Selma Film Analysis

lower standing in this film strived for their right to vote in order to increase their involvement in deciding who can chosen to lead their country, those of the Caucasian race who opposed them through racism already had the privilege to vote freely and did not want to share any of their voting power but used deadly force, and the threat of death and violence to suppress any who would try to attain equal voting rights with them.  The suppression that the attackers tried to attain backfired as their actions that were televised nationwide leading to social change in the mindset of races other than African American to empathize with the marchers and support them in their fight for equal voting rights.

King Luther found himself taking a leadership role to break the bureaucracy of government laws on black nationals. During his leadership role, in a speech King called commissioners of Montgomery as ‘pharaohs of the South’ (Carson, 2001). With Kings charismatic status and religious/spiritual contexts, he motivated locals to fight for voting rights. For example, in his speeches, he declared ‘Negro is God’s instrument to save the soul of America’ (Carson, 2001). With the help of religious and spiritual speeches he was able to gather people from near cite to participate in walks.

However, as all roles demanded different responsibilities it became difficult for Martin Luther to satisfy requirements placed by each. This resulted into role conflict while he was holding more than two statuses. For example, during the scene when a tape was delivered to his wife before the first march Coretta Scott demanded him to stay home with the family. He had to choose between the status of being a husband and a leadership. He chose to stay with the family and cancelled his participation in the first walk (Smith, 2000). Although King missed his wife, he chose to go to the other walks. During the walk at the Edmund Pettus Bridge King faced a conflict to play a role of a leader who should continue leading the walk or played a role of an expert who read the tactics of the troopers and withdrew the walk for people’s safety.

To conclude, the movie Selma captured sociological concepts of deviance, conflict theory and role taking.  Within the film viewers see deviance through opposition to the protesters was shown in violent behaviour, conflict theory through the struggle between the privileged party keeping all their advantage while those with less aim to grow their own developing social change, and Rev. Martin Luther King takes on many roles whether as a leader, public figure, husband, father and a person on his own.  Selma exemplifies many concepts that sociology studiers try to portray.  Ideas from sociology can be reflected in many life experiences.

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