Media And Psychology Spike Lee s Chi Raq - 1404 Words

Tabitha Pyatt DPI #2 Media and Psychology Spike Lee’s Chi-Raq is a satire melodrama that is a modern-day adaptation of Aristophanes’ Greek comedy Lysistrata written in 411 BC. The film is about the nonstop bloodshed occurring in Southside Chicago and various women who decide to withhold physical affection, particularly sex, from their husbands and significant others as punishment for the unrelenting gun violence. The women who spark this protest are the girlfriends of two rival Chicago gangs: Cyclops and Spartans. This protest essentially leads to a â€Å"battle of the sexes† where women refuse access to their bodies and adopt a new identity of empowerment while men feel that they are being wrongfully punished for the offenses of a percentage†¦show more content†¦Many of the female characters, like Lysistrata, are heavily valued based on their physical appearance which highlights the oversexualization of women in the 21st century as well as foreshadows the protest that takes place later in the film. Lee uses the casting of this film to emphasize the generational gap that exist between the community. There is contrast in the attitudes, interests and values held in both generations. While the older generation seeks to put an end to violence and emphasize education, the millennials are shown as a group that places high value on gang affiliation, rap music, sex and respect. Lee does an amazing job of going into the dynamics of the rival gangs an d casts gang members who has been affected in separate ways. While many members of the Spartans and Cyclops are still healthy and able-bodied, there are also gang members who are in wheelchairs and use walkers from being shot and use their position to persuade their fellow gang members to change their ways. The music contributed heavily to setting the tone and mood throughout the film. The film opens with Nick Cannon rapping â€Å"Pray 4 My City† which discusses the deaths, violence and hardships faced in Chicago. He talks about the hate in his city but also the faith he has in the city he loves. Most of the songs in this film specifically refer to the struggles of Chicago. Spike Lee’s screenwriting of Chi-Raq is unique in that it varies through verbal messages, song