I definitely believe Tillie has a strong perspective. Not only as someone who raised Joanna but also as an African American maid/housekeeper. The way she sees it is that she raised Joanna from the time she was a baby and now this man is trying to "take" her away and get married to her. She is trying to protect Joanna from getting hurt by a man. This begs the question would she be just as upset if John were a white man? I believe she would. I believe she sees herself as a "second" mom to Joanna and that she would be just as fearful for her protection regardless of what race the man was. There is also the social stratification aspect. It is never said but in a while the implication is that she lived and experienced a time when African Americans were thought to be beneath whites and were treated as such. She sees John as trying to "live above his station". At the beginning she had no idea that he was an accomplished doctor and writer. She I'm sure felt he was a threat and was probably upset when an African American man showed up and was given "royal treatment" and she was still cooking, cleaning and serving him along with the white people. I appreciated the fact at the end when Mr. Drayton introduced her as a "member of the family". I felt like the maid being an African American woman was a purposeful move. I think that it is important to take her perspective into account while watching this film. Even though she adds some comedic points she really sees the "problem" from a different perspective. ~peoriahighlionsfootball004
I 100 percent agree with you about Tilly being a black woman was a purposeful move for this movie. She does not act the way most people would assume she is going to and it really makes you think. At first I thought like you said maybe she didn't want to see a black man being treated like "royal" when shes still cooking and cleaning for everyone. I'm sure that bothered her but I think most of it was her protecting Joanna. I really don't know if I think she would have acted the same way if Joanna would have brought home a white man. I think Tilly would still be very harsh and judgmental on the man but I think him being black made Tilly even more upset because she doesn't want to see the issues Joanna is going to have to deal with. People would look at them with disgust as if her and John were being deviant when in fact they were but they also didn't care about the challenges that lay ahead of them. I agree with you though about Tilly just being protective in general though because she was like a second mom to Joanna. She raised her since she was a baby and anyone who is that close to someone is going to want to protect them. -mybabygirl004
I think Tillie's reaction to everything is mainly based on fear which is based on her life experience...In her day things were still very segregated. it was also VERY common for black women to basically raise white children. By that time it had been drilled that white was superior & black was low...There for, she felt that the fact that Dr Prentiss so much as socialized w/ Joey meant he was trying to "rise up". It never occurred to her that they might actually have things in common or actually like/love each other for real.ToyaO'Connor004
I agree i feel as if tilly played a powerful role ajnd a stong women looking out for both sides of each family the black and the white, Being that she raised and worked for a white family and her being black -boop004-
I would agree that Tillie being introduced as a member of the family was super important. I think that is what led her to many of her views. She was around white people all the time. So I think she identified more with them than she did with other African Americans. I also agree that she was probably mad that john came in and was getting treated so well. She had been working with the family for so long and she never got treated like that. -DTH004
I agree with Tilly's points. She is looking out for the little girl she raised. She has to be suspicious of a black man coming into her white family's place and sweeping her off her feet during the times of Black power and laws against interracial marriage. She is looking for something more than what there is but she is just being careful. bdole004
When watching the movie I and I saw they had a black housekeeper I was expecting her to be the only one to like John and everyone else try to stop them from getting married but it wasn't like that at all. I was so shocked when Tilly reacted the way she did at first. I was thinking, now why is the black house keeper putting down a black man, shouldn't she be happy that the world as they know it is changing for the better. After thinking about it though and then seeing the this scene in the movie I started thinking how she is an older woman and she grew up in a different time than Joanna and John did. As Tilly said, she basically raised Joanna and she was just protecting her just like her father was trying to do. This may sound kind of righteous but me being white I kind of thought since the white men had the power and the black men where the slaves back in the day and then even when that was over they were still segregated that the black people like John's parents might have been happy that their son was going to merry white woman. Like maybe it would be seen as he really did something with himself. I know that sounds racist and I'm not meaning for it to but that's just kind of how I thought maybe it would. I was just a little suprised that the black people in the movie were just as much against the marriage if not more so. Another thing I thought was Tilly probably has worked for that family for an extremely long time. Always being around them and raising up Joanna and the family treating Tilly as one of them she could possibly have taken on their views towards black people. It was made known that the family was very open minded and not racist but they also never thought in a million years their daughter would bring home a black man. There are just so many different ways to look at this film and especially Tilly in particular. -mybabygirl004
Yes I was very surprised as well by her reaction. I felt as if though she may be the reason they came around to accepting it. I really did believe she would be the one to focus on love more. Although a lot of characters were not what I was expecting. It was a good, shocking, before its time movie. -mysonmyworld004
My thoughts is that Tillie thought that John was trying to gain some power by marrying Joanna because she was white. Although she was wanting to protect Joanna from a black man, if it were a white man would she feel the same way? I think not. She would not have stood up to a white man and told him that same spill that she told John because that wasn't heard of then. She would of been kind and pleasant, yes sir, no sir and did her job which was cooking the meal for the family and friends. She would of kept her mouth shut. Tillie uses the excuse that she raised Joanna, but Joanna's parents taught her to just be king to people in general, athough they never discussed race with her, Joanna fell in love with a black man and thats all she cared about. It's funny how I used to wonder where that stereotyping of African Americans came from when one person thinks someone has something more superior than them if they can't have it they despise each other. It was done in slavery days when the light skinned people were the one's in the homes with the masters and all dark skinned people were far from the home in the fields. Is this why most African Americans feel this way towards each other because it is still today that we can't come together as a people. I can honestly say that I was at one point in my life a Tilly". In the 80's when my boyfriend dumped me for a white girl, I hated and talked about every black and white couple that I saw. But you live and learn. I no longer feel that way, but I'm sure there are still "Tilly's" in our society today. Prejudice is alive and well. myboys004
I agree there will always be those “Tillies” and those people that can’t let the past go. “Forgive but never forget.” I can’t imagine being a white or black person in that time period. I would like to say I would be more like Johanna , but just like society states it’s about the environment you grew up in and the people who taught you what their version of right and wrong was. Coming to college and then taking this sociology class has been eye opening for me I did not think racism was still so strong in our society just based on location and environments. It’s there but it’s not acknowledged in an unhealthy way. We just ignore it and hopefully that subject never comes up along with religion, politics, and abortion. ~BabyB004
That was so funny! I cracked up a little bit to that. I am so glad I watched it because I have never watched that movie before. I really enjoyed that funny scene. I think that it had a lot to do with parenting and control issues because when you think about it she raised the daughter and the daughter is now an adult. When you put that into perspective it is really none of her own business who her daughter is dating as an adult. Just the fact that the N word was used from an African American to another African American was weird there was no logic there and the N word should first of all never be used in any generation. The word "boy" was used a lot in this film and this person who she is referring to as "boy" is an Adult and he can make his own decisions for his own self. I see a lot of prejudice towards lots of different races these days and I still think that in Peoria there is some racism but not as much obviously as in the south years ago, 60 years ago the way all differences were treated was really messed up. I did not like the part that talked about racial power as well that was horrible for her to use that on her own ethnicity too. -sweetie.sasha.mattiejackson.002
John tried his best to be as nice to Tilly as he could. But it seems as if she was jealous and surprised by him. She unecessarily attacked him each time she saw him. She could be jealous because of his success, relationship, and status. At this time it was almost impossible to find a black man with the crenditials that he had. I don't think she was trying to protect Joann. As the movie stated Tilly has been taking care of Joann since she was a baby, so Tilly has been with the family for 23 years. What kind of surprised me is, Tilly adopted the ideas of the majority society of that time but not of the family's. She had to be out of the loop because she would not have those same ideals if she had. Or she just suffered from the Jim Crow effect, meaning there is inside racism from Tilly to John. She could have also been upset because John wasn't with a black woman. She might have thought that, since he was successful, he should stay within his race in order to make the race look good. DAM004
This actually really surprised me. After speaking with the group they helped to see it in a different light. I come from a society where we are allowed to move up the chain if we can now a days. But looking at it from the time frame and the idea that what she is use to is completely different than an African American male believing he is or can be on the same page as a Caucasian women. Then there is also a sense of protection she feels for the girl because she has been a part of her life for so long. She feels she needs to protect the family from the young man because he could not truly have their best interest at heart. She is also shocked that he is going against socialization and not thinking, feeling or acting the same as her and his father. She feels he is acting unacceptable because he is acting different. Although, I can see these points but it still really surprises me to think an African American women would be so hateful to him because he was in a relationship with a young white women. I guess you do see that in a lot of mixed relationships now, just as much as the other their parents may not be fully accepting of it. I feel as the generations go and my children’s children have kids that this will be much more accepting. The white and black lines are being blurred by biracial children and thus we will see a lot more acceptance in every situation concerning biracial relationships. I do believe that this scene added a different aspect to the movie, not just a seriousness of opinion but some humor as well. It really gives an aspect of what others beside just the mothers, fathers and the young couple feel of the situation. -mysonmyworld004
I found it quite interesting from the very beginning of this movie Tillie was against John even being close to her little Joey because of his skin color. Instead of congratulating him on breaking social norms she was in shock and lost her temper with him. I don’t know what Tillie was thinking or her inner thoughts were towards the happy couple let alone the betrayal she must have felt from John. I can just assume that she felt her race was being betrayed. Black people had their place in society and he was shaking the foundation which they had built up from slavery. The way Tillie was acting was like she was upset that such a scandalous thing would ever happen to her little girl. Even at the end of the movie she seemed to not approve even though both sets of parents gave their approval. I believe this shows that as much as white people had to accept black people for where they were in the world at that time the blacks in return had to accept where they were or either challenge themselves like John did or stay in denial like Tillie did. Tillie, I believe, thought John was a young heathen boy that was looking for something instead of actually being in love with Johanna. She probably thought that young men like him didn’t appreciate all their ancestors and race had to go through to get their race to where they were at that time. This is a perfect example that Tillie thought John was deviant. Now, in today’s society it isn’t looked at as deviant but unapproved or not normal for social class or social rules, but for my generation our blood is the same color and I believe we are becoming more accepting. One day roles will change people’s race and class will change. There will always be racism, history proves that, yet we can make ourselves personally open our eyes to the reality that were all humans struggling to survive in our own way. ~BabyB004
I observed the same behavior from Tillie at the end of the movie. Tillie seemed very stubborn with her beliefs. For some reason I can't help but think it has a lot to do with Tillie's capacity. People who step up against wrongs, such as society's injustice to black Americans, tend to be educated people with higher knowledge and thus higher expectations. Tillie's reaction makes her appear very uneducated. -004kylegoldheart
There are couple of things going on in this scene one of which could be used to describe the actions of Tillie, the black maid. First Tillie was exhibits negative prejudice toward Dr. John Prentice without really knowing anything about him. Tillie arrived at her concludes based on stereotypes from young people during that time frame in her community and around the nation. These stereotypes viewed some young black males as womanizers and pimps. Also during that time the Black Panther movement was perceived as being trouble makers in the black communities in urban cities. Dr. Prentice was dressed well in a suit which was commonly wear by members of both groups. On the other hand Dr. Prentice was patronizing Tillie with his response to her questions, “What are you trying to do here boy?” His answer,” I’m trying to get me a wife”. The next question,” what type of doctor you supposed to be anyhow?” His response, “a horse doctor.” This was showing his higher education status over Tillie. In a joking way I would even say that there is some institutional prejudice was displayed by Tillie. Her viewpoint of Dr. Prentice. In Tillie’s life time it was very hard for a black person to have achieved the position of a doctor. Her way of thinking was passed on from generation to generation. During the 1960’s there was a cultural change that give way to ethnocentrism within the U.S. Young black people stated thinking about the way they were treated in many areas while older blacks afraid to express their viewpoints and experiences and the experiences of their parents. Tillie’s comments mirrored those fears and her protection of Joey ‘Joanna Drayton”. Buckrogers004
Tillie's point of view was clouded by her experience in the world as she knew it. society was heavily segregated & any contact between races was purely for "business" purposes. Blacks were not seen as equal to & thus did not fraternize with whites & vice versa. The fact that Joey & Dr Prentiss genuinely cared about each other on an equal & personal level was something she could not fathom. From a motherly stand point I believe she thought she was protecting the child she raised from an older man who was out to play on her naivety to push his own social agenda. I also believe that in her own way, she was halfway trying to protect Dr. Prentiss. Meaning, that she knew what kind of consequences there were out there (in her day) for blacks that tried to operate equally around & with whites. Even though Dr Prentiss was comical and sarcastic in his response and dealings w/ Tillie, I don't think that it's because he doesn't take her seriously. In order to achieve the level of things he had to achieve he had to encounter and overcome a great deal of prejudice and doubts of his intelligence & ability. Most of this coming from white people. I think his reaction to Tillie was based on her level of ignorance & the shock of having to face the same prejudice & doubt from a fellow black person. ToyaO'Connor004
I think Tilly is very protective of joey and that he knows that they will have a hard life if they were to get married. Tilly thinks that all of this is just a joke and that he can have an easy life because if he marry her. She feels that all of this is a joke. I am not sure if tilly thinks that he is coming in to make a point and get the public to see and make a change because she said to him that “she is not sure what he is trying to do but if he was trying to make a point it will not work” when really he is just in love. Tilly knows what it is like to work for a white family and she knows what it’s like sit there and hear them talk about African Americans. So for him to just walk in the house act like it’s not a big deal to be African American and marrying a white women l really bothers her. -Boop004-
This clip made me think about social stratification. Tillie talks about how he is no good and trying to just move up in social class by marring Joanna. What is ironic about that is John is in a higher social class than Tillie herself. The Draytons were definitely a higher class white family, but John is a very well respected doctor. So he is clearly in a much higher class as well. I thought it was a little insulting to John for Tillie to be attacking him like that. I get that she is the maid and she took care of Joanna when she was growing up but it is still ridiculous to say he was only in it for the possible movement up in social class. I think this clip also does a good job of showing one of the big issues behind racism, which is social stratification. We get racism when one group thinks they are better than others. When Tillie was going after John it was because he was black. She didn’t know anything about him other than that. The other thing this video made me think of was ethnicity, because ethnicity is how we culturally identify while race is what we are biologically. Although Tillie is racially African American I think she acted more like a stereotypical white person from that era. She looked down on John because he was black. I’m not completely sure if she got mad when they said Monsignor Ryan was coming to dinner or not but I do remember when she was really mad that the Prentices were going to be there. Yet again Tillie was angry about more African Americans but not as worried about another white person being there. I think that Tillie herself was a little bit racist towards African Americans throughout the film. -DTH004
I can agree with some of what you are expressing. I can agree with you about how this scene was a great example of social stratification. Tillie seems to think that John is attempting to work at getting a higher status by marrying into it. On the other hand, I disagree with Tillie being racist. Even if she is, you can't really blame her. She has lived a life where she knew where she stood on the social hierarchy. She has been a servant to the Drayton's for most of her time. She can't help but say what she has to say and do what she has to do to protect not only Joey and herself, but also the family alone. -Happy004
I agree with you how ridiculous it really is for Tillie to say that he was using Joanna or her family in any way to increase his social standing. He is obviously an accredited doctor and doesn't need them to further his life, as Tillie assumes. You said it exactly right that racism only occurs when one race thinks their better than another or a race thinks their inferior. In this case, Tillie assumes he is low class looking for the next best gig just because he is black. It's ironic that the colored maid is the most racist in the movie, in my opinion. She definitely acted like a stereotypical white woman, more so than how we would expect her to act. I'm sure that's how her character was written and intended to come across, but that just shows so much more deeper meaning from that era. -chillato004
Tilly is looking out for and doing her best to protect the little white girl she raised. She as a black housekeeper for a rich white family back in the 1960's has to be suspicious of anyone or anything that can create complications to her race. It was not common and in fact illegal in many states for there to be interracial marriages. That can be a scary thing to have to deal with and to have Black power going on at the same time. She is just being extra cautious. bdole004
This scene show how much Tillie really does love and care for Joanna. She does not know John at all, and probably thinks that he just want to be with Joanna, because her family has money. From another view of this scene Tillie also knows if John and Joanna were to get married they would have a hard time and be looked upon in a badly by society. I think Tillie is just really coming at this conversation just like Mr. prentice was minus the part about her calling him not good looking. Tillie is basically just like another mother to Joanna, and does not want to see he get her heart broken by some random guy she just meet. This happens today a girl gets wowed by some smooth talking guys who sweeps a girl off her feet marries her take her money and leaves never to be seen again. So I think that Tillie has every right to suspicious of John saying that he is a doctor that she just meet on vacation. I still think that Tillie had maybe jumped to conclusions a little too quickly, and didn’t really take the time to talk to John before she had confronted him. -CFC004
Tillie was like a second mother to Joey. She was like the momma bear defending her daughter. Tillie wanted the best for Joey and did not want her to get taken advantage of. Tillie was one of the first people to here about the engagement of the the couple and how fast it was going to happen. She even was against the whole arrangement until Joey's father gave the speech on how he felt about the marriage. She had the right to be upset since the couple only knew each other for a week before trying to make that decision. She didn't believe that he was a doctor and attacked him even though he made enough money to support Joey and himself. Another defense for Tillie is that it was a culture shock to her since she has never seen any interracial couple that is close to her. -Kitsune004
An openly compelling scene this was. The scene revealed the elements of social stratification, prejudice, racism, and also their status with each other. The funny thing, John is at a higher social rank than what Tillie is ranked as. John is an accomplished man with a high level of education, while Tillie is just a servant who serves for the Draytons. In this scene, Tillie, assertively walks in on John and warns him of what she will do to him if he hurts Joey. She seems to think that John has alternative motives to marrying Joey and joining a white high socially ranked family. I think that she has her suspicions because she does not see many people of her color being highly ranked and obviously in the time then, people wouldn’t marry a different race if they knew what was ahead of them; the prejudice and difficulties soon to approach them once they are married. Also, she knew what she was saying and doing without a doubt, but the reason she did what she did was because she is passionate about the Drayton family. She was trying to protect not only the Draytons, but she was protecting herself and the idea of her race too. The idea that John, a black male would destroy the reputation of colored people in the eyes of the Draytons and that it could possibly somehow affect Tillie. A significant thought that I would like to point out is that although Tillie is a servant to the Draytons, she is accepted as a part of the Drayton family too. She was a notable character throughout the film. Although it wasn’t evident, her attitude did matter. It was seen that Joey kind of neglected her standpoint about the situation, this scene shows an opposite spectrum of that neglection; displaying the importance of Tillie’s judgement. -Happy004
This entire scene is a good way of showing no matter if two people share a common race it does not mean they are the same person or are brought up the same way. Tillie was the first person in the film to use the N word and this could be because she feels comfortable talking to a fellow black person with this type of language but it also show a class difference. John was raced to be a “colored man” and to be respected by everyone no matter their background. And till who is a hard working house maid has been raised and lives around a life style that there is still a big difference between black people and white people. In the beginning of the movie the white parents did not question the fact that John was a Dr. They immediately showed him great respect and did not question his background (until he said he wanted to marry their daughter) but Tilly was not shy to ask “what kind of doctor you suppose to be anyways.” It does show another separation of class and in the same race community. Tilly does not believe right off the bat that a black man can be a doctor. Tilly being a nanny and house maid for a white family for 20 plus years has conditioned her to believe that is all that is out there are a black person to do job wise. She also isn’t sugar coating anything. Which frankly is what I love about the black community today. You don’t have to worry about what people are saying behind your back because they will tell you right then and there. It s a freedom in expression I think a lot of white people, to be blunt, don’t have. It saddens me that race is still such an issue and that we can watch a movie from the 60’s and STILL relate it to the racial discrimination and division happening in today’s society. KtKay004
The scene between Tillie and John is very powerful and speaks to the fact she felt the same way as the whites of that era about a black man being with a white woman. I think her view point is two things assimilation and culture. Culture is our life experiences which help shape our way of thinking and acting. Tillie had adopted the patterns of the dominant culture which is assimilation. Tillie was raised in a socieaty that said that it was illegal for a person of color to marry a white person. Till thought that John was trying to get ahead by marrying Joey also the he was getting above himself thinking he was equal to a white person. She didn't think that he was a real doctor. Also because of John's race his social ranking was lower than Joey and her family. Tillie was very protected of Joey because she had taken care of her since she was a baby. I think it was a culture shock for Tillie. I am sure that she could not believe that a black man would be trying to marry a white woman. Tillie called him the N word and boy which are racial remarks. I realize that a lot of what Tillie felt and thought was because of her life experience with race and race relation. It was all the things she had been thought that were wrong. She had been told her whole life that blacks were second class citizens and were not equal to whites. She felt that John was out of order and should know better than to think that he could marry a white girl and that her parents would except the marriage. Tillie also made me think of the old mammy from slavery and their being very protected of the children in there care. wonderwoman004
I can agree with this scene being powerful. Yes Tillie appeared to be prejudice against her race. and did not understand a black man can marry or date a white woman and vice versus. Back in that day and age that behavior was frown upon and even today its still frown upon. In my opinion, it a couple is in a biracial relationship and they love each other wihtout a doubt, no one should intervene and steal there joy. We are all alike in so many ways, we all bleed the same blood, we are just a different color. I don't believe Tillie thought John was equal to the Joey and her family due to the fact she stated he was a gold digger and was out for money. Tillie was clearly racist and the words that came out of her mouth proved it all. She even used the N word in a strong tone. Either way it goes, Tillie should not judge a book by its cover.~Mznurse004
The maid Tillie's display in this scene is the epitome of living inside the proverbial "box." Society's box to be specific. Though America is not a country who pride's itself on the practices of a rigid caste system, Tillie's response to a successful, man of color almost suggests that she believes in this type of system. Tillie goes as far as to question the integrity of his work by suggestively asking: "What kind of doctor are you anyway?" It is clear that society at this time establish a stigma of successful people vs black people. Social mobility, or the ability for someone to change his or her position within the social hierarchy, was not often exercised by black people during these times. As Tillie says in this clip, if you did exercise social mobility, you were considered " smooth-talking, trouble-making, black power n-----." This movie was released in 1967, just 3 short years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted. Of course, though you had your Rosa Parks and MLK's, there were still many black people who believed standing up for yourself was not something to be proud of. Tillie's display resembled that of many conservative and conforming black Americans during this time. As time would prove change/improvement did not come from people who shared the beliefs of Tillie.
The maid Tillie's display in this scene is the epitome of living inside the proverbial "box." Society's box to be specific. Though America is not a country who pride's itself on the practices of a rigid caste system, Tillie's response to a successful, man of color almost suggests that she believes in this type of system. Tillie goes as far as to question the integrity of his work by suggestively asking: "What kind of doctor are you anyway?" It is clear that society at this time establish a stigma of successful people vs black people. Social mobility, or the ability for someone to change his or her position within the social hierarchy, was not often exercised by black people during these times. As Tillie says in this clip, if you did exercise social mobility, you were considered " smooth-talking, trouble-making, black power n-----." This movie was released in 1967, just 3 short years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted. Of course, though you had your Rosa Parks and MLK's, there were still many black people who believed standing up for yourself was not something to be proud of. Tillie's display resembled that of many conservative and conforming black Americans during this time. As time would prove change/improvement did not come from people who shared the beliefs of Tillie. -004kylegoldheart
I love how in the beginning of this clip, he is so modest covering up his chest which is the only thing exposed. Fifty years ago that was appropriate behavior, as other people, especially strangers would find it very awkward for both parties to see a man exposed that way. Fast forward to 2016, and this is rampant everywhere you look. People are no longer covering up their bodies, but showing off just about everything they can to either get a reaction or because "sex sells." On another note, I find it extremely ironic that the colored maid is really the one being the most racist and unaccepting in this movie, in my opinion. Saying that he just wanted to marry into a rich family and have a rich wife to better his life is really quite ridiculous. While obviously, race played a more important factor in social class than I feel it does today, he was in a high social class being a well respected doctor. Understandable as well that Tillie wants to protect Joey because she's taken care of her her whole life, but she needs to be a tad more reasonable. It is amusing how he plays off her criticisms and accusations with humor and sarcasm. It's about all you could do in the situation. Nonetheless, it's rude for her to say he's playing some sort of trick on Joanna's parents or trying to have some "self righteous black power" by wanting to marry their daughter. Obviously Tillie had just met him, but he clearly loves Joey and doesn't want to just monetize off her or get some sort of special privilege. They knew that they were going to face many different obstacles and were willing to see through and over come those things because they really do love each other and don't see each other as just "white" or "black". -chillato004
Yes, John is a very modest man. He never gets mad or raises his voice at Tillie even with her saying a lot of bad things about him. She does not know him but she judged him because of the color of his skin. wonderwoman004
This scene is very powerful and is an eye opener to certain things. Tillie has really proven to be slightly racist against her own race as well as jealous. She immediately took defense when she saw him, especially because he was African American. She didn't even know him, but yet stereotyped. She made an assumption that he was out for money. She didn't know he was a well educated man with a degree. I just can not understand why she didn't like him and that was her first time meeting him. To top it off, she barged in the room, invaded the mans privacy and did not have the decency to apologize and walk back out of the room, she continued to do what sh sought out to do. In my opinion tillie is rude, obnoxious, crazy and jealous. She needed to get a grip on life and give the guy a chance. People like Tillie gives African Americans a bad name. I'm not sure if its because she has been with that family for over 20 years, regardless, she had no right to treat John the way that she did. She used that statement black power and the way her behavior was she should not have those two words roll off her tongue. I'm somewhat angry about that particular scene, but I have to realize that was the day and age where prejudice was practiced and one had to be a certain race to live life. It's even happening to this day. Bottom line, people should not judge a book by its cover or stereotype.~Mznurse004
I definitely believe Tillie has a strong perspective. Not only as someone who raised Joanna but also as an African American maid/housekeeper. The way she sees it is that she raised Joanna from the time she was a baby and now this man is trying to "take" her away and get married to her. She is trying to protect Joanna from getting hurt by a man. This begs the question would she be just as upset if John were a white man? I believe she would. I believe she sees herself as a "second" mom to Joanna and that she would be just as fearful for her protection regardless of what race the man was. There is also the social stratification aspect. It is never said but in a while the implication is that she lived and experienced a time when African Americans were thought to be beneath whites and were treated as such. She sees John as trying to "live above his station". At the beginning she had no idea that he was an accomplished doctor and writer. She I'm sure felt he was a threat and was probably upset when an African American man showed up and was given "royal treatment" and she was still cooking, cleaning and serving him along with the white people. I appreciated the fact at the end when Mr. Drayton introduced her as a "member of the family". I felt like the maid being an African American woman was a purposeful move. I think that it is important to take her perspective into account while watching this film. Even though she adds some comedic points she really sees the "problem" from a different perspective. ~peoriahighlionsfootball004
ReplyDeleteI 100 percent agree with you about Tilly being a black woman was a purposeful move for this movie. She does not act the way most people would assume she is going to and it really makes you think. At first I thought like you said maybe she didn't want to see a black man being treated like "royal" when shes still cooking and cleaning for everyone. I'm sure that bothered her but I think most of it was her protecting Joanna. I really don't know if I think she would have acted the same way if Joanna would have brought home a white man. I think Tilly would still be very harsh and judgmental on the man but I think him being black made Tilly even more upset because she doesn't want to see the issues Joanna is going to have to deal with. People would look at them with disgust as if her and John were being deviant when in fact they were but they also didn't care about the challenges that lay ahead of them. I agree with you though about Tilly just being protective in general though because she was like a second mom to Joanna. She raised her since she was a baby and anyone who is that close to someone is going to want to protect them.
Delete-mybabygirl004
I think Tillie's reaction to everything is mainly based on fear which is based on her life experience...In her day things were still very segregated. it was also VERY common for black women to basically raise white children. By that time it had been drilled that white was superior & black was low...There for, she felt that the fact that Dr Prentiss so much as socialized w/ Joey meant he was trying to "rise up". It never occurred to her that they might actually have things in common or actually like/love each other for real.ToyaO'Connor004
DeleteI agree i feel as if tilly played a powerful role ajnd a stong women looking out for both sides of each family the black and the white, Being that she raised and worked for a white family and her being black
Delete-boop004-
I would agree that Tillie being introduced as a member of the family was super important. I think that is what led her to many of her views. She was around white people all the time. So I think she identified more with them than she did with other African Americans. I also agree that she was probably mad that john came in and was getting treated so well. She had been working with the family for so long and she never got treated like that.
Delete-DTH004
I agree with Tilly's points. She is looking out for the little girl she raised. She has to be suspicious of a black man coming into her white family's place and sweeping her off her feet during the times of Black power and laws against interracial marriage. She is looking for something more than what there is but she is just being careful. bdole004
DeleteWhen watching the movie I and I saw they had a black housekeeper I was expecting her to be the only one to like John and everyone else try to stop them from getting married but it wasn't like that at all. I was so shocked when Tilly reacted the way she did at first. I was thinking, now why is the black house keeper putting down a black man, shouldn't she be happy that the world as they know it is changing for the better. After thinking about it though and then seeing the this scene in the movie I started thinking how she is an older woman and she grew up in a different time than Joanna and John did. As Tilly said, she basically raised Joanna and she was just protecting her just like her father was trying to do. This may sound kind of righteous but me being white I kind of thought since the white men had the power and the black men where the slaves back in the day and then even when that was over they were still segregated that the black people like John's parents might have been happy that their son was going to merry white woman. Like maybe it would be seen as he really did something with himself. I know that sounds racist and I'm not meaning for it to but that's just kind of how I thought maybe it would. I was just a little suprised that the black people in the movie were just as much against the marriage if not more so. Another thing I thought was Tilly probably has worked for that family for an extremely long time. Always being around them and raising up Joanna and the family treating Tilly as one of them she could possibly have taken on their views towards black people. It was made known that the family was very open minded and not racist but they also never thought in a million years their daughter would bring home a black man. There are just so many different ways to look at this film and especially Tilly in particular.
ReplyDelete-mybabygirl004
Feeling this point of view.....SimplyMe004
DeleteYes I was very surprised as well by her reaction. I felt as if though she may be the reason they came around to accepting it. I really did believe she would be the one to focus on love more. Although a lot of characters were not what I was expecting. It was a good, shocking, before its time movie.
Delete-mysonmyworld004
My thoughts is that Tillie thought that John was trying to gain some power by marrying Joanna because she was white. Although she was wanting to protect Joanna from a black man, if it were a white man would she feel the same way? I think not. She would not have stood up to a white man and told him that same spill that she told John because that wasn't heard of then. She would of been kind and pleasant, yes sir, no sir and did her job which was cooking the meal for the family and friends. She would of kept her mouth shut. Tillie uses the excuse that she raised Joanna, but Joanna's parents taught her to just be king to people in general, athough they never discussed race with her, Joanna fell in love with a black man and thats all she cared about. It's funny how I used to wonder where that stereotyping of African Americans came from when one person thinks someone has something more superior than them if they can't have it they despise each other. It was done in slavery days when the light skinned people were the one's in the homes with the masters and all dark skinned people were far from the home in the fields. Is this why most African Americans feel this way towards each other because it is still today that we can't come together as a people. I can honestly say that I was at one point in my life a Tilly". In the 80's when my boyfriend dumped me for a white girl, I hated and talked about every black and white couple that I saw. But you live and learn. I no longer feel that way, but I'm sure there are still "Tilly's" in our society today. Prejudice is alive and well. myboys004
ReplyDeleteI agree there will always be those “Tillies” and those people that can’t let the past go. “Forgive but never forget.” I can’t imagine being a white or black person in that time period. I would like to say I would be more like Johanna , but just like society states it’s about the environment you grew up in and the people who taught you what their version of right and wrong was. Coming to college and then taking this sociology class has been eye opening for me I did not think racism was still so strong in our society just based on location and environments. It’s there but it’s not acknowledged in an unhealthy way. We just ignore it and hopefully that subject never comes up along with religion, politics, and abortion. ~BabyB004
DeleteThat was so funny! I cracked up a little bit to that. I am so glad I watched it because I have never watched that movie before. I really enjoyed that funny scene. I think that it had a lot to do with parenting and control issues because when you think about it she raised the daughter and the daughter is now an adult. When you put that into perspective it is really none of her own business who her daughter is dating as an adult. Just the fact that the N word was used from an African American to another African American was weird there was no logic there and the N word should first of all never be used in any generation. The word "boy" was used a lot in this film and this person who she is referring to as "boy" is an Adult and he can make his own decisions for his own self. I see a lot of prejudice towards lots of different races these days and I still think that in Peoria there is some racism but not as much obviously as in the south years ago, 60 years ago the way all differences were treated was really messed up. I did not like the part that talked about racial power as well that was horrible for her to use that on her own ethnicity too.
ReplyDelete-sweetie.sasha.mattiejackson.002
John tried his best to be as nice to Tilly as he could. But it seems as if she was jealous and surprised by him. She unecessarily attacked him each time she saw him. She could be jealous because of his success, relationship, and status. At this time it was almost impossible to find a black man with the crenditials that he had. I don't think she was trying to protect Joann. As the movie stated Tilly has been taking care of Joann since she was a baby, so Tilly has been with the family for 23 years. What kind of surprised me is, Tilly adopted the ideas of the majority society of that time but not of the family's. She had to be out of the loop because she would not have those same ideals if she had. Or she just suffered from the Jim Crow effect, meaning there is inside racism from Tilly to John. She could have also been upset because John wasn't with a black woman. She might have thought that, since he was successful, he should stay within his race in order to make the race look good. DAM004
ReplyDeleteThis actually really surprised me. After speaking with the group they helped to see it in a different light. I come from a society where we are allowed to move up the chain if we can now a days. But looking at it from the time frame and the idea that what she is use to is completely different than an African American male believing he is or can be on the same page as a Caucasian women. Then there is also a sense of protection she feels for the girl because she has been a part of her life for so long. She feels she needs to protect the family from the young man because he could not truly have their best interest at heart. She is also shocked that he is going against socialization and not thinking, feeling or acting the same as her and his father. She feels he is acting unacceptable because he is acting different. Although, I can see these points but it still really surprises me to think an African American women would be so hateful to him because he was in a relationship with a young white women. I guess you do see that in a lot of mixed relationships now, just as much as the other their parents may not be fully accepting of it. I feel as the generations go and my children’s children have kids that this will be much more accepting. The white and black lines are being blurred by biracial children and thus we will see a lot more acceptance in every situation concerning biracial relationships. I do believe that this scene added a different aspect to the movie, not just a seriousness of opinion but some humor as well. It really gives an aspect of what others beside just the mothers, fathers and the young couple feel of the situation.
ReplyDelete-mysonmyworld004
I found it quite interesting from the very beginning of this movie Tillie was against John even being close to her little Joey because of his skin color. Instead of congratulating him on breaking social norms she was in shock and lost her temper with him. I don’t know what Tillie was thinking or her inner thoughts were towards the happy couple let alone the betrayal she must have felt from John. I can just assume that she felt her race was being betrayed. Black people had their place in society and he was shaking the foundation which they had built up from slavery. The way Tillie was acting was like she was upset that such a scandalous thing would ever happen to her little girl. Even at the end of the movie she seemed to not approve even though both sets of parents gave their approval. I believe this shows that as much as white people had to accept black people for where they were in the world at that time the blacks in return had to accept where they were or either challenge themselves like John did or stay in denial like Tillie did. Tillie, I believe, thought John was a young heathen boy that was looking for something instead of actually being in love with Johanna. She probably thought that young men like him didn’t appreciate all their ancestors and race had to go through to get their race to where they were at that time. This is a perfect example that Tillie thought John was deviant. Now, in today’s society it isn’t looked at as deviant but unapproved or not normal for social class or social rules, but for my generation our blood is the same color and I believe we are becoming more accepting. One day roles will change people’s race and class will change. There will always be racism, history proves that, yet we can make ourselves personally open our eyes to the reality that were all humans struggling to survive in our own way. ~BabyB004
ReplyDeleteI observed the same behavior from Tillie at the end of the movie. Tillie seemed very stubborn with her beliefs. For some reason I can't help but think it has a lot to do with Tillie's capacity. People who step up against wrongs, such as society's injustice to black Americans, tend to be educated people with higher knowledge and thus higher expectations. Tillie's reaction makes her appear very uneducated. -004kylegoldheart
DeleteThere are couple of things going on in this scene one of which could be used to describe the actions of Tillie, the black maid.
ReplyDeleteFirst Tillie was exhibits negative prejudice toward Dr. John Prentice without really knowing anything about him. Tillie arrived at her concludes based on stereotypes from young people during that time frame in her community and around the nation. These stereotypes viewed some young black males as womanizers and pimps. Also during that time the Black Panther movement was perceived as being trouble makers in the black communities in urban cities. Dr. Prentice was dressed well in a suit which was commonly wear by members of both groups.
On the other hand Dr. Prentice was patronizing Tillie with his response to her questions, “What are you trying to do here boy?” His answer,” I’m trying to get me a wife”. The next question,” what type of doctor you supposed to be anyhow?” His response, “a horse doctor.” This was showing his higher education status over Tillie. In a joking way
I would even say that there is some institutional prejudice was displayed by Tillie. Her viewpoint of Dr. Prentice. In Tillie’s life time it was very hard for a black person to have achieved the position of a doctor. Her way of thinking was passed on from generation to generation. During the 1960’s there was a cultural change that give way to ethnocentrism within the U.S. Young black people stated thinking about the way they were treated in many areas while older blacks afraid to express their viewpoints and experiences and the experiences of their parents. Tillie’s comments mirrored those fears and her protection of Joey ‘Joanna Drayton”.
Buckrogers004
Tillie's point of view was clouded by her experience in the world as she knew it. society was heavily segregated & any contact between races was purely for "business" purposes. Blacks were not seen as equal to & thus did not fraternize with whites & vice versa. The fact that Joey & Dr Prentiss genuinely cared about each other on an equal & personal level was something she could not fathom. From a motherly stand point I believe she thought she was protecting the child she raised from an older man who was out to play on her naivety to push his own social agenda. I also believe that in her own way, she was halfway trying to protect Dr. Prentiss. Meaning, that she knew what kind of consequences there were out there (in her day) for blacks that tried to operate equally around & with whites.
ReplyDeleteEven though Dr Prentiss was comical and sarcastic in his response and dealings w/ Tillie, I don't think that it's because he doesn't take her seriously. In order to achieve the level of things he had to achieve he had to encounter and overcome a great deal of prejudice and doubts of his intelligence & ability. Most of this coming from white people. I think his reaction to Tillie was based on her level of ignorance & the shock of having to face the same prejudice & doubt from a fellow black person. ToyaO'Connor004
I think Tilly is very protective of joey and that he knows that they will have a hard life if they were to get married. Tilly thinks that all of this is just a joke and that he can have an easy life because if he marry her. She feels that all of this is a joke. I am not sure if tilly thinks that he is coming in to make a point and get the public to see and make a change because she said to him that “she is not sure what he is trying to do but if he was trying to make a point it will not work” when really he is just in love. Tilly knows what it is like to work for a white family and she knows what it’s like sit there and hear them talk about African Americans. So for him to just walk in the house act like it’s not a big deal to be African American and marrying a white women l really bothers her.
ReplyDelete-Boop004-
This clip made me think about social stratification. Tillie talks about how he is no good and trying to just move up in social class by marring Joanna. What is ironic about that is John is in a higher social class than Tillie herself. The Draytons were definitely a higher class white family, but John is a very well respected doctor. So he is clearly in a much higher class as well. I thought it was a little insulting to John for Tillie to be attacking him like that. I get that she is the maid and she took care of Joanna when she was growing up but it is still ridiculous to say he was only in it for the possible movement up in social class. I think this clip also does a good job of showing one of the big issues behind racism, which is social stratification. We get racism when one group thinks they are better than others. When Tillie was going after John it was because he was black. She didn’t know anything about him other than that. The other thing this video made me think of was ethnicity, because ethnicity is how we culturally identify while race is what we are biologically. Although Tillie is racially African American I think she acted more like a stereotypical white person from that era. She looked down on John because he was black. I’m not completely sure if she got mad when they said Monsignor Ryan was coming to dinner or not but I do remember when she was really mad that the Prentices were going to be there. Yet again Tillie was angry about more African Americans but not as worried about another white person being there. I think that Tillie herself was a little bit racist towards African Americans throughout the film.
ReplyDelete-DTH004
I can agree with some of what you are expressing. I can agree with you about how this scene was a great example of social stratification. Tillie seems to think that John is attempting to work at getting a higher status by marrying into it. On the other hand, I disagree with Tillie being racist. Even if she is, you can't really blame her. She has lived a life where she knew where she stood on the social hierarchy. She has been a servant to the Drayton's for most of her time. She can't help but say what she has to say and do what she has to do to protect not only Joey and herself, but also the family alone. -Happy004
DeleteI agree with you how ridiculous it really is for Tillie to say that he was using Joanna or her family in any way to increase his social standing. He is obviously an accredited doctor and doesn't need them to further his life, as Tillie assumes. You said it exactly right that racism only occurs when one race thinks their better than another or a race thinks their inferior. In this case, Tillie assumes he is low class looking for the next best gig just because he is black. It's ironic that the colored maid is the most racist in the movie, in my opinion. She definitely acted like a stereotypical white woman, more so than how we would expect her to act. I'm sure that's how her character was written and intended to come across, but that just shows so much more deeper meaning from that era.
Delete-chillato004
Tilly is looking out for and doing her best to protect the little white girl she raised. She as a black housekeeper for a rich white family back in the 1960's has to be suspicious of anyone or anything that can create complications to her race. It was not common and in fact illegal in many states for there to be interracial marriages. That can be a scary thing to have to deal with and to have Black power going on at the same time. She is just being extra cautious. bdole004
ReplyDeleteThis scene show how much Tillie really does love and care for Joanna. She does not know John at all, and probably thinks that he just want to be with Joanna, because her family has money. From another view of this scene Tillie also knows if John and Joanna were to get married they would have a hard time and be looked upon in a badly by society. I think Tillie is just really coming at this conversation just like Mr. prentice was minus the part about her calling him not good looking. Tillie is basically just like another mother to Joanna, and does not want to see he get her heart broken by some random guy she just meet. This happens today a girl gets wowed by some smooth talking guys who sweeps a girl off her feet marries her take her money and leaves never to be seen again. So I think that Tillie has every right to suspicious of John saying that he is a doctor that she just meet on vacation. I still think that Tillie had maybe jumped to conclusions a little too quickly, and didn’t really take the time to talk to John before she had confronted him.
ReplyDelete-CFC004
Tillie was like a second mother to Joey. She was like the momma bear defending her daughter. Tillie wanted the best for Joey and did not want her to get taken advantage of. Tillie was one of the first people to here about the engagement of the the couple and how fast it was going to happen. She even was against the whole arrangement until Joey's father gave the speech on how he felt about the marriage. She had the right to be upset since the couple only knew each other for a week before trying to make that decision. She didn't believe that he was a doctor and attacked him even though he made enough money to support Joey and himself. Another defense for Tillie is that it was a culture shock to her since she has never seen any interracial couple that is close to her.
ReplyDelete-Kitsune004
An openly compelling scene this was. The scene revealed the elements of social stratification, prejudice, racism, and also their status with each other. The funny thing, John is at a higher social rank than what Tillie is ranked as. John is an accomplished man with a high level of education, while Tillie is just a servant who serves for the Draytons. In this scene, Tillie, assertively walks in on John and warns him of what she will do to him if he hurts Joey. She seems to think that John has alternative motives to marrying Joey and joining a white high socially ranked family. I think that she has her suspicions because she does not see many people of her color being highly ranked and obviously in the time then, people wouldn’t marry a different race if they knew what was ahead of them; the prejudice and difficulties soon to approach them once they are married. Also, she knew what she was saying and doing without a doubt, but the reason she did what she did was because she is passionate about the Drayton family. She was trying to protect not only the Draytons, but she was protecting herself and the idea of her race too. The idea that John, a black male would destroy the reputation of colored people in the eyes of the Draytons and that it could possibly somehow affect Tillie. A significant thought that I would like to point out is that although Tillie is a servant to the Draytons, she is accepted as a part of the Drayton family too. She was a notable character throughout the film. Although it wasn’t evident, her attitude did matter. It was seen that Joey kind of neglected her standpoint about the situation, this scene shows an opposite spectrum of that neglection; displaying the importance of Tillie’s judgement. -Happy004
ReplyDeleteThis entire scene is a good way of showing no matter if two people share a common race it does not mean they are the same person or are brought up the same way. Tillie was the first person in the film to use the N word and this could be because she feels comfortable talking to a fellow black person with this type of language but it also show a class difference. John was raced to be a “colored man” and to be respected by everyone no matter their background. And till who is a hard working house maid has been raised and lives around a life style that there is still a big difference between black people and white people. In the beginning of the movie the white parents did not question the fact that John was a Dr. They immediately showed him great respect and did not question his background (until he said he wanted to marry their daughter) but Tilly was not shy to ask “what kind of doctor you suppose to be anyways.” It does show another separation of class and in the same race community. Tilly does not believe right off the bat that a black man can be a doctor. Tilly being a nanny and house maid for a white family for 20 plus years has conditioned her to believe that is all that is out there are a black person to do job wise. She also isn’t sugar coating anything. Which frankly is what I love about the black community today. You don’t have to worry about what people are saying behind your back because they will tell you right then and there. It s a freedom in expression I think a lot of white people, to be blunt, don’t have. It saddens me that race is still such an issue and that we can watch a movie from the 60’s and STILL relate it to the racial discrimination and division happening in today’s society.
ReplyDeleteKtKay004
The scene between Tillie and John is very powerful and speaks to the fact she felt the same way as the whites of that era about a black man being with a white woman. I think her view point is two things assimilation and culture. Culture is our life experiences which help shape our way of thinking and acting. Tillie had adopted the patterns of the dominant culture which is assimilation. Tillie was raised in a socieaty that said that it was illegal for a person of color to marry a white person. Till thought that John was trying to get ahead by marrying Joey also the he was getting above himself thinking he was equal to a white person. She didn't think that he was a real doctor. Also because of John's race his social ranking was lower than Joey and her family. Tillie was very protected of Joey because she had taken care of her since she was a baby. I think it was a culture shock for Tillie. I am sure that she could not believe that a black man would be trying to marry a white woman. Tillie called him the N word and boy which are racial remarks. I realize that a lot of what Tillie felt and thought was because of her life experience with race and race relation. It was all the things she had been thought that were wrong. She had been told her whole life that blacks were second class citizens and were not equal to whites. She felt that John was out of order and should know better than to think that he could marry a white girl and that her parents would except the marriage. Tillie also made me think of the old mammy from slavery and their being very protected of the children in there care. wonderwoman004
ReplyDeleteI can agree with this scene being powerful. Yes Tillie appeared to be prejudice against her race. and did not understand a black man can marry or date a white woman and vice versus. Back in that day and age that behavior was frown upon and even today its still frown upon. In my opinion, it a couple is in a biracial relationship and they love each other wihtout a doubt, no one should intervene and steal there joy. We are all alike in so many ways, we all bleed the same blood, we are just a different color. I don't believe Tillie thought John was equal to the Joey and her family due to the fact she stated he was a gold digger and was out for money. Tillie was clearly racist and the words that came out of her mouth proved it all. She even used the N word in a strong tone. Either way it goes, Tillie should not judge a book by its cover.~Mznurse004
DeleteThe maid Tillie's display in this scene is the epitome of living inside the proverbial "box." Society's box to be specific. Though America is not a country who pride's itself on the practices of a rigid caste system, Tillie's response to a successful, man of color almost suggests that she believes in this type of system. Tillie goes as far as to question the integrity of his work by suggestively asking: "What kind of doctor are you anyway?" It is clear that society at this time establish a stigma of successful people vs black people. Social mobility, or the ability for someone to change his or her position within the social hierarchy, was not often exercised by black people during these times. As Tillie says in this clip, if you did exercise social mobility, you were considered " smooth-talking, trouble-making, black power n-----." This movie was released in 1967, just 3 short years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted. Of course, though you had your Rosa Parks and MLK's, there were still many black people who believed standing up for yourself was not something to be proud of. Tillie's display resembled that of many conservative and conforming black Americans during this time. As time would prove change/improvement did not come from people who shared the beliefs of Tillie.
ReplyDeleteThe maid Tillie's display in this scene is the epitome of living inside the proverbial "box." Society's box to be specific. Though America is not a country who pride's itself on the practices of a rigid caste system, Tillie's response to a successful, man of color almost suggests that she believes in this type of system. Tillie goes as far as to question the integrity of his work by suggestively asking: "What kind of doctor are you anyway?" It is clear that society at this time establish a stigma of successful people vs black people. Social mobility, or the ability for someone to change his or her position within the social hierarchy, was not often exercised by black people during these times. As Tillie says in this clip, if you did exercise social mobility, you were considered " smooth-talking, trouble-making, black power n-----." This movie was released in 1967, just 3 short years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted. Of course, though you had your Rosa Parks and MLK's, there were still many black people who believed standing up for yourself was not something to be proud of. Tillie's display resembled that of many conservative and conforming black Americans during this time. As time would prove change/improvement did not come from people who shared the beliefs of Tillie. -004kylegoldheart
ReplyDeleteI love how in the beginning of this clip, he is so modest covering up his chest which is the only thing exposed. Fifty years ago that was appropriate behavior, as other people, especially strangers would find it very awkward for both parties to see a man exposed that way. Fast forward to 2016, and this is rampant everywhere you look. People are no longer covering up their bodies, but showing off just about everything they can to either get a reaction or because "sex sells." On another note, I find it extremely ironic that the colored maid is really the one being the most racist and unaccepting in this movie, in my opinion. Saying that he just wanted to marry into a rich family and have a rich wife to better his life is really quite ridiculous. While obviously, race played a more important factor in social class than I feel it does today, he was in a high social class being a well respected doctor. Understandable as well that Tillie wants to protect Joey because she's taken care of her her whole life, but she needs to be a tad more reasonable. It is amusing how he plays off her criticisms and accusations with humor and sarcasm. It's about all you could do in the situation. Nonetheless, it's rude for her to say he's playing some sort of trick on Joanna's parents or trying to have some "self righteous black power" by wanting to marry their daughter. Obviously Tillie had just met him, but he clearly loves Joey and doesn't want to just monetize off her or get some sort of special privilege. They knew that they were going to face many different obstacles and were willing to see through and over come those things because they really do love each other and don't see each other as just "white" or "black".
ReplyDelete-chillato004
Yes, John is a very modest man. He never gets mad or raises his voice at Tillie even with her saying a lot of bad things about him. She does not know him but she judged him because of the color of his skin. wonderwoman004
DeleteThis scene is very powerful and is an eye opener to certain things. Tillie has really proven to be slightly racist against her own race as well as jealous. She immediately took defense when she saw him, especially because he was African American. She didn't even know him, but yet stereotyped. She made an assumption that he was out for money. She didn't know he was a well educated man with a degree. I just can not understand why she didn't like him and that was her first time meeting him. To top it off, she barged in the room, invaded the mans privacy and did not have the decency to apologize and walk back out of the room, she continued to do what sh sought out to do. In my opinion tillie is rude, obnoxious, crazy and jealous. She needed to get a grip on life and give the guy a chance. People like Tillie gives African Americans a bad name. I'm not sure if its because she has been with that family for over 20 years, regardless, she had no right to treat John the way that she did. She used that statement black power and the way her behavior was she should not have those two words roll off her tongue. I'm somewhat angry about that particular scene, but I have to realize that was the day and age where prejudice was practiced and one had to be a certain race to live life. It's even happening to this day. Bottom line, people should not judge a book by its cover or stereotype.~Mznurse004
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