Expanding on Gerald


     Being that Gerald is the only Black character, there is pressure to make him an example of what most people think the entire Black community is. I think to make Gerald’s character better the writers should expand on his personality. They should make him more than just the token friend and cool kid; I’d like to see more of his academic interests for instance. In addition, it would also be a great idea to make Gerald a bit less hostile and selfish. That is yet again another stereotype against the Black community. As an African American myself, when I see Black characters on the screen, I like to see their flaws, passions, values, goals, and quirks. Not only does it make a character more enjoyable but it provides an accurate representation of Black people. Though we share very similar experiences, we are all different, and that should be exemplified. If these changes were to happen, Gerald would not be such a flat character. 

Comments

  1. TgibbsFebruary 4, 2022 at 12:53 PM

    I totally agree that seeing more aspects of black characters on the screen makes me feel seen and represented, and media owes that to everyone. Looks really good!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sources for WP4

 One of the most vital parts of my essay are the sources that I utilize. I am using a mixture of primary sources with some secondary sources. In order for my audience to get a thorough understanding on the life of Chairman Hampton and how he affects history (in terms of understanding how society came to be and being inspired to create a change), they need first hand evidence. Throughout my paper, I use sources such as family interviews/personal accounts, newspapers, Federal Bureau of Investigation documents to begin. These primary sources give my audience a more intimate, personal view into the life of Fred Hampton. In addition, they serve as a very solid support for a claim; it is difficult to argue against firsthand evidence. Along with the primary sources, I have utilized sources that detail how the FBI played a significant role in Hampton's death. During this process, it has actually been pretty difficult to find sources for this paper. I think that further strengthens the idea...
Read more

Gerald-- It's a Black Thang Baby

Image
     In the 90s cartoon Hey Arnold! , there are all sorts of characters that many people adore. For those who aren't familiar with the classic, Hey Arnold! surrounds the daily life of a kid named Arnold and his neighborhood friends. In this show, I personally enjoy the character Gerald, although I would like him better if he weren’t a positive stereotype. I believe television shows and films usually have some sort of positive stereotype in order to make the character(s) in the show or movie more digestible to audiences. Gerald is a black kid and the best friend of the protagonist Arnold. He often is left to over-exemplify Black culture, and that leads to his main character trait being Black (check out this video of Gerald's ideas for the name of a community  party ) . Gerald has no other character depth besides him being a so-called cool black kid. Gerald is a good character because he is a great friend to Arnold and other characters, but he’s loved by many of his f...
Read more