Spike Lee

Although having never seen Spike Lee's 1986 film, She's Gotta Have It, it is abundantly clear after reading the assigned passages that this film in particular is exceptionally controversial both during the year of its release and still almost thirty years later today.  Lee's character Nola, the heroine of the tale, can be interpreted in two drastically differing opinions:  (1) Nola is a highly original character who is praised for her overt sexuality and "going against the grain" attitude towards feminine hegemony; or (2) Nola is an unoriginal, hyper-sexualized black woman who has portrayed numerous times, leading critics such as Amiri Baraka to draw the conclusion that her character "echoes the basic slavemaster propaganda" (149).  These highly polarized readings of Lee's film suggest the powerful impact the film has/can have on its viewers attempting to break new ground against double standards which negatively target women.  This film calls upon its audience to choose a side:  to either become empowered by embracing their sexuality or to stand up against hyper-sexualized femininity--regardless of the audience's perspective, the film still poses the question.