw was also 12 Years a Salve. In the film, Lupita Nyong'o portrays Patsey, a young and hardworking slave woman who, despite picking 500 pounds of cotton daily (more than anyone on the plantation,) is still mistreated, objectified, raped, and harassed by her slave owner and abused by his jealous wife. So distraught by her tormented life, Patsey often asks for Solomon's assistance in her suicide, though he refuses.
In the reading, Reid discusses how Black actresses often play a submissive and supportive role compared to their White male counterparts. While one would think that is the case of Patsey, a slave woman, it's not. Like Jared has stated, Patsey's reluctance to give in to her master's desires and demanding the right to keep herself clean (this is a powerful scene, you can watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oAX6dR3m0c ) humanizes her and shows her drive, intelligence, and strength that her slave owner lacks.
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