After revisiting the movie Django Unchained, I have nothing but admiration for the creativity and genius of filmmaker Quentino Tarantino. The characters, the dialogue and the violent cruelness of some scenes make it a classic tribute to Western films past. And the main theme song, an original from the 1966 film Django, should be tops on any list of western theme songs.
The genius is recognizable right from the beginning, when Tarantino inserts slavery, race and revenge into the plot along with his uniquely hinted humor. To watch a Tarantino film is to sit back, suspend belief, and let your senses take in an unfiltered collage of place, time, peoples and circumstances.
If nothing else, Tarantino should be remembered as the filmmaker who revolutionized the "N"-word in film. From an older generation, who rightly attach so much violent hatred to this word, hats off to a younger generation for somewhat declawing the word and rendering it less harmful by using it in a fraternal/brotherly context.
But to know the history of the word is to know what a person today means when using it. One should know the social context associated with how a person addresses another. When it comes to the "N"-word, its history alone distorts its use and meaning today.
Personally, I do not use the word. But I'm more aware and sensitive to the manner in which someone addresses me than the words they use to address me. Yes, words matter. But as we have seen with the "N"-word, when a word is used in a slang context, its social relevance has been altered by those using it in that context. Meanwhile, those so offended by the ugly history associated with the word continue to find its use in any context offensive.
As for Quentino Tarantino's over the top use of the "N"-word in his films, I believe his creative artistry puts the viewer's thoughts and conscience on trial, where he/she is the judge/jury/plaintiff/defendant all wrapped up into one. Each viewer must battle with their own inner feelings about how the word was used and what emotions arose in them by hearing its use over and over again. I doubt those who find the word vulgar regardless of context can comfortably sit through a Tarantino film. Then again, maybe Tarantino is all about making viewers uncomfortable about violent and cruel behaviors that were once acceptable.
Chattel Slavery was legal in what is now the United States of America for 246 years.
Do remember, Django is a creation of historical fiction for entertainment purposes. It is you, as a living, breathing being with a mind, body and emotions tethered to your own history that movies like Django can awaken awareness in. There is so much more to this classic Western movie than just one word. But without the "N"-word's use, in its slavery-era context, I doubt this film would have had and continues to have such an impact on its viewing audience.
Analyzing Evil: Stephen From Django Unchained
Not you, Stephen. You right where you belong
note: for my late brother Will, who loved Westerns and enjoyed every moment of watching Django!
I thought about that scene when I saw the old clip from the Ricky Lake show where two Black men are arguing about racism. One is speaking honestly about still feeling the weight of profiling and discrimination. The other says racism may exist but we should just ignore it and focus on Black people harming each other instead.
Both are reacting to the same history, but from very different places.
One says you can acknowledge racism and still strive, still build, still succeed while understanding the system you’re navigating. The other says success requires pretending the system doesn’t exist at all.
But the deeper issue is how the conversation turns inward and becomes a fight between us. That’s the legacy that stretches all the way back to slavery. Systems that conditioned people to compete, distrust, and police one another while the larger structure remained intact.
Stephen’s anger at Django wasn’t just a character moment. It was a metaphor. Internalized hierarchy can make people defend the very structure that once oppressed them. And when that conditioning carries forward through generations, the argument becomes less about the system and more about each other.
The real challenge isn’t deciding whether racism exists or pretending it doesn’t. The challenge is recognizing the history of how we were conditioned and refusing to let that conditioning turn us against each other.
Awareness and success are not opposites. You can acknowledge reality and still rise above it.
Disclaimer: This post contains commentary on historical themes, media, and social dynamics for educational and discussion purposes.
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