"Slave" is currently also a word you're not supposed to use. Jim would have to be described as an enslaved person. Every single place a word that was sidely used by both white and black people then--and is still widely used by many black people today--appears in the book. Jim is hardly brililant (neither is Huck), but he's no dummy. He's basically got a peasant mindset (like my Irish ancestors), and peasants, regardless of color, tend to act like they know less than they really do, constantly looking for an advantage, a way to play tricks on a world always playing tricks on them, wary of being noticed by the powerful. You don't have to make Jim more than he is to see who he is. He's a decent man, looking for freedom, having questions about leaving his family behind, feeling responsible for this poor white boy, abused by his worthless father, fearing the supernatural (as most humans have for most of history). It's not really possible to be sure what he's thinking most of the time. It wouldn't pay for him to be too open about it. I had to read the book several times across my life to realize why the King and the Duke finally got found out, then tarred and feathered. Jim went behind their backs to the townspeople, did his humble act, made them realize they were being made fools of. What happens to them is horrible--but it's a fate they richly deserve, since they were talking about selilng Jim back into slavery (which to Jim would be doubly wrong, since he was never their rightful property even by the twisted laws of the antebellum South--he feels rage that these men who have no real status are treating him as their social inferior when literally nobody could be lower than them). The book isn't all about him. Anymore than it's all about Huck. It's a satire of a whole cross-section of a region Twain knew well--and of human nature itself. But I know very well that people who look back on a past of degradation, which they have at least partly escaped, can feel shame, which then turns to anger, and a desire to hurt anyone who shows them that past. As the Irish Catholic bourgeois turned on the Irish Protestant J.M. Synge for Playboy of the Western World. It works about the same everywhere, and is not a uniquely American phenomenon. It's just that black people today still deal with the aftermath of slavery and Jim Crow laws, so they still object to being reminded of it--even as they look for ways to remind white Americans of it. They want to tell the story exclusively on their own terms. Twain's good intentions are beside the point for many of them. He was a white man, and he had no right. Even though if white people of conscience hadn't kept poking at the nation's conscience, things might be much worse now. If the truth is ugly, all the more reason to tell it. Lies won't help us. Jim would have been called by that word by most people in that time period. And if he lived where I do now, he'd be called that word every day, by other black people. No, it's not the same thing. It's not entirely different. And that word doesn't persist because of Mark Twain. It persists because a colonial mentality (which includes enslavement) takes a very very long time to fade. If it ever does.

The reason I've never understood or enjoyed The Great Gatsby, is the same reason I dislike Wuthering Heights so much. All of the characters are awful people who I cannot root for. The best you can say for the POV character is they are slightly less detestable than the others around them. Which is mostly a result of them being more passive, rather than being more morally upright. I personally think a watered down Nick helps a lot. POV characters should not stray from the lighter side of morally grey. They don't have to be sparkling white, but they need to remain very grounded and not doing anything weirdly vindictive or stupid.

same bro, vanilla sky introduced me to sigur ros. both film and music hold dear to my heart

As soon as you got to "After he (Tom) said this" a commercial came on for "1-800 Contracts" lol

Superb. A superb analysis.

Beautiful! and a lot of love I feel in this video. Thanks

How many times do people have to be told!!! Superman was NOT based on Jesus!!! He was created by 2 Jewish people and based on Moses!!! His ship coming to earth represents moses in the basket on the Nile.

Another great video from my favorite KZbinr thought and word!

Great book. I enjoyed reading it. It made me laugh out loud a few times.

"not your friend" ... immediately states how nick is who wrote the book about gatsby, being the narrator. that seems like a lot of effort to write a book about someone that they were just pretending to be friends with. was there anyone else in gatsby's life who would even care to tell his story let alone write it. coughbullshiicoughvideocough

I never saw him as an unreliable narrator. I have to read it a 4th time. Soon.

OH MY GOD WHY DOES THIS CHANNEL HAVE SO FEW VIEWS!!! I have watched a lot of media analysis channels, but yours has to be the best one I've come across in pure quality. Every one of your videos is so packed with original insights and thoughts. Thank you so much for making these videos even when your channel hasn't gotten anywhere close to the recognition it deserves!

Not only a good review/video essay, it’s also really well-edited & your IRL background is well-lit, good work! Also Happy 2025.

Good video! Happy new year!

In the book, he's an unreliable narrator, stating that he will reserve judgement, only to judge people throughout the chapters. He was a bit of a bystander, but he is honest.

TBH, this isn't the first time we've seen a preschool show that has gotten a lot of praise. Sesame Street already had this praise for being entertaining for its target audiences, as well as teaching them a lot of educational subjects from ABC's to their 123's. But they also never shied away from teaching harsher subjects such as racism, divorce, foster care, or death. So seeing stuff like Bluey feels like something that has been done before.

I enjoyed your review more than the book

I'll tell you what's not your friend. The Toby Leonardo version of The Great Gatsby is not your friend. it's a loud, shiny, overbearing gawdy abomination is what it is, but it's not anyone's friend.

You blame Nick I'm pretty for Gatsbys death? No.

The American Dream! A once daily pill to alleviate your worries! Warning: may cause drowsiness, warped perceptions, and narcissistic hedonism.

No love for Jon Finch??

Great work!

I'm curious what your thoughts are on the catch-22 miniseries? Would you consider it a faithful adaptation?

Oh I'm curious now! Ive never heard of this, how yay, how delightful to find something new with potential!

Huge fan here from Kashmir ❤

Denzel deserves high praise for most of his performance, but some scenes (instructing the murderers; Banquo's ghost) have him rattling off speeches as if he can't wait to be rid of them. But the places where he reminds us that Macbeth is a killer, a thug with great dialogue (dagger; young Siward; Macduff), are golden.

Im going to go out on a limb here and say that the Great Gatsby is a case of the classic reddit "Everyone Sucks Here" verdict.

he a one of a kind actor the best ever

Macbeth is my favorite Shakespeare play, and as soon as I saw this film I knew that Denzel had completely recreated the role. Macbeth performances will now be classified as Before Denzel and After Denzel. He’s that good.

Lowkey overated

👏

Wow! It would take too long to point out the mistakes in this 15-minute clip. The film versions are all weak as well. Just read the book, then reread it.

Nick is so me bro 😭

2 artists who make work that is immediately emotionally affecting yet reward repeated exposure due to their complexity. But that complexity/experimentation is in service of capturing the complexity/insanity of the lived human experience

Classic example of the “unreliable Narrator” trope

Christ saves 🇻🇦✝️

this was so well written! thank you for sharing!

Imma miss you teach

Okay so this is 100% an instance of me talking about this on the phone and it showing up, but I personally did see the ick of Nick as it were in Baz Lerman's film. It is kinda disappointing to hear it wasn't super intentional. On top of the judgement, he has no loyalties, and stands for nothing.

This is amazing where could i find more like this i feel so open minded and feel like I’ve seen a whole new perspective, I’ve always loved the art of literature and this video is a pure specimen of it!

Thanks. Movie held hostage by AppleTVplus. Probably break down and pay to see the movie.

The idea that Nick telling you that he is honest is suspicious and that you should automatically distrust him is just stupid.

Once again, Nick's supposed likeability and goodness is unfairly supported by the framing narrative of the book being presented as an exercise in the sanatorium: the doctor has to be the one to administer the idea, rather than Nick doing it himself. Were Nick to simply choose to write his memoir, it might imply a greater degree of intentionality in his actions and ego in his countenance; those who choose to write books about themselves are often scrutinized regarding their egos, and questioned as to why they wrote the book in the first place.

I feel like its almost inevitable with the way were going living our lives with toasters on our faces unaware of the enviroment around us and with ai constantly evolving well were setting ourselves up for death nothing more nothing less

10/10

Love what you said at the end. His judgement for greatness or lack thereof is telling. We aren’t better or worse, just different.

As a historian IRL, I sas very pleased to see some Shakespeare's own historical context brought in. That doesn't happen enough. Well done all around!

Lovely essay!!

Denzel Washington has a talent for Shakespeare