By Vasia Nagarajah
Desmond Cole’s memoir, “The Skin We’re In”, and Jordan Peele’s award-winning movie, “Get out”, makes us rethink about the experiences of black men and gives the audience an insight into their lives living in the US and Canada. Each work helps us gain an understanding about the societal experience of growing up as a black person in a white majority community. Through the movie and the book, we realize that places such as Canada and the US are not as revolutionized as we think they are. The racism in the society can be seen clearly, and it has not improved. Cole and Peele convey the relationship that black men have with Canadian and US society through the stereotypes, the complexities and explore the theme of systemic racism. This essay will examine the specific aspects of the black male experience portrayed in both works by discussing the experiences of black men in different countries and by analyzing the systemic racism.
In the film “Get out”, the protagonist, Chris, who visits his girlfriend’s white family home, gets himself into an uncomfortable situation. At first, Chris already knew that was he was about to get into was not going to be great, but the environment is what made it worse. He was at a garden party hosted by his girlfriend’s parents, and it was filled with white people. They kept invading his privacy, touching him, and making comments about Chris’s body. All those comments are just another form of racism, but they think that by saying things more obviously, it would make them seem like they are not trying to discriminate against him. In addition, Chris already suspected all the black people that are included in the white community because they do not act, speak, dress, or behave anything “like a black person”. Once he noticed it, he called his friend and explained it since he was so weirded out by how they acted like “white people”. Chris tries hard to fit in with the family by changing his mannerism and even the way he speaks when he is surrounded by the white community.
In the book “The skin we’re in”, the author describes the disadvantages of a black individual living in a white-dominated society. There is this quote that stuck to me from the book, which was: “You can’t ask people who have been oppressed their whole lives to forget that and to ignore the fact that it might be happening again” (Cole 2). This is a painful reminder that black people always need to have their guards up no matter where they are because that is how they were always taught to be. Another painful memory that Cole tells us is something that his black friend experienced. Cole uses an example of police brutality that John Samuels went through. John, who was simply enjoying his New Year’s Eve, got interrupted by the police, who later used force on him. John got charged with assault toward the police, which did not even happen, and this crime conviction has caused him serious damage from which he cannot even recover. By reading this vivid narration by Cole, he exposes the systemic racism ingrained in Canadian society.
In addition, we can also examine the portrayal of masculinity portrayed in “Fight Club” and how It relates to “The skin we’re in” and “Get out”. In “Fight Club”, the main character, who understands that people have expectations for men to be masculine, rejects these ideas. Just like in the book, Cole discusses the way black men are always stereotyped by society and in the movie, we see how the white community dehumanizes black men, in these works, they all reject the societal expectation of masculinity that they are surrounded by. Through the comparison, we get a better understanding of how masculinity is related to systemic racism.
To conclude, “The skin we’re in” and “Get out” provide the audience with the perspective of black men living in the US and Canada. Both works highlight the challenges that they have experienced while living in white dominated societies. After analyzing these works, I got a deeper understanding of the details of how systemic racism can be experienced similarly in different countries.
Bibliography
Cole, Desmond. “‘negro frolicks (January).’” The Skin We’re In, Doubleday Canada, 2020, pp. 1–17
Peele, Jordan, et al. Get Out. Universal Pictures, 2017.
Fight Clubs/Night Clubs 
Your thesis statement could be clearer and more specific. It currently reads as a general statement about the presence of systemic racism rather than a pointed argument about the experiences of Black men in Cole’s and Peele’s works. You do a good job of setting up the comparison between the two works, but make sure to articulate exactly what your essay will argue or explore regarding the experiences of Black men. Consider refining your argument to focus on specific aspects of the Black male experience as depicted in the works, such as the psychological impact of racism or the intersection of race and masculinity.
You’ve made some good connections between the film and the book, but be sure to provide direct quotes to support your points. This will strengthen your argument and demonstrate a close reading of the sources. The quote from Cole’s book is effectively used to illustrate the constant vigilance required by Black individuals. Expand on how Cole’s recounting of John Samuels’ experience with police brutality serves as an indictment of systemic racism in Canada. This is a strong point that warrants further exploration. More instances like this, where you connect evidence to your argument, would enhance your essay.
Your analysis of “Get Out” touches on important themes but could be deepened. When discussing “Get Out,” you mention the garden party scene but do not provide a quote or detailed analysis of how this scene contributes to the film’s portrayal of Black men’s experience.
The transition between discussing “Get Out” and “The Skin We’re In” is abrupt. Consider using transitional phrases to create a smoother flow between different parts of your analysis.
The comparison to “Fight Club” is intriguing, but you should delve deeper into how each work critiques or subverts traditional notions of masculinity. Provide examples from the texts to illustrate these points.
Remember to include page numbers in your in-text citations when quoting directly or paraphrasing from Cole’s book. When you mention specific scenes from “Get Out,” consider including a timestamp for precise reference, although this is less commonly done for films in MLA.
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