A House Divided (Discussion of the Movie)

A House Divided

Question Number One

The movie, A House Divided, is based on a true story which took place during ante-bellum south in the mid 1800. The movie is a Post Civil War drama that finds Amanda America Dixon returning to her southern plantation home to discover that she is the sole inheritor to a vast cotton empire. Soon, however, she stumbles upon a revelatory secret - though she was raised by her father and grandmother to be the toast of white society, she is actually the daughter of a black slave who was her father's lover. The movie is based on the novel “Woman of Color, Daughter of Privilege” written by Kent Anderson. The tale begins at the Dickson family plantation in Georgia where Julia, a black, “smart and fearless” girl, is brought as a slave. David Dickson, the owner of the plantation is attracted towards Julia and fulfills his sexual desire. Eventually, Julia gives birth to Amanda; a light skinned baby who looks white. David’s mother Elizabeth raised Amanda as her own grandchild. Julia works with David so that Amanda can have all his property after his death and live a better life. But after David’s death, his will of Amanda taking all his estate is contested by his brother Henry Dickson. Charles Dubose, “an idealist lawyer”, fought Amanda’s case leading her to the right of inheriting her fathers estate.

Throughout the movie various topics such as spirit of rebellion, sexual exploitation, issue of identity, and historical stereotypes of the woman slave in the Antebellum South have been addressed. Spirit of rebellion is shown in the movie not only by Julia but also by David, Elizabeth, and Amanda. Julia, unlike other slave girls, opposes the sexual molestation enforced upon her by mater David on numerous occasions. She is also rebellious when she gives up her child Amanda. It was her wish for Amanda to live freely and have a life unlike hers. When she saw Elizabeth wrap her child in white linen, she knew that she would be accepted as her...