May
10
Blog #153 – Reactions to the movie, Race
Race is a multi-layered film about a famous African American athlete, Jesse Owens, coming into his own on the Ohio State University track team, running the 100 and 200 yard dashes and doing the long jump as well. He encounters much bigotry and racism as he struggles to establish himself as the #1 college athlete in the country, and then the #1 athlete in the world. However, the Olympics in 1936 are held in Berlin, and Hitler hopes to make those games the showcase for German / Aryan superiority. Owens shatters that myth by winning four gold medals.
Please answer three of the following questions:
- Describe Jesse’s relationship with his coach, Larry Snyder. Is Larry racist? What drives Larry to push Jesse to do great things?
- How does Jesse’s relationship with German long jumper Luz transcend the racial and political tensions of the Olympic Games in 1936?
- Describe examples of the racism that Jesse and other black athletes faced in both Ohio in the 1930s and in Berlin in 1936.
- Describe the conflict between the German filmmaker, Leni Riefenstahl and German Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels. Why is there tension between Riefenstahl and Goebbels?
- How does the film portray Jesse Owens as a complex character? Use specific examples from the film.
- Examine the multiple meanings of the word, race, included in this film. Use specific examples from the film.
Minimum 300 words for all three answers combined. Due by Thursday, May 11 by 11:59 p.m.
Fact-checking the movie – https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/race/
Jesse and his coach have a good relationship. Considering Jesse is in Ohio alone from his family because of his track talents, Larry defends Jesse’s position at the school against other coaches and players who are very racist. Jesse respects his coach a lot, and basically refuses to race in Germany unless Larry is there. That being said, the two have very different lived experiences, and Larry is not racist, but he is unaware of the responsibilities and difficulties Jesse has as a black person. Larry says he’ll force Jesse to go to the Olympics even if he decides not to when the NAACP asks him to not attend because of the Nazi policy of white superiority. Larry cannot fully understand the debate inside Jesse’s head because he can’t experience what Jesse has experienced which would influence his decisions. As Jesse may see attendance as allowing Nazism while debating attending, Larry is very confused as to why Jesse would not attend. This is because he can’t experience the racism in the US that Jesse does, and he can’t fully understand how not going to the Olympics is what some want. Larry drives Jesse to greatness because of his own inability to do so in his running career. Larry wasn’t able to compete at the Olympics, and so he really wants that opportunity for Jesse, and for him not to throw it away.
3. Examples of racism in Ohio were the white football athletes not wanting the black athletes in the locker room, not wanting them to shower before the white people do, and the movie also tells us that black athletes aren’t allowed on the football team. During some practices, and during meets, people try to distract Jesse and the other black runners by using racist remarks. In Germany, racism included the German officials not shaking hands with Jesse after he wins because he’s black. The other officials also don’t like that Jesse is winning, and Hitler also doesn’t shake Jesse’s hand, instead leaving early to avoid it.
6. The title “Race” has multiple meanings. The literal meaning of the fact that its about a track athlete who races, and the second, but just as important meaning of the word race to show the experiences Jesse experiences as a black athlete. The first meaning is to show the talent that Jesse had, and his work on the track, which led to him winning 4 gold medals in 1936. The meaning of race as skin color is to indicate the racism that Jesse and others faced at Ohio state(in this movie), and the racism against black people and jewish people at the Olympics in Germany. German officials don’t congratulate Jesse, and they also force the American team to drop their 2 jewish runners in the 4×100 meter event, which Jesse entered, and won, showing that the officials racism couldn’t win over the track talent Jesse Owens, and the US, had at the time.
Jesse and Snyder often clash because they both have different views and experiences of the world. In an argument between Jesse and Snyder, Snyder tells Jesse that race doesn’t matter. Jesse claps back by telling Snyder that he doesn’t understand because he’s white, this is true. With that being said I don’t think Snyders racist i just think he’s blinded by lack of first hand racism and privilege. As the movie progresses Snyder increasingly begins standing up for Jessee in racist situations. A key factor in Larry And Jesse’s relationship is that they push each other. When they see each other cheating himself/cutting themselves short they call them out. Synder also sees himself in Jessie in a way. Jesse is a way from Snyder to experience the olympics he missed out on.
Jesse and Luz both are unhappy with inequality in their country. Luz and Jesse have been pitted against by their own counties. Jessee gets called slurs and is discriminated against at home and people in Germany tried to sabotage Luz by trying to get a girl to sleep with him. Luz and Jesse bond over their discontentment and disappointment. Also Luz treats Jessee as an equal as a person and opponent. As the olympic games takes place the Nazi regime is active, which Luz openly opposes. In America racism is prevalent. Overall Both countries have domestic issues during the game.
5. The film portrays Jesse as a complex character by showing his humanity. The film doesn’t sugar coat Jesse’s life showing his affair and inner turmoil. In the beginning Jesse cheats on his finance after losing himself in all the fame. Later after resolving things Jesse is conflicted by participation in the Olympic games. African Americans around Jessee encouraged him not to, to show support for jews in germany. At the same time others encourage him to attend, to show Nazi Germany what he’s capable of. Jesse also has the pressure of his former opponent Eulace who wants Jesse to go in his place, and his two jewish etamates Marty and sam. Overall Jesse continuously makes complex decisions.
2. Luz Long was a long jumper representing Germany and went head to head against Jesse Owens for the gold medal. Luz takes his final jump but messes up and Jesse capitalizes on Luz’s mistake and wins gold. After Jesse’s win, Luz and Jesse take a victory lap together right in front of Hitler and leaders of the Nazi Party. During this time period, the Nazi’s held strong beliefs about Aryan superiority over blacks/Jews so for Germany’s best long jumper to openly oppose racism was a shocking move. Luz did not believe in the same racist values as his government did and by running with Jesse put his beliefs on display for many Germans to see.
3. While Jesse was at Ohio State, he and his fellow runners faced racial discrimination from the football team. While Jesse would be trying to practice, he would constantly be heckled by the football team watching him. Though they all went to the same school, the white football players tossed racist remarks towards Jesse. Another example was when the track team was in the locker room and the football team came in acting as though they owned the whole locker room. The football coach and players were screaming at Jesse and his teammates to leave even though the two teams shared locker rooms. In Berlin after Jesse had won his gold medals, Hitler refused to shake hands with Jesse. The leader of the host nation typically shakes hands with a gold medalist but due to Hitlers belief in racial inequality, he refused to shake hands with a black man.
6. The word race in the movie represents Jesse’s racial appearance and Jesse physically racing. The physical race aspect of the movie is pretty obvious, Jesse Owens is a world class track runner who competes in the Olympics. The other meaning of Race refers to the racial issues presented in this movie and how Jesse Owens overcame barriers set upon him. During the 30’s when the movie takes place, black people in the US and Germany face racial discrimination. When the Olympics were held in 1936 were held in Nazi Germany, a black man competed and won 4 gold medals on German soil, destroying a belief that blacks are inferior to whites.
2. In Germany especially, there is the expectation and social precedent that people of color and of other nationalities should not celebrate with white Germans. The celebration of Owens and German competitor Luz is a show of heartwarming sportsmanship but it crosses these expected boundaries. This angers the German leaders because they do not want their athletes to lose and they definitely do not want to celebrate the US athletes.
4. German filmmaker Riefenstahl and Minster of Propaganda Goebbels conflict over what Riefenstahl is filming. This is because while Riefenstahl will actively support the German values in her films, she believes that if she is committed to a project she cannot hide the outcome for any reason as that is an infringement of the truth and the art. Goebbels, however, intends to hide information and events that do not support these values, hence the propaganda portion of his job.
6. There are multiple meanings of the word race in this movie, including the literal track event, the political race, and the discussions of racial prejudice. First and most explicitly, the movie is about the races in the track and field Olympic events. Owens works throughout the movie to be his fastest and jump his furthest so that he can win these races, the ultimate climax of the movie and the personal goal of Owens. Besides that, however, there is a race for political precedence by the countries in the Olympics. As tensions are risings between countries especially because of the horrific and controversial new policies in Germany, many countries race to prove their worth, validity, and pride, via the Olympic games. Finally, much of the controversy Jesse faces in his daily life as well as the pressure of staying or going to the games is regarding his race. Jesse faces racial discrimination throughout his journey to the Olympics even after his rise to fame. Additionally, there is much pressure to boycott the racial policies in Germany by not attending the Olympics.
4. There is much tension between Riefenstahl and Goebbels because Goebbls wants to stick to Hitler’s idea of making Germany seem superior to all other countries. In contrast, Riefenstahl wants to document truthfully the Olympics. Before one of the games, Goebbels ordered them to not be recorded as he knew Owens would win. When Riefenstahl found out about this, she ordered her whole team to go back to their cameras and record it. As she believes, history is being made. Since Goebbels as head of propaganda, in his mind, he needs to only portray the good that happens for Germany and not other countries.
5. Unlink many other Biopics, in Race, we see the good and bad in Owens portrayed. The filmmakers did not sugarcoat anything. The biggest example of this was when he cheated on his wife while traveling for drinks. Though he tried to tell the lady that he was taken, she pursued and he gave in. It then showed the aftermath and how he had to truly show that he loved his wife to get back with her and marry her. We also see him being complex when he was hesitant to re-record his record-breaking jump. I assume he would have thought what I thought, that it was a trap for something more.
2. At this time everyone hated Germans, assuming they were all Nazis and terrible people. When Owens had gotten help from Luz that was groundbreaking. The simple act of putting down a towel to mark where to jump meant everything. For people at the time seeing an African American and German becoming friends was beyond what many of their minds could handle. When they hung out after some of the games it showed that everyone is their own being. Some people in Germany did not support the Nazis but were stuck there and had no choice but to do so. With their friendship blooming at the Olympics it showed off to all countries, as it’s a worldwide spectacle.
1. Jesse’s relationship with his coach seems to go beyond Larry being a simple track coach. He becomes Jesse’s mentor, not only teaching him more about track and field, but also advising him on certain things, and sticks with him, not to watch the Berlin Olympics, but to be there for Jesse and provide him with support. He becomes more than his coach, and becomes Jesse’s friend. I don’t think Larry is racist, but he does have some racial bias. He reacts and verbally attacks anyone who treats Jesse like crap because of his race, but he also doesn’t understand the situation Jesse was in when he was debating on going to the Olympics or not, and couldn’t see it from his perspective until he explained. What drives Larry to push Jesse are a couple factors. One, he recognizes Jesse’s natural talent and the possibility of him getting world records, and so he wants to give Jesse the opportunity he otherwise wouldn’t have gotten on account of the racism common at that time. Larry also pushes him because he sees the opportunities Jesse has and doesn’t want him to pass it up like Larry did in the past.
2. Jesse’s and Luz’s friendship transcends far beyond racial and political tensions. They are able to form a strong friendship that goes beyond the racist idea of the time, the idea that each race should stick with others of their skin color. It also goes beyond the political tensions because tensions are very high between Germany and the US as rumors spread and information is spreading about Hitler’s wrongdoings in Germany, and this friendship transcends all of the barriers. It also transcends cultural boundaries, as Luz is the model for the Aryan race, but instead of hating African Americans like the Nazis, he befriends Jesse.
4. There is an obvious conflict between the filmmaker and the Minister of Propaganda. Both were given their job by Hitler and work for him, but they are very different, and that leads to conflict. The minister tries to stop the filmmaker by covering up all the cameras for one of the races, and Leni defies him by ordering her crew to take off the blankets and film the event. The reason for the tension is their characters, and what job they have. The minister, being a huge Nazi, and the minister of propaganda, tried as hard as possible to spin the narrative to make the Germans victors and convince people the Nazi cause is righteous. Leni, however, has the job of filming the Olympics, and so she does, doing her job as professionally as possible and not letting beliefs get in the way of her job, while also seeing farther ahead into the future and seeing the bigger picture. She was appointed by Hitler, but the movie never alluded or mentioned whether or not she was a definitive Nazi, because her beliefs weren’t involved in the job she was given, and she didn’t let them get involved. She also sees the big picture, and sees the Olympics as people pushing human boundaries, and not a place for politics, and sees that, from the perspective of far in the future, this was an Olympic tournament that should be remembered and not lost to time.
1. Though it can seem as though Larry and Jesse’s relationship started off rocky, with Snyder pushing hard on how much time Jesse spends training and Jesse having to train while still providing for his family. However, once he communicated this to his coach, their relationship improved. Their relationship in my mind was almost father-son-like, very supportive but Snyder pushed Jesse to be the best version of himself in running and life. I don’t believe Larry is racist, he didn’t discriminate against Jesse for the color of his skin, he gave him the same opportunity as the other runners and especially in the last scene of the movie when Jesse and his wife and Larry and his date all go out to celebrate, Larry is outraged that Jesse has to use the service entrance. I also think one reason, probably the main reason, why Larry pushes Jesse so much is because Jesse is being given the opportunity Larry was back when he ran but can now follow through on that opportunity to compete in the Olympics and win. Larry sees his younger self in Jesse and wants that version to succeed.
4. While Leni wants to make a great film that shows an accurate portrait of what happened at the Olympic games Goebbles just wishes to show how great Germany is. This is clearly seen when Jesse has won 2 gold medals already in the 100 m dash and the long jump and is now trying for a 3rd in the 200m dash when Goebbels orders that Lenis film crew doesn’t film that even (probably because he didn’t want to have a film made about all the times Germany lost to the Americans). Despite this Leni takes her crew and gets the race on film anyway arguing that no matter if it’s filmed or not everyone in that stadium saw what happened she’s just allowing generations from now to get to witness the same thing. Again the tension is caused by Goebbels and his need for Germany to have the perfect image (in his mind) and for him that’s doing whatever it takes to please Hitler as seen when Hitler walks away upset after Jesse wins again and Goebbles begins to freak out a little. Goebbels is there to please his government, and Riefenstahl is there to provide for the people.
6. This unique title does not go without thought. It is clear that this title holds multiple meanings, one being a track race like the 100 m dash another being race as in skin color. This film touches on both these points. Of course, the film is centered around Jesse Owens’s unworldly running, winning 4 gold medals at the Olympics. But the film also looks at how race affected Jesse. For example, when he qualified for the Olympics the NAACP reached out to Owens urging him not to run as an act of defiance. Jesse was constantly being pulled in between his racing and his race.
1. In my opinion I think Larry is not racist but he does questionable things in the start of the movie that could lead you to think that. I believe Larry proves he is not racist in a couple situations such as the time at the end of the movie when he sticks up for Jesse not being allowed to enter through the main entrance for a party celebrating his accomplishment at the Olympics. Another example is when Coach Larry surprises Jess at the ship and sleeps in the lower class same as Jesse, when he could’ve been in the first class with the other white Olympic athletes and coaches. I think if Larry really was racist he would not have truly stood up for Jesse in these situations.
2. Going into the Olympics Jesse and many other athletes looked at this to make a point for their country and believed it would be pivotal to the rising tensions of the countries. However Luz, a German long jumper showed Jesse and the people watching all these athletes should want to see each other do their best, not want your country to prove a point. This was very important especially because Luz was representing the Germans who would never support one of their athletes to do something like that. Transcending political and racial tensions between the countries in a way.
4. The conflict between the German filmmaker, Leni Riefenstahl and German Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels is over how German is represented. Leni was more for just recording the Olympics and highlighting all winners of all countries but Joseph wanted her to do some sort of propaganda highlighting all the German players and only the race they win. We see this towards the end of the movie when Joseph attempts for the 400 meter race to not be recorded because he thought America would win it. Leni fights this and turns back on all the cameras with ehr crew and records the race.
2.) How does Jesse’s relationship with German long jumper Luz transcend the racial and political tensions of the Olympic Games in 1936?
Within the film Jessie Owens was subjected to many racial mistreatments in Berlin but then again, it was nothing worse than what he already had to deal with back at home. But despite these challenges, Owens went on to make history in Berlin. During those Olympics, Owens and his competitor, Luz Long transcended the racial and political tensions of the games and the world at the time. Long was deemed a perfect German by the Nazis, due to the fact that he displayed Aryan features. Meaning that he was in fact a man who was white, tall, blond and had blue eyes. So the fact that Long and Owens friendship formed while at the Olympics was a major controversy. Their friendship began when Owens earned a gold in the long jump, while Long earned a silver. The crowd at the Olympics, including Hitler, would have been disappointed by this, but Long wasn’t. Long was the first to congratulate Owens and even participated in a victory lap arm-in-arm with him.
3.) Describe examples of the racism that Jesse and other black athletes faced in both Ohio in the 1930s and in Berlin in 1936.
One example of racism that Jesse faced in Ohio was when the football team was shouting racist remarks to distract him. After this occurred, Jessie’s track coach, Larry Snyder, tried to teach him a lesson. Snyder did this by keeping the track team in the locker room, while the football team was trying to enter. The football team begins to protest this by yelling and shouting but Snyder tells the runners to “shut the noise out”. This lesson shows back up later in the film when Jessie is running the 100 meter dash in Berlin where he uses this past lesson to help drown out the noise. In my opinion, these impactful moments leave the audience with the idea that racism can be easily blocked out of people’s lives and if ignored, it can just go away. One example of how Jessie faced racism in Berlin was when Hitler “left early” and that’s the reason he couldn’t shake Jessies’ hand. When in reality, Hitler always met each gold medalist winner but he refused to meet Jessie because of the color of his skin. As well as these examples of racism within the film, I also found some particular scenes very interesting. I found the scene when two Jewish-American athletes waved their Star of David pendants in front of the Nazi guards very impactful. As well as how the African American athletes were allowed to stay in the same corridors as the other athletes while competing in Berlin.
6.) Examine the multiple meanings of the word, race, included in this film. Use specific examples from the film.
The film is about, Jessie Owens, a track star that competed in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. The story told within the film Race includes both the athletic accomplishments of Owens and the turbulent social and political times that occurred. This meaning a combination of both his racing at the Olympics and the racism that he and others faced there (and also at home still). So overall this film tells an inspiring story of one of the top athletes’ in the world, while portraying the double meaning of the film title.
1. Jesse has a complicated relationship with his coach, Larry Snyder. Larry makes many comments towards Jesse that can be interpreted as racist, or insensitive. However, in my opinion, I don’t think that Larry is racist, or intends to be. An important factor in the movie is that Larry is a white man, and he doesn’t experience racial injustice. Furthermore, Larry isn’t concerned with solving the world’s social issues. He has one sole motivator in the movie, and that is for Jesse to win. He pushes Jesse further and further, and we can see a culmination of this one sided desire of Larry for Jesse to win towards the end of the movie when Jesse is considering skipping the 1936 Berlin Olympics. This comes after a representative from the NAACP talked to Jesse, and brought up the potential for boycotting the Berlin Olympics in order to show solidarity with the struggles of the Jewish people, in what would have been a powerful showing against racism in not just Germany, but America as well. After discussing with the rep, Jesse heads to the university, and finds Larry in a crowd, and he’s been drinking after the Louis v Schmeling fight. Larry had been drinking, and was acting slightly aggressive. After talking about the Olympics. Jesse brings up the fact that he may not be going. Larry gets extremely aggressive, and nearly gets in a fight with Jesse while in this drunken stupor. He tells him that his concerns over racism don’t matter to him, and that he only cares about him winning gold in the Olympics. Larry isn’t trying to be racist, he just wants to win. Even in his roundabout way of saying it, Larry simply wants for Jesse to succeed and prove everyone else wrong. In my eyes, Larry isn’t racist, he is just insensitive / unaware of the connotation of his words / actions to someone who isn’t a white man in the 1930s.
3. Throughout the film, Jesse and other black athletes faced various different racially charged conflicts in Ohio as well as Berlin. One of the first examples of racism we see in the film occurs when Jesse was at his first track practice. As he lines up to sprint, the football team stands to the sideline and makes racist comments towards Jesse. Jesse also faces racist comments later on in the locker room, as the football team and their coach enter, and get into a confrontation with not only Jesse, but Larry as well. The coach believes that he is entitled to the respect of Jesse and the track team, and makes racist comments when they do not respect him. Later on in Berlin, Jesse faces racist comments from his Olympic coach after he disrespects him, as he was not permitting him to train in his regular manner. The coach refuses to take disrespect from Jesse, and makes racist comments towards him. After the Olympic coach that even Larry looks up to shows his true colors, Jesse only agrees to run his race if Larry would be able to coach him. Overall, Jesse experiences many different forms and levels of racism from different people in his rise to become an Olympic gold medalist. However, it is symbolic that the treatment he received in Germany is akin to that of the USA. In a country that is dominated by racism and the belief that one race is superior to all others, Jesse’s experiences in Germany are not that different from his daily life in the USA.
5. The film portrays Jesse Owens as a complex character through the lens of his wants versus the wants of others. Throughout much of the film, there is an internal clash in the mind of Jesse between what he wants to do, and what the people around him want him to do, or suggest / advise him to do. One such example is seen in the proposal made by the NAACP representative for Jesse to boycott the games. Jesse wants to run the race, and so does his family. This was something that he had been training for his entire life, and had been working for years to achieve. Then, the NAACP rep wants him to pass up this opportunity of a lifetime. This idea of attending the Olympics versus skipping the Olympics prevails in Jesse’s head all the way until he runs his events, as even in Berlin, he threatened to not participate due to discrimination from his Olympic coaches. Another example of what people want for Jesse and what he wants occurs in the club with Quincella. Initially, Jesse didn’t want anything to do with her as he had a girlfriend and a daughter at home. However, his friends urged him on, and Quincella came to him first. It’s not that he couldn’t have said no, but the pressures of his friends and those around him were definitely a factor in his affair with Quincella. Overall, Jesse is a complex character due to the film’s usage of the expectations of others and the wants of man through his experiences as he works to gain the gold medals. The NAACP wants Jesse to boycott in the hopes of garnering more concerns about racial matters in the USA. Larry only wants for Jesse to win. These warring mindsets tear at Jesse, and make his character much more complex in the film.
1. It is easy to tell from the rocky start that Larry and Jesse are bound to grow close. Their bond is a great friendship in which Jesse looks up to and respects Larry greatly. Larry sees Jesse from the outer shell as an incredible runner with lots of potential that he refuses to be thrown away. As Larry grows closer to Jesse and more understands how his mind works, he sees aspects of himself in Jesse. Larry was once in the position of power, the opportunity to go to the Olympics, as Jesse and as he missed his opportunity and regrets it he feels indebted to make sure Jesse follows through his destiny. No, I do not agree with the fact that Larry is racist in any way, I think we see his character to progress throughout the movie but even in the beginning I would not frame him as racist. Larry does not accept racism on the track team or any sports teams at Ohio State, he thinks it is ridiculous to segregate in sports. In the end of the movie, when the group arrives at a celebration dinner for Jesse and his successes at the Olympics, Jesse and Ruth are forced to enter through the service entrance which enrages Larry he thinks this is absurd and belittling to which he speaks up through his anger.
2. Jesse and Luz transcended racial issues in the Olympics by showing that opponents, from different countries, and with different colors of skin can have a friendship and encourage each other to do their very best. Obviously Luz wanted to win the long jump and he gave his best so he wanted to see Jesse’s best as well. Jesse was not receiving the most love from the fans in the crowd in the beginning of the Olympics but when the crowd saw Luz and Jesse doing the victory lap it created a good feeling for everyone there.
4. The conflict between the German filmmaker and the German minister of Propaganda is rooted from the fact that the German minister directly works for Hitler and has a lot of pressure to promote and showcase German supremacy at these Olympic Games. The filmmakers main goal is to pursue her passion of filmmaking by creating a film that truly shows all of the events that took place for people to watch many years later. The minister of propaganda does not want people to hear of Jesse Owens because this only makes Germany look bad for not having the fastest runner in the world. The filmmaker wants to capture and celebrate great athletes around the world which is the point of the Olympics. Their ideas clash often.
Jesse has a strained relationship with Larry Snyder, and they have multiple arguments throughout the film. While Larry outwardly seems to want to help Jesse, there are some moments where his, slight racism intervenes and is shown. Larry typically treated Jesse with respect and open-mindedness but there were times that he seemed to be a bit ignorant, especially on the basis of discrimination, such as when he didn’t understand what was at stake for Jesse, possibly because he just didn’t want to. Larry is hellbent on getting Jesse to compete due to the fact that Larry himself was not able to compete due to a stupid mistake he made in his youth, making him want that for Jesse, as he felt that disappointment of not winning himself.
Throughout the Olympic Games in 1936, Luz Long sought to have a fair competition with Jesse. While Luz could have been racist and hateful to Jesse, he chose to make sure the playing field was fair, so that he was an honorable competitor. While Luz had already qualified for the Long Jump, Jesse already had 2 fouls. Luz decided to make the incredibly selfless decision of putting a handkerchief down as a jump marker for Jesse. At the end of the competition, Jesse had beaten Luz and the previous World Record, despite the loss, Luz decided to celebrate with Jesse. Luz took Jesse on the lap at the end to celebrate the breakage of the record. At that moment, race did not matter to Luz, he just wanted to congratulate the man who had beaten him fair and square.
The film “Race” does a great job portraying Jesse as a complex and mixed character, through his tough decision, of whether or not he should compete, and in his familial relationships. Jesse starts off the movie with a long-time girlfriend, and he ends up cheating on her with another woman. When Jesse goes back, he goes straight to see his girlfriend to make amends with her for leaving. Jesse was sure he wouldn’t cheat but the girl got the best of him, making him conflicted. The real way he was complex though, was that he didn’t immediately say yes or no to the invite to compete in the Olympics. Originally he was sure he was not going, but then he decided in the end, after much convincing, that he would go.
1. Jesse and his coach, Larry Snyder, have a complicated relationship. Both of them are reaching for the same goal of Jesse winning gold at the olympics. Larry pushes Jesses to be the best athlete he can be, but they didn’t always see eye to eye. When Jesse first arrived at Ohio State, Larry was rude to him until Jesse explained that he has a daughter he needs to support. Larry became more understanding and really started to care for the boy, such as when he didn’t want Jesse to race when he was injured. Larry isn’t racist. He was one of the only college coaches who allowed black athletes to participate. He showed his support for his players by standing up to the racist football team in the locker room. Larry pushed Jesse because he wasted his opportunity when he was younger. He doesn’t want Jesse to regret anything, and he also wants to be the one to help Jesse achieve his goals.
2. Jesse, a black American, and Luz, a white German, went against social norms during the long jump. Luz helped Jesse towards the beginning of the competition by showing him where to step. Even after Luz had already lost and Jesse beat his record, Luz wanted Jesse to take his last jump. He truly wanted a worthy competitor, and that’s just what he got with Jesse. He didn’t care who he was or the color of his skin. After the competition concluded, the two runners ran a victory lap hand in hand. This went past the level of just sportsmanship but was a stand against racism. The German Government was upset that someone they viewed so highly was becoming friends with someone they deemed lesser than them. The two men showed their support for one another not only to a huge crowd of people but also everyone across the globe, due to the documentary and radios.
3. In Ohio, black athletes weren’t allowed to be on Ohio State’s football team. The team even tormented the black runners on the track, with racist remarks, and in the locker room. Racism was everywhere in Germany with the Nazi party in control. Hitler along with other German government workers didn’t congratulate Jesse or shake his hand after he had won four gold medals. They make an excuse that he is leaving early to avoid having to converse with someone they think is lesser than them.
2. Jesse’s relationship with the German long jumper Luz transcended the racial and political tensions of the Olympic Games in 1936 because no one would have expected African American and German athletes to be friends. Because of the tensions between the US and Nazi Germany over who could compete in the Olympics, it would seem highly unlikely that they would form a friendship. Jesse and Luz’s friendship proved that people can be close friends even though they were different races, and had very different governments, which many people at the time, especially in Germany, would not expect.
4. The conflict between Leni Riefenstahl and Joseph Goebbels is over if, and how, the Olympics should be filmed. Although her job is to make films for the German Nazis, Leni wants to show what is truly happening, while Joseph only wants to have films that make the Nazis appear successful. This causes major tension between them because filming an African American athlete winning three Olympic gold medals wouldn’t look good for the Nazis, so Joseph doesn’t want it filmed. Leni greatly opposes this idea of making it more like propaganda and wants to accurately show Jesse Owen’s achievements.
5. The film Race portrays Jesse Owens as a complex character by showing things that he did wrong and his mistakes. Instead of only portraying him as a hero, it includes his faults, making the movie much easier to relate to because everyone makes mistakes. One of the main examples of this was when he cheated on his girlfriend (who would become his wife). While the film definitely illustrated how much he loved her and his daughter, it also illustrates how the fame affected Jesse Owens, and caused him to cheat. Even though Owens regretted this, and was able to mend his relationship with his wife, it shows that he was not perfect. Another example of showing him as a complex character is when Owens tried to jump a bar with his friends and got injured. It wasn’t necessarily a smart decision, and it is one that the film could’ve left out, but it proves that even some of the greatest athletes accidentally hurt themselves and must learn to recover. As overcoming challenges is a main theme of this movie, including times when Owen’s had to overcome his personal faults like cheating on someone he truly loves or making a mistake that physically injures him, was significant to the film.
Lary is an interesting character in that throughout the first half of the movie it’s hard to tell if you’re supposed to like him or not. Beginning when they first meet him, he’s loud, direct, and kind of rude to Jessey, but at the same time that’s what you’d expect for a coach. As their relationship develops he seems more likable as he sticks up for Jessey in the locker room and we get to know him better but then he goes off on Jesse when he suggests not going. In the second half of the movie once the Olympics are underway I’d say he then begins to fall into a more coach role, always sticking up for Jesse and being all inspirational. I’d say he’s not racist, just not very self aware. Larry is driven to see Jesse do what he couldn’t and so is a coach first and everything else second.
Well in both Germany and America African Americans were seen as lesser to whites in some regard and especially in Germany whites were seen as the better and higher race so to see Jesse not only beat Luz, but to than see Luz be cool with it and take the victory lap was very different than what you might expect from the Germans of the time
Well for one, the Nazis saw black people as inferior. This can be seen when Hitler isn’t present to shake Jesse’s hand. The thing is, because of the fact that they are olympic athletes, Jesse is treated better in Germany than he was in America. No segregation, everyone’s looking up to him anyways because he’s an olympian, no one was really openly racist to him to his face except Goebbels, and after winning he’s pretty much a hero.
The major conflict between the two is that relatively speaking, Leni is more focused on documenting the games well Goebbels is more interested in making a propaganda peace. This is really seen during the 4 by 2 I think it was where Goebbels told the crews not to film in fear that Jesse would sweep the Germans again, going against his Nazi ideology. Leni on the other hand not only films it anyways, but later goes back to get some other shots of Owen’s long jump. As she said in the movie, people will forget about the games in a few years or so without her film.
Well, like we discussed in class, Owens is very much not a “yippee I just wanna run coach” character. This is seen very early on in the movie arguably before his scandal when we get to see the first interaction with Lary and how Jesse discusses the struggles he’s been through. Maybe even before that when they introduce the fact the Jesse has a kid and bills to pay. These elements all come together with things like Jesse having to miss practice to support his family showing that he puts family over running or, of course, his affair with who ever that lady was painting him as less of a goody two shoes and more of a kid who’s gone from nobody to stardome overnight and how that might affect someone.
The two meanings of race in the movie are the constant conflict/struggle between Jesse’s race and Jesse wanting to race. He’s had to work hard to go off to college and even then faces racial discrimination (locker room) when all he wanted to do was race. Even after he won his races, his race was still seen as an issue as seen through Hitler not wanting to meet him, him never being invited to the white house, and even him having to use a segregated door at his own party. The film tackles both problems of race as well as racing all in one.
1. Throughout the movie, Jesse and Larry developed a very close relationship. In the beginning, Larry was furious at Jesse for skipping his training. Later on, Larry learned that Jesse had been skipping practice to work in order to send money home to his girlfriend and daughter. After this, Larry sympathized much more with Jesse, and Jesse grew much closer to him. Larry eventually became like a father to Jessie. This was shown when Jesse turned down a world-class Olympic coach and demanded that Larry coach him in Berlin. While Larry isn’t racist, he is definitely ignorant of the racism and discrimination that Jesse faces. His angry reaction to Jesse’s hesitancy to compete in Berlin shows that Larry doesn’t fully understand the racial injustice that Jesse goes through. Despite this, Larry treats Jesse extremely well. At the end of the movie, he becomes livid when the restaurant person forces Jesse and his wife to go through the colored entrance. Larry pushes Jesse to achieve greatness because he knows that without guidance, Jesse might make the same mistake that he did and throw his running career away, causing him to live a life of regret. Also, Larry knows that Jesse has amazing potential, and he wants to help him reach it.
2. The relationship between Luz and Jesse transcends race and politics. After Jesse beat Luz in the long jump and set a world record, the two ran a victory lap and celebrated together not as a German and an African American, but as fellow athletes. In doing this, Luz risked severe punishment from the Nazi government, which condemned such action. Later on, Luz confided to Jesse that he is not competing to support any government or ideal, but rather for personal achievement. The friendship that Luz and Jesse develop after their event directly contradicts the social standards of this time, as it was unheard of for a German to be friends with an African American.
4. Leni Riefenstahl is a German filmmaker who is looking to capture all aspects of the Olympics, so that people in the future can appreciate the event and the incredible feats of the competing athletes. By contrast, Joseph Goebbels was hired to highlight the German accomplishments in the Olympics, in order to support the Nazi Party’s claim that German-born people are a superior race. This creates tension between the two, as Riefenstahl’s method of filming athletes of all nationalities and ethnicities directly contradicts Goebbels’, who wants to avoid pointing the camera at non-German victors, like Jesse Owens. In the 400-meter relay, Goebbels has the cameras covered, so that an American victory won’t be shown. When Riefenstahl realizes this, she quickly uncovers them and films anyway.
1. Jesse and his coach had a difficult start when they first met, and it seemed almost as though Larry was racist just because of the way he first treated Jesse. He was harsh toward him and tried to tell Jesse that his mother didn’t teach him any manners because he wasn’t looking the coach in the eye. Even though this was the case at the beginning, as soon as Coach Larry realizes how good Jesse’s work ethic is and how he is willing to do whatever he can to both represent himself in the sport and to be able to represent the whole black community in the sport, he is much nicer towards Jesse and they form a strong bond over their love for track. Larry is not racist though, because every time Jesse is discriminated against or talked down to because of his race, Larry tries to step in and say something. At the end of the movie, there is even a dinner in honor of Jesse and he is told to go in through the “black entrance” which causes Larry to get upset and threaten the guard at the door.
2. Jesse and Luz’s relationship is a very rare one at the time, and I think it stems from the fact that they are both extremely unhappy with what is going on in their own country. People are being harmed and discriminated against for unnecessary reasons, and I think even though Luz lost in the long jump, he was happy that someone who could do change in the US and in Germany (since the games were in Berlin) won. Through Jesse winning, he had the chance to prove to everyone that there was no reason to be harmful towards certain groups of people.
6. The definition of race can be interpreted in different ways for this movie. There is the part of the movie that actually has to do with Jesse and his experience going to Ohio State and having to race people that are way faster than him at times. This was a great mental struggle for him and he eventually got past his thoughts and turned out to be the great runner everyone knew he was. There is also the portion of the movie focusing on Jesse’s actual race and how he was threatened and almost had to drop out of being in the Olympics because he was black.
Describe Jesse’s relationship with his coach, Larry Snyder. Is Larry racist? What drives Larry to push Jesse to do great things?
Jesse’s relationship with Larry Snyder is a very good one. Many athletes have an amazing relationship with their coach but Jesse’s relationship is one of the best I’ve ever seen. The two are almost like friends. Larry said some stuff that could come across as racist but I don’t believe that he was trying to be racist. I think that Larry Snyder was just being ignorant and if he was racist then he would have not chosen Jesse in the first place. Larry sees himself in Jesse in the fact that Jesse is one of the top runners of his time going into college and has the potential to go to the olympics and win gold.
Describe examples of the racism that Jesse and other black athletes faced in both Ohio in the 1930s and in Berlin in 1936.
In Berlin Jesse didn’t face as much racism compared to Ohio. The only reason I am saying this is because the American Olympic Ambassador struck a deal with the German Minister of Propaganda so that there wouldn’t be as much Nazi ideology in the 1936 Olympic Games. Even with this fact the leader of Nazi Germany at the time, Adolf Hitler, refused to shake hands with Jesse when he won a gold medal yet Hitler shook hands with white gold medalists. In Ohio many people were blatantly racist with the use of slurs and segregation. Towards the beginning of the movie when Jesse and his friend got on a bus to OSU they had to sit in the back of the bus due to racial segregation.
How does Jesse’s relationship with German long jumper Luz transcend the racial and political tensions of the Olympic Games in 1936?
Jesse’s relationship with Luz Long was quite beneficial because it gave Jesse some insight into what was going on in Germany at the time. Luz was supposed to be as racist as the rest of Nazi Germany’s Olympic Athletes but Luz went out of his way to tell Jesse where to jump from so he would have competition. The Nazi ideology was that the Aryan race was superior and anyone else was inferior. Jesse fell under the anyone else category so Luz wasn’t supposed to be friends with Jesse.
1.
I definitely don’t think that Larry is racist- but despite his relationship with Jesse, we have no knowledge as to how he interacts with people of color outside of the track. I think he might treat Jesse and the other black members on the team the way he does because they’re on the team, not because he isn’t racist. But if he was racist, he probably wouldn’t have recruited them at all. And some of the things he says to Jesse reflect some of the ignorant ideologies that he might hold- not necessarily racist ones, just places where he doesn’t understand or consider where Jesse’s coming from (because he’s not black and doesn’t necessarily have to understand or consider it). So I think that he’s just privileged and ignorant, not racist.
2.
The fact that Long was a German, and most of the German people at the games didn’t like black people or jewish people or simply anyone who wasn’t like them, made Long and Owens’ friendship significant. It obviously transcended racial and national boundaries. The political tensions between the US and Germany at the time meant that from the start, German players and US players didn’t like each other, but when Long helped Owens with his jump, that meant that when they looked at eachother, they didn’t see race or nationality, they just saw a fellow competitor and another person, which was different from how the majority of those in attendance thought.
3.
Racism that Jesse and others faced in Ohio came with the things people said- they used slurs a lot and said a lot of racist stuff to Jesse and his friends- things were still obviously very segregated- Jesse had to sit in the back of the bus, use the service entrance, things like that. To me, the most profound example of racism in Berlin was the fact that they didn’t want to film Jesse’s jumps and his race because of the fact that he was black, and that Hitler (although not surprising at all) completely refused to shake his hand, even though he was required to shake the hands of all the gold medalists, and Jesse won four, Hitler simply didn’t.
Jesse Owens and his coach Larry started off as the typical relationship between coach and player. However as the movie progressed, Jesse proved himself to be more than just a player. He wanted to win, and Larry, being his coach, also wanted him to win. The relationship throughout the movie builds on the dynamic of racism in the 1930’s. While coach Larry looked like he was a raging racist at the start of the movie, he turned out to just want the best for his players. This includes Jesse, as he stated that he didn’t care whether he was white or black, only his skill on the field. I believe Larry knew about the racism in his country and wanted to prove that anybody could win. This is why he wanted Jesse to participate in the olympics. He knew Jesse could win, thus proving that anyone could win, no matter what race you are. This drives Larry to train Jesse hard, appearing as the typical mean coach. This also drives Jesse as he wants his coach to be the one to train the winner, while also it drives him to prove that he could win.
Jesse and Luz share a special relationship. While both were competing to win, Luz out right says the corruption in Germany’s government, and how he hates it. And even before this, his sportsmanship attitude towards Jesse builds off the fact that he doesn’t care about race. Perhaps he also wanted to prove that race didn’t matter. One thing is for sure though, Luz himself was proud to run the winner’s lap with Jesse.
Not only did Jesse have to cooperate with segregation laws, but he had to deal with racists calling him terrible things. An example is at the end of the movie where Jesse and his wife go to a dinner for Jesse himself. However, at the entrance, he is told to enter around back, even though the meal is for him. Larry stands up for him, but it’s the law of the restaurant. Another example is when Jesse is on the ship with Larry. Jesse has to sleep below decks, and not in first class with all the white athletes. Luckily, Larry joins him.
2. Owen’s relationship with Luz was a major blow at Nazi Germany’s “Aryan” ideals. Luz’s friendship with Owens showed Hitler directly that his ideals wouldn’t stick in the long term. In Nazi Germant, black people were shunned out of society for not being “perfect citizens”. Being black, or even friends with someone who was black, was a ticket to being targeted by German officers. Because Luz was defying Nazi policy so blatantly, it showed German citizens (and many others around the world) that some people wouldn’t follow with what was wrong.
3. Riefenstahl and Goebbels had very different mentalities when it came to documenting these Olympic games. Riefenstahl believed that any highlight should be recorded and documented, while Goebbels was focused on making Nazi Germany look like the best nation in the world. Goebbels was focused on creating pro-German and pro-Nazi propaganda, while Riefenstahl was looking to properly document the games. This, obviously, led to a clash between the two. They argued about what Riefenstahl should be recording, and that she shouldn’t record Owens in fear that Germans may change their mind on black people.
4. The film shows Jesse as a very conflicted personality. Before he decides to go to Berlin, he’s very conflicted on which way to go. The NAACP is looking to keep Owens out of Berlin, to prove that the racial issues in America would not be tolerated, while many in the Olympic committee wanted Owens to go to prove that Americans were better than the Nazis. These two forces pulled at Jesse until he decided to go, but even after he goes to Berlin, he still knows that racial and religious tensions were important. Jesse had incredibly strong feelings on racial relations throughout the movie, and even threatened not to race in the relay after his Jewish teammates were benched. His feelings were always consistent, but he was continually challenged by those around him to warp his views and feelings.
Describe Jesse’s relationship with his coach, Larry Snyder. Is Larry racist? What drives Larry to push Jesse to do great things?
Jesse and coach Snyder both have a somewhat on and off relationship with each other. They have their altercations and fights many times throughout the movie; however they remain very close and personal friends. They have many jokes they make back and forth, notably when speaking about each other’s daughters with the line “you never asked.” Larry, I would say, is not racist. But he is race blind. He didn’t see a problem with people of different races; however he did see a problem with racism, more and more as the movie progressed especially. The end of the movie we saw him have a serious problem with segregated entry at a dinner. So I would say Larry is not racist. Larry pushes Jesse to do these amazing things because Larry did not have the chance, since when he could’ve he lost it through the crashing of his plane, and therefore leaving him unable to go to the olympics during his own time, and he doesn’t want to see that happen to Jesse.
How does Jesse’s relationship with German long jumper Luz transcend the racial and political tensions of the Olympic Games in 1936?
Luz was a german, nazi specifically, long jumper, and therefore was pushed by his government to hate minorities, jews and those who are less-abled. However, Luz supported Jesse to give him his best in the long jump and set the world record. He also later took the American Jesse into his room and discussed and criticized the Nazi government, which was very risky and potentially life threatening. This transcended the racial and political tensions because the games were being used as a political statement by both governments to prove their superiority over one another including their governmental system’s superiority over the other between facism and democracy.
Describe examples of the racism that Jesse and other black athletes faced in both Ohio in the 1930s and in Berlin in 1936.
In both Ohio and Berlin Jesse saw examples of racism. He saw systemically how his father could not find work at home for many years until after he won at Berlin. He also saw how the people in the locker room, especially the football coach and football team, were extremely discriminatory against Jesse and his black teammates. In Berlin, after he won the first gold of his many, he would have been allowed to meet hitler for a congratulatory ceremony; however Hitler left quickly after the event so he would not have to meet what he called a monster and hated.
Jesse’s coach, Larry and him have an interesting relationship. While being very hostile, they also bond well at times. They often fight but in the end, Jesse highly respects Larry and nothing can change that. They dont really understand each other in the beginning which is probably why they got off to such a rough start. But as the film progresses, Larry starts seeing himself in Jesse as he was once an aspiring olympic track star. He wants to help Jesse achieve what he never could. Larry becomes his friend through the film as well. I dont think he is necessarily racist but i do think that he has so preconcieved notions about black people that were a continuity of the time. Their were definitely times though that he said some racist things. Larry pushed him so hard because he wants to Jesse to achieve what he could not.
Jesse’s relationship with Luz, the german long jumper in the Berlin Olympics, makes many large statements about racial and political tensions at the time. First off, it shows that people from different races can be cordial and even friends, like they became. It disproves people’s idea of staying away from the other race. Moreover, them becoming friends at a time of huge conflict between Nazi Germany and the USA shows that people can rise above it and be better. It also shows that, even though they are all fighting for their countries, that is not the only thing that matters and friendship can appear even in times when they should be fighting and trying to win.
6. When I first heard the title of RACE I assumed it was about race like racial tensions of the time period because that is much of what we’ve studied in APUSH but once I saw the movie actually, I realized that it has a dual meaning. It means both race like overcoming the racial harships that Jesse has to face through the film, both his coach and organizations like the NAACP trying to get him to be a spokesperson for his race. The other meaning is race, like him racing in sprinting at the olympics.
1.Jesse had a good relationship with his coach Larry, and he seems to be more than just his track coach, but also his mentor. I think Jesse looks up to Larry and asks him for advice on his personal life. Larry provides Jesse with support both when he is running and when he isn’t. I don’t think Larry is racist, but I don’t think he fully understands what Jesse goes through being an African American at the olympics. Larry defends Jesse through many instances but especially when the dinner is being held in his name. Jesse is forced to use a seperate entrance despite the event being for him simply because of skin color. Larry cannot fully understand Jesse’s experiences because as a white man, he does not experience the same things. Larry pushes Jesse to do great things because he was unable to do them in his career and wants those experiences for Jesse to not be lost like his were.
3. Jesse and other black athletes faced racism at the competition, were thought to not have as much talent as the white runners, and were often distracted. Many other competitors and audience members tried to distract the black athletes from the race by yelling many racist remarks. One example of this is after Jesse won the first event, Hitler left to avoid shaking hands with him even though leaders typically shake hands with the gold medalist, he left to avoid shaking hands with a black man.
6. This film uses race in two ways, the actual track race and also the racist social and political views of this time. It combines his running experience with the racism he encountered while getting to the point he is at. The film tells the story of a Jesse Owens’ athletic story while including the racism that he faced, leading to the double meaning of the title.
1.)Throughout the film, Jesse’s coach is portrayed as a relatively good man. Larry is seen giving Jesse advice on blocking out his surroundings and is focused on improving Jesse’s ability. The two, at the start of the film, seem to put themselves on a similar level, with Larry going out of his way to make sure Jesse can make it to practice, and Jesse going out of his way to attempt to respect Larry. The two have a few tough moments and work through them, supporting each other all the way to the Olympics. Jesse being a black man, and Larry being a white man at the time were very controversial, overall, Larry made much more progress than most would at the time, in attempting to be inclusive. However, by today’s standards, the praise is not present, this is because Larry had made remarks that he “does not care” when Jesse confronted him with the wrongdoings of the Nazis and his attempt to push America toward a more inclusive state for black folks. So, yes, Larry was a bit of a racist, but he did make much more progress toward inclusivity than many at the time. What drove Larry to push Jesse toward greatness was not only his desire to win the Olympics in some sense but also to represent his country and contribute toward greatness.
2.)Jesse and his relationship with Luz are above the standards for the time since it shows complete friendship and compassion between two people of very different appearances and backgrounds. At the time, the Olympic games sought to do more than bring the greatest athletes in the world together, but to show who is acceptable in some senses, with Jews being cut from races along with minute, but frequent, discrimination lingering throughout the games. The relationship between the two, one being a black American, and one being a white German, was above what Germany wanted, and even what the US wanted, which was the separation of the races. Both Jesse and Luz went against what was excepted and bonded.
6.) The word “race” was used in two main ways within the film. The first way is to represent a humans background, since this was a pressing issue at the time, with Germany taking Jews and hiding them such as Larry witnessed in Germany and the segregation in the US as witnessed at the end of the film when Jesse and his wife have to take the service entrance to get into a party. The other meaning of the word used in the film is to represent a race on a track, which is another key component of the film. These sprint races follow Jesse from his time at Ohio State crushing world records to his Medals in the German Olympics winning gold in four events.
1. Describe Jesse’s relationship with his coach, Larry Snyder. Is Larry racist? What drives Larry to push Jesse to do great things?
Jesse has a complicated relationship with his coach. At some points, Larry will be screaming his head off at Jesse as if he had committed a crime or something like that, but at other points, they will be extremely friendly like good friends that knew each other in their childhood and will share a meaningful moment or laugh. This is pretty heteronormative for a relationship between a coach and his athlete on this level at that time, but what wasn’t normal for that time is for it to be between a White man and African American man. This is what really shows Larry’s character. I think Larry is not racist, and he would definitely not push Jesse to where he was. He shows zero examples of being racist in the show. With that said, he is not perfect. He still doesn’t quite jump into Jesse’s shoes and see how hard things can be for him from racial prejudice and discrimination. Still, though, Larry is definitely not purposely trying to hurt Jesse for his race. The thing that pushes Jesse from Larry, though, is how Larry can see great opportunity and Jesse because of his great skill and mental attitude, and since Larry had ended up not competing for himself, and felt like he made the worst decision of his life, he pushes Jesse so he doesn’t feel that same way.
5. How does the film portray Jesse Owens as a complex character? Use specific examples from the film.
Jesse is an extremely complex character. He is sometimes shown as a father and husband. He has to love both his daughter and his wife to a great capacity to keep them happy by solving issues such as his wife thinking he cheated on her. He is also shown sometimes with his racing side, where he strives to make new goals with his great skill and become a great racer, which can be shown by how he got to his position at OSU in the first place. But the third side of him is his racial power side. With his great running skills, he has a big voice that can echo loudly across the world. So, he makes many decisions with this in mind and how people are discriminated against heavily, such as almost not going to the Olympics or picking to go to OSU, which is an extremely white and pretty racist school. We see throughout the movie how both his great running skills and his racial power intermingle with each other a lot and affect one another heavily.
6. Examine the multiple meanings of the word, race, included in this film. Use specific examples from the film.
The word “Race” is used in many different contexts. First of all, and most simply, is the fact that he is one of the greatest runners of all time, and was the greatest during his life. So, we can see how Race can be a big part of his life in the sense that running in races makes up a lot of his life, and the most important scenes of this movie are at races, like the Olympics. But, there’s also another meaning, which is race used in a skin color kind of way. Jesse’s main purpose of his career was not just to smash world records and become a great runner, but to also help spread power throughout African Americans and the world to make a change and stop the terrible discrimination and segregation that was happening for his race. So, we can also see how race can also be used in that context.
1. Jesse’s relationship with his coach Larry Snyder is one of respect. While there are moments of tension between the two men, particularly as they grapple with the racial discrimination that Jesse faces both on and off the track, overall their relationship is characterized by a shared commitment to excellence and a deep belief in Jesse’s potential as an athlete. I would not say Larry was racist as I think he really was passionate about Jesse as an athlete and was willing to fight off racial unbiases. My memory isn’t the best but a time that stood out to me was when Larry timed one of Jesses 100 meters at 10.3, which would give him the record, but the timekeeper had 10.4. I think the fact that Larry was fighting for personal gain of Jesse showed that he really cared about him no matter what his race was. I think Larry realizing Jesse’s potential is what pushed him to greatness.
2. Jesse’s relationship with German long jumper Luz transcends the racial and political tensions of the Olympic Games in 1936 because it showed exceptional respect to a minority in a time and place of racism and political unrest. It really demonstrates how odd the relationship between Luz and Jesse was for Luz to show his admiration for Jesse at a time and place where its leader refused to shake Jesse’s hand and Jesse was not invited to the white house to be congratulated for his gold medal. This gesture of Hitler’s refusal to shake Jess’s hand was seen as a deliberate snub to the United States, which had been pressing Germany to improve its treatment of black athletes.
3. Jesse Owens and other black athletes face numerous instances of racism and discrimination both in Ohio in the 1930s and in Berlin during the 1936 Olympics. An example was at the time the majority of the country still didn’t permit black athletes to participate in university sports, including Ohio State. Black athletes’ accomplishments in Berlin were not celebrated by opposing countries and even the united states. Some coaches and teammates didn’t even congratulate african american athletes.
1- Jesse and Lary develop a close bond throughout the film. At first, there was tension between them. Once Jessie started listening to Larry, the relationship began to shift. By the end of the movie, their relationship had grown to a level that some would call familial. Closer than any athlete-coach relationship I’ve ever seen.
Is Larry racist? No. Through various interactions throughout the movie, Larry proved that he is not racist. For example, at the end of the movie, when he and Jessie were heading to an event held in Jesse’s honor, celebrating his record-breaking Olympic championship, Larry became outraged when Jesse was denied entry, and told to enter through the back. He couldn’t see a reason why Jessie shouldn’t be allowed to enter through the front doors, just like everyone else- that is white- was. Additionally, throughout the movie, Larry treated his team, a team of white men, Jewish men, and black men, just like he treated everybody else. With the same respect that he gave everyone else.
Larry is driven to push Jesse to do great things because he himself came so close to doing great things, but chickened out right before he could achieve them. He doesn’t want Jesse to do the same. Larry sees himself in Jessie and projects onto him the way he feels about his… shortcomings and regrets.
2- America nearly boycotted the 1936 Olympic games because Germans kept Jews off of their team(s). America, along with much of the world, was against what Hitler and the Nazis were doing at that point in time. However, the games went on, and America participated. Furthermore, Germany wanted to use the Olympics to prove that Black people, Jews, and other groups of people, that were not of the Aryan race, were inferior. Luz is a white, blonde-haired, blue-eyed German. Jesse is a black American. Not only did Jesse beat Luz, who was “perfect” in the eyes of the Nazis, but they became friends, completely ignoring the Nazi belief that Black people were, for lack of a better word, animals.
4- In the film, Jesse beat Luz, going against the Nazi belief that Germans and Aryans are the superior race. The next time Jesse was to compete, Goebbels tried to prevent Riefenstahl from capturing it, but she did anyway. This is just one example of the conflict(s) between Riefenstahl and Goebbels throughout the movie. Filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl wanted to make an accurate documentary of what happened at the Olympics. German Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, was a Nazi and did not want her to capture anything that went against Nazi beliefs.
2)Jesse Owens and Luz Long’s relationship transcended the racial and political tensions of the 1936 Olympic Games in a number of ways. First, they were both elite athletes who shared a common passion for track and field. This gave them a foundation for friendship and understanding, even though they came from different countries and backgrounds. Second, they both demonstrated great sportsmanship and respect for each other. Long even helped Owens to improve his long jump technique, which ultimately helped Owens to win the gold medal. Even though jesse was a black man and having him race in nazi germany was frowned upon by the german population. Finially The idea of german or aryan superiority that hitler propagated was completely pushed away because a non german black america beat the best german athletes disproving hitlers opinion.
3)Jesse Owens, along with other black athletes, faced intense racism and discrimination in both Ohio and Berlin during the 1930s. In Ohio, Owens was subjected to segregation and inequality, as he was forced to live in separate housing, use separate facilities, and attend a school exclusively for black students. He was also excluded from competing against white athletes in many track meets and was denied access to certain athletic facilities.
In Berlin, Owens faced even greater discrimination from the Nazis, who propagated a doctrine of white supremacy and viewed black people as inferior. Aswell hitler refused to see jessee becasue he was black and broke his propaganda of german aryan superiority.
4) Her movie ideas fight with Goebbels’ goal of using the Olympics as a platform to promote Aryan supremacy. In one scene, Riefenstahl and Goebbels engage in an argument about including footage of Jesse Owens in Riefenstahl’s Olympia film. While Goebbels is hesitant to showcase a black athlete in a film that promotes white supremacy, Riefenstahl insists on acknowledging Owens achievements. Although this scene suggests some conflict between Riefenstahl and Goebbels regarding Owens’ inclusion. Riefenstahl doesn’t seem to care that owens is black and just wants to make her movie while becasue of that aspect goebbels doesn’t want these races recorded.
(2) In the film Race, Jesse’s relationship with German long jumper Luz transcends the racial and political tensions of the Olympic Games in 1936 through their shared goal of competing as respectable athletes first and foremost before all else. They both knew that their countries were up to some shady business, but still wanted to be professional among the chaos of the politics that came along with the games. Luz’s situation in particular shed light onto what was happening in Germany at the time for viewers, especially when a woman was sent to his room to get pregnant, hinting at the widespread ideals around eugenics at the time in Germany. J.C. and Luz knew that what they were doing affected much more than just themselves, and showed unity and perseverance to the whole world in a time of mistrust and distress.
(3) In the film Race, some examples of racism that Jesse and other black athletes faced in both Ohio in the 1930s and in Berlin in 1936 were through people viewing them as incompetent or less than. For example, when J.C. was in America and beat a record, but someone stopped their stopwatch later purposefully to deny him, because that would mean that J.C. was better than white athletes, and they were scared of that. Overall, in America, black athletes were shunned for their skin color, and in Germany, the Germans wanted to prove that Aryans were superior among all other ethnicities. One major difference in the film was the way that the black athletes were treated in America versus Germany. In Germany the viewer could see that there was no Jim Crow segregation, as everyone was bunked together, ate together, etc.
(4) In the film Race, the conflict between the German filmmaker, Leni Riefenstahl and German Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels was about deciding whether the truth or a fabricated lie would be viewed by people worldwide, as Riefenstahl was trying to spread the truth, while Goebbels was tasked with spreading propaganda to make Germany look better. As Germany was losing to the Americans in the Olympics, the viewer can see how these two ideals conflict. The true footage did not shed a good light on Germans, as an African American athlete was beating their white athletes, disproving the supremacy of the Aryans.
1. I don’t personally think Larry was racist because there was a part of the movie where Jesse wasn’t sure if he was going to go to Berlin for the Olympics because of the Nazis, and Larry was arguing with Jesse about it, saying that color didn’t matter, and it shouldn’t affect them. Jesse said Larry would never get it because he was white and got everything black people didn’t. Hence why I believe Larry is just dense and not racist. He also supported Jesse running on the team, and help him when he struggled being away from his family. Jesse also wants and fights for Larry to come to Berlin with him to coach, instead of some random pre-selected coach from America. Larry always seems to want the best for Jesse no matter what.
3. Jesse and the other Black athletes experienced racism all over, including segregated dorms. When he returned from the Olympics in 1936, he never got the invite to the Whitehouse, as all the other Olympic gold medal winners did. He faced discrimination in Berlin, after he won the 100-yard sprint, Hitler supposedly left after Jesse won, denying him a greeting. And even though he was a 4-time Olympic gold medal-winning champion, he still had to ride in the back of the bus. However, he was a sponsor for Adi Dassler, the founder of Adidas, after wearing his shoes that were handmade in his races.
6. The name of the movie, Race can be interpreted in many different ways. The first one is racing, like when Jesse won all of his races and he ran them on a race track, but it can also be interpreted as race, as in the color of his skin. It can be interpreted as skin color due to Jesse’s big wins during a highly rough period in the U.S. during the 30s with racism.
1. Jesse’s relationship with his coach is not the best at first, but soon they become very close and able to joke and bond with each other. I don’t believe that Larry is racist and that is pretty clear from the beginning of their relationship. I think that he is just ignorant and not really giving Jesse credit for all of the flack that he has to deal with. He never treats him differently based on his race, he’s just ignorant of things that people do to give Jesse a disadvantage just because he’s black. Like in the beginning when the football team was yelling at Jesse and being racist, his coach got mad at him and although he said something sort of rude about them, he did not really step in to solve the actual issue. He just told Jesse to ignore it and that it was just noise, which probably helped him in the long run but was maybe not the best way to help him in that one circumstance. Also, whenever Jesse was called something offensive his coach didn’t correct anyone or anything. And, the one time the Olympic coach said that stuff to Jesse about him being black he didn’t even really try to get the coach to stop acting towards Jesse based on his race.
2. Especially since Luz was German, it was crazy for the Olympics to have a black man and a white man hold hands and take a victory lap, or even be friends at all. Black people were treated terribly and especially by Germans, who only valued a certain type of white people so much that they tried to stop Jewish or black athletes from competing. Luz showed that he didn’t care about these stupid racial boundaries and that he cared more about good people and great athletes getting to show their talents and receive the recognition they deserve.
5. The film portrays Jesse as complex by shedding light on his personal life. A big part of the film showcased the struggles Jesse conquered during his running career both before, during, and even after the Olympics. Like when those football players are screaming things at him and he just has to take it and try to ignore it without getting too heated. Or also when the Olympic coach was being racist towards him so he stood up for himself. He came from a family that didn’t have much and was promised nothing, and he made a career for himself that he wasn’t going to let some dumb, racist coach ruin. Also, after the Olympics, the fact that he was polite when the guy at the fancy place wouldn’t let him in the front shows how much he has had to struggle over the years and how he grew. It reminds people that even with all of the success he had, nothing in America really changed, and that provides complexity to his character by making people feel even worse for all he has had to endure. And his affair also adds complexity to his character since it once again makes him a real person and doesn’t just idolize him and freeze this perfect image of him in the minds of everyone.
1.) I think that Jesse Owens and his coach Larry’s relationship is cute and heartwarming, of how much they care for one another. When Jesse first comes to Ohio State to pursue his track careers, he’s alone and doesn’t have his family there with him. Larry becomes his role model and mentor at Ohio state. He stands up for Jesse against all the discrimination he is facing at the school, and against all the racists, and for that, i don’t think Larry is a racist. Their bond was so tight that Jesse almost didn’t compete in the 1939 Berlin Olympic games, unless Larry was there as his coach, and close to him.
2.) The relationship between German long jumper Luz and Jesse, helps to transcend the racial and political tensions of the Olympic games in 1939 because there is this social expectation, especially in Germany, that other nationalities and ethnicities should not mix and mingle with the superior aryan race. However, Luz defying his government and breaking society norms by running with Jesse, after Jesse sets the world record for the long jump, demonstrates how everyone is the same no matter gender nor race. It also shows his heartwarming and outstanding sportsmanship.
3.) In Ohio, they faced discrimination from their classmates as well as professors and coaches during the 1930’s. It was the early 1900’s after all, so many whites didn’t want to have to share their things with black people, who they saw as an inferior race or subhumans. During practice, Jesse and fellow black teammates would be heckled at by the white football players, trying to distract them. In Germany, this still continued when German public officials refused to take pictures with or shake Jesse Owens hand, after he won the gold medal. Hitler even left early on purpose to avoid having to do it.
Jesse and Larry Snyder’s relationship started off tense. When Snyder discovered that Jesse was a great runner, he tracked him down and immediately wanted to coach him. Jesse still needed to make money to send home to his girlfriend and daughter, so he was working to support them. This caused him to miss practices which made Snyder very angry, as any coach would be when they think someone is slacking off for no reason. However, after Jesse explained his situation, Snyder was sympathetic and made sure that Jesse had money to send home without having to work a separate job. Eventually, the two grew very close as Snyder coached Jesse to winning more races. I don’t think Larry Snyder is racist, especially compared to most others at the time. This was especially evident in the way he stepped in for Jesse when he was discriminated against at his honorary dinner.
When Jesse first encountered the German long jumper Luz, the two were competing against each other to see who could jump farther at the Olympics. Luz set one record and Jesse followed it by breaking that record and then his own again. At the Olympic games, the competition is very divided by country and as far as I know the athletes don’t usually interact much besides regular displays of sportsmanship. When Jesse and Luz publicly displayed their friendship and got to know each other better it completely went against what Hitler and many other racists wanted. In 1936, white and black people were unlikely to be seen in such a friendly way together. Their display of unity at the Olympics was totally unexpected from anyone there.
Jesse and other black athletes experienced racism in Ohio when the white athletes and coaches would be cruel to them, specifically shown in the film when they were ordered to leave the locker rooms or wait longer for the showers so the white athletes could go first.
1.) Jesse has a great relationship with his coach, Larry. Jesse absolutely insisted that Larry came with him to the Olympics and even got him coaching permissions. There are several scenes in the movie where they act way more than just coach and athlete, but friends. I don’t think Larry is racist, mostly ignorant of the troubles of black people and how society views them at these times. Such as after the Olympics when they tried to celebrate but Jesse had to use a different entrance to the building. Larry was shocked and tried fighting it while Jesse kinda just accepted it because he was used to it. I think Larry is driven to push Jesse by himself, he was an athlete and made many poor choices that he still regrets. I believe he sees himself in Jesse and tries to steer him on the right path.
2.) Jesse and Luz became friends due to their respect for each other during the long jump. Luz offered Jesse advice and asked him to take his third jump, which Jesse did respectfully. They transcended the race tensions because the nazi controlled Germany, viewed black people as inferior to white people, and obviously wanted their players to reinforce that ideal. The friendship was also a surprise because the Americans were told and believed that all Germans there were Nazis, and taught to hate them. But nonetheless, Jesse and Luz still became friends simply because they saw past their differences.
4.) The tension between Leni Riefenstahl and Joseph Goebbels had a large part to do with Nazis censoring the media. The 1936 Olympics was seen as a clash of ideals, Nazism vs Freedom, Germany vs America. Hitler was very prideful of Germany, he only wanted to show Germany winning and the nazis reining superior. So when Leni tried to record Jesse winning the events and beating the Nazis, the nazi leaders were very upset that she was still trying to record and publish her film.
1. Jesse and Larry’s relationship is so deep because they relate with each other on so many levels. Larry was one of the top runners of his time and even made the Olympic trials. Larry and Jesse are both married with a daughter so it’s so much easier for them to understand each other. Larry and Jesse both see each other as equals on a level too instead of teacher and student, which is why they can get more personal with each other. Larry is not a racist, he treats Jesse like an equal,l and tries not to mention race. At some times Larry acts like he’s oblivious to Jesse’s point of view of the racism and hate he receives. The reason Larry pushes Jesse to do great things is that he sees Jesse as a way to live his dream of winning the Olympics and being a great athlete through Jesse as he lost his chance at the Olympics back in 1924.
3. Jesse and other black athletes were treated as pests when they were in the football locker room. The football players often called Jesse and the other black athletes slurs as they were running. After winning 3 medals in the Olympics, when Jesse was heading to the place where they were hosting a celebration party for his achievements he was told he couldn’t even come in from the front entrance. Jesse had to walk in the building through the service entrance.
5.The film doesn’t portray Jesse as some runner that kept on winning and breaking records. But it also showed Jesse to be a family man that made mistakes. When Jesse cheated on his fiance Minnie Ruth, it showed the vulnerable sides of Jesse that every human has. When Jesse was confronted by the NAACP and told not to join the Olympics, It showed the racial pressure he had on him entering into the Olympics, and how it wasn’t just a no-brainer, easy decision for him to take.
2. How does Jesse’s relationship with German long jumper Luz transcend the racial and political tensions of the Olympic Games in 1936?
In the year 1936, there was a massive debate over whether the U.S. should join the Olympics; which was run by the Nazis. Many argued that the U.S. would be screwing over the U.S. athletes who’ve worked hard for the chance to compete, while others argued that to go, would be to support the Nazi party and their ideologies. In the end, the Olympic committee ended up voting in favor of going to compete in the Olympics. When the German long jumper Luz Long showed Jesse Owens where to jump from during the long jump, Jesse felt an immediate bond towards Long. The two would then proceed to run the “Lap of Honor” (victory lap) together as the two finalists of the event, (Jesse taking gold, and Long taking silver). Long and Owens remained friends till Long’s death in WW2, after he was forced to fight by the Nazis and died in battle. Owen’s and Long’s friendship was a shock to many people at the time, because many white people still hated black people during this time. It was a common misconception that, “all Germans are Nazis”, which was painted by the soon-to-be Allied armies. But because Long showed humanity towards someone who was black, many Americans (and other soon-to-be Allied forces) saw that not all Germans are bad, and this caused a slight loss in racial and political tensions, because it showed that not all Germans are Nazis. The Nazi party was extremely racist, and then Long showed the world that not all Germans are Nazis.
4. Describe the conflict between the German filmmaker, Leni Riefenstahl and German Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels. Why is there tension between Riefenstahl and Goebbels?
When Leni Riefenstahl tried to film the race (and winning) of Jesse Owens, Joseph Goebbels tried to prevent this. This was because Goebbels knew Jesse Owens had a really good chance of winning, so he didn’t want to acknowledge that a black person could be better than any white person. Riefenstahl wanted to film the race/s of Jesse Owens because she wanted Owens to be remembered by the world as the fastest man alive (in 1936). Goebbels even tried ordering her film crew to stop the filming of Owen’s races, but Riefenstahl stopped this. This obviously created tension between the two because Riefenstahl was trying to show the world what really happened, while Goebbels tried (and failed) to suppress the truth; that Jesse Owens was the fastest man alive.
6. Examine the multiple meanings of the word, race, included in this film. Use specific examples from the film.
The word ‘Race’ can mean two different things in the movie. It can mean a literal race between opponents who are racing to finish the race. Or race could mean race, as in racial identity. The movie Race was about both, because Race was about a literal Olympic race, but it was also about the freedom and rights of the African American race. It’s about the Olympic race be cause the whole movie is about Jesse Owens preparing to win and winning 3 gold medals in races (4 total, 1 in long jump). It’s also about race because even though Jesse Owens was the winner of 4 gold medals, famous leaders wouldn’t acknowledge his wins because he was black. Race is a really good name for the movie, because it can be interpretated in two ways; Olympic race and racial identity.
#1
Jesse has a very complex and complicated relationship with coach Larry Synder. As soon as Syder meets Jesse he says he doesn’t trust him. At the first meeting they had, Synder got upset at Jesse because he couldn’t look him in the eyes. From the beginning of the movie it seems that Snyder has a sort of condescending tone when he meets Jesse, but he believes in him as an athlete. I do not believe that coach Sndyer was a racist. Even though yes it was during one of the many periods of racial inequality , I think that coach snyder didn’t see skin colors, he was just looking for men who could run. What drives Larry to pressure Jesse and push him to be the best he can be is many things. The fact that Jesse thrived for greatness to defeat racial norms, or that Larry used to run for the American Olympic Team. He was supposed to run in Paris but his plane crashed a few weeks before the race.
#2
Because in 1936 Germany was still under Nazi control the “correct” personal figure was to be a white man with blue eyes and blonde hair. And because of this racial and social prejudice, Germans seeing a black man running was a change. Luz Helped out Owens in the long jump by placing a bandana where he needed to jump and therefore after taking a victory lap with Owens created tensions because it was the first time a German man and a black man walked side by side, arm in arm.
#3
In America Owens and other African Americans had faced racial inequality such as separate housing, separate facilities and a school designated for black students. He could not participate in many races because his opponents were white males. In Germany he faced greater discrimination from the Nazis. Hitler Refused to see Owens because he was an African american.
Jesse Jesse has a close relationship with Larry Larry. When Jesse first goes to Ohio State University Larry sees his potential and helps him get better. Larry also provides support as Jesse faces racial problems and other challenges throughout his career. Jesse and Larry develop respect and trust for each other and Jesse often asks Larry for advice. Larry is also a tough coach but he believes in Jesse’ abilities and helps him to reach his full potential. Larry is not racist, in fact, he is the opposite. He doesn’t even see race. Larry helped Jesse multiple times when he was facing racial discrimination. A thing that drives Larry to push Jesse is that he used to play the sport and he is very competitive and just wants to win.
Jesse’s relationship with Liz is very different then what the political tensions show. America is seen as having very different values like advocating for black Americans to be able to race and compete in the Olympics while nazi germany wants only white Christian men to compete. The relationship between them is a friendship fromt them connecting about the wrong doings of their countries. Luz is seen running with and helping Jesse during the games. This goes against the traditional German values and almost lights a first spark in Germany to highlight the wrong ideas in the country.
One example of racism that Jesse faced in Ohio was when the coach of the football team had no respect for Jesse being in the locker room. Another time in Ohio is all of the times he races he gets cheered against simply because he is black. Jesse in Berlin faces racism when the coach of the Olympic track team does not let Jesse practice and warm up his own way and so Jesse talks back. When he does this the coach goes to jesses old coach and head of the team and says he cannot have a black man talking back to him like that
1. Jesse definitely looks up to Larry as a mentor and even friend, who sort of pushes him to do his best and encourages him, but still manages to be strict with him. Larry at first seemed to have a kinda negative view on Jesse, purely because he appeared to be just another gifted individual who never had to push for the extra mile, but he came around and respected him when he found out about Jesse’s family and the efforts he put in to support them. I don’t believe Larry is necessarily racist, but he is certainly ignorant of the racial issues that are going on around him. He was one of the few university coaches that allowed black athletes to participate in the sport he coached and he defended Jesse from the racist football team and people in the stands, advising him to tune it all out and focus on what he was doing, but he also yells at Jesse, who was considering boycotting the Olympics, and tells him that race has nothing to do with it and essentially doesn’t matter. Jesse responds by reminding him of his privilege and then walking away. I think Larry is pushing Jesse so hard because he regrets missing his chance to run in the Olympics when he was younger, and he sees Jesse as like, a younger version of himself or something, and he wants to push through to the gold now that he sees that opportunity again.
4. The conflict between Riefenstahl and Goebbels comes pretty much entirely from their different goals and views in regards to the filming of the Olympics. Goebbels, being the German Minister of Propaganda, wishes to display Germany in an overwhelmingly positive light and show the German citizens, and the rest of the world, how great Germany is, and maybe even push some things that are frowned upon by basically everyone else out of the limelight. On the other hand, Riefenstahl seems like she just wants to make a great film and get her facts straight, and she’s even willing to give other people and their countries the spotlight to do it. This does lead to a huge conflict later on in the film as Jesse Owens, a minority figure from America, goes on to race for yet another gold medal, and Goebbels orders Riefenstahl and her crew not to film, fearing humiliation for a fourth time. She records Owens’ victory anyways and even yells at him, telling him not to tell her or her crew what they can and can’t film.
5. Throughout the film, Jesse Owens is not framed as a one dimensional character whose thoughts, feelings, and actions consist of: “run fast, train, run faster, win race, yay happy”. He is instead shown to have various forms of personal conflict through his responsibilities to his family with his choice to prioritize making money to send home over the commitment he made to his sport, his moral dilemmas of cheating on his fiance and whether or not he should go to the Olympics, and arguments with the people he cares about and the points where he’s at his lowest. Instead of just being the good guy who could do no wrong and defeated the Nazis on their home turf in the Olympics, he encounters his own difficult decisions that rest in a relatively gray area with no perfect answer.
2. Jesse Owens forms a unique relationship with German long jumper Luz Long, which transcends the racial and political tensions surrounding the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. Despite being competitors on the track, Jesse Owens and Luz Long develop a mutual respect and friendship. During the long jump qualifying rounds, Owens struggles with fouls and faces the possibility of elimination. Sensing his frustration, Luz approaches Owens and offers him advice on adjusting his takeoff point. This act of sportsmanship and camaraderie from Luz demonstrates his willingness to help Owens, despite the prevailing racial prejudices and the political backdrop of the Nazi regime. Their relationship deepens when Luz Long goes on to win the silver medal in the long jump while Jesse Owens secures the gold medal. In a touching moment, Luz Long joins Owens on the winner’s podium, showing solidarity and breaking the racial barriers set by the Nazi ideology. Their joint presence on the podium sends a powerful message of friendship and unity, transcending the racial and political tensions of the time. By highlighting the bond between Jesse Owens and Luz Long, the movie “Race” showcases the human connections that can emerge even in the face of bigotry and political strife, emphasizing the ability of sport to bridge divides and foster understanding.
3. Jesse Owens and other black athletes faced various forms of racism and discrimination both in Ohio during the 1930s and in Berlin during the 1936 Olympic Games. In Ohio, Jesse Owens experiences racial discrimination in many aspects of his life. For example, when he competes in track meets, he often encounters hostile crowds who taunt and yell racial slurs at him. In Berlin, the Nazi regime actively promoted the belief in Aryan superiority and sought to use the Olympic Games as a showcase of this ideology. The American track coaches in Berlin were also hostile and treated him differently because of his race.
5. Jesse Owens is a complex character, showcasing various aspects of his personality, struggles, and growth throughout the story. “Race” delves into the personal challenges Owens faces both on and off the track. Owens wrestles with the pressure of being a black athlete in a racially divided society, navigating through racial discrimination, and dealing with the expectations of his family and community. The film portrays the internal conflicts Owens experiences as he grapples with the implications of participating in the Olympic Games hosted by a regime that promotes racist ideology. The film explores Owens’ relationships with his coach, Snyder, and his girlfriend, Ruth. It portrays Owens’ loyalty toward his coach, who supports and mentors him throughout his journey. The film also highlights the strain Owens’ other girlfriend places on his relationship with Ruth and his struggles to balance his personal life with his athletic aspirations.
2. Jesse’s relationship with the long jumper Luz, was a pivotal relationship between the Americans and Germany during the Olympic games. After experiencing several forms of racism from higher end officials Jesse was pretty unmotivated for long jump but was able to find a friend who helped him qualify for the first round and ended the third round with tough competition between both sides. Despite Jesse winning, Luz made a victory lap with them holding hands, which shocked many German officials. Because both competitors were unhappy with the inequality/discrimination going on in their countries, their act of unity left an impact on all watching.
1. Jesse has a very good relationship with his coach Larry snyder. The two meet when Jesse joins the Ohio State Track team, and quickly become fast friends through Jesse’s training. Jesse refuses to go to the Olympics if his coach can’t come with him and when the official coaches won’t allow him, Larry goes on his own dime. All that aside, the two have many differences. Larry isn’t racist, but he is unaware of the circumstances and positions Jesse is put in due to his race. He’s unaware of the discrimination against African Americans and doesn’t acknowledge at times what is going on from Jesse’s point of view. Viewers also don’t see many points in the movie where Larry is making an attempt to understand Jesse’s point of view which causes a few strains in the relationship. For example when the NAACP asks Jesse not to attend to defy Nazi white superiority, Larry doesn’t understand what a difficult choice Jesse must make and the two get in a large fight. But despite this lack of understanding Larry was always there for Jesse when he needed him in times like the Olympics, motivation for training, and help with his daughter.
3. Racism was seen in Ohio from the all white football team at Ohio state, they didn’t want to share a locker room with the two black members on the track team, wouldn’t let them shower first, and started to yell at them when the coach wouldn’t leave after their practice. Racism in Germany was seen when Hitler left the games after Jesse won a gold medal because he refused to be seen shaking his hand and congratulating him. The officials also try to not record Jesse’s races so that people can’t see that he won.
Describe Jesse’s relationship with his coach, Larry Snyder. Is Larry racist? What drives Larry to push Jesse to do great things?
Jessie and his coach Larry Snyder both have a very complex relationship and it is shown throughout the whole movie. Larry and Jesse tend to have a very positive relationship with each other throughout the whole movie. They usually are very nice to each other and coach Snyder encourages Jesse to be the best he can possibly be without judging him on his personal decisions. Their relationship together is generally very positive and encouraging especially when Jesse is going through a tough time in his life and needs to be picked back off of his feet. Though, their relationship with each other can become very negative at times when they disagree with each other. Their re;ationship is complex because they do have different opinions on things and feel they both know what is best and won’t listen to anyone else’s opinion. This can cause them to heavily disagree with each other and argue out their issues as they aren’t willing to agree with the other person. I don’t believe that Jesse’s coach Larry Snyder is racist. Coach Snyder is shown multiple times during the movie getting heavily on Jessie for having the wrong technique and he treats Jesse a lot differently then he treats the other runner’s. Though, I don’t think this is because Larry is racist, but I think that he realizes what a special talent Jessie has which he doesn’t want to be wasted. I don’t think that coach Snyder is racist because he is always supporting Jessie and always trying to do what he thinks is best for Jessie. Coach Snyder is not racist due to the way he is always there for Jessie and will always have his back no matter what. I think Larry’s own bad decisions push Jessie to want to do great things. Coach Snyder realized what a bad decision he made by flying before the Olympics and crashing which ultimately made him miss them. Coach Snyder realized what an opportunity he missed by not participating in the Olympics and how bad of a feeling that meant. Coach Snyder pushes Jessie to be his very best because he doesn’t want Jesse to have that feeling and live with regret for the rest of his life. Coach Synder realizes the gift that Jesse was born with and doesn’t want it to go to waste so he pushes Jessie to become the best he possibly can.
How does Jesse’s relationship with German long jumper Luz transcend the racial and political tensions of the Olympic Games in 1936?
Jesse’s relationship with the German long jumper Luz showed the tensions of the Olympic games. Luz and Jesse both had all the pressure of their countries leaders counting on them to bring a gold medal back home. For Jesse, he had to deal with the pressure of showing how African Americans can compete in these games and he had the weight of civil rights activists on his shoulders. Also, he had to heavily compete for America trying to show that we are still large competitors and we will not let Germany’s Aryan race take over the world. For Luz, he had the weight of the whole country counting on him to take gold and show that Germany was the most dominant country in the world. Germany wanted to show that it was the dominant power around the world and to do that the government needed to count on Luz to win the gold medal. Their relationship together shows that their countries only cared about showing who had the most dominant athletes instead of letting the athletes compete for themselves. Their relationship together shows how each country was at war with each other mentally trying to show who could bring the best athletes and dominate the competition. Their relationship shows the lengths each country would go to in order to prove who was better in all aspects.
Describe examples of the racism that Jesse and other black athletes faced in both Ohio in the 1930s and in Berlin in 1936.
One example of racism that Jessie faced at Ohio State was in the locker room after he and his teammate finished practice. After Jesse’s track practice, he and his friend were in the Ohio State locker room trying to take a shower. At the same time, the all white Ohio State football team was in the locker room at the same time pushing Jessie and his friend around. The football team would not let Jessie use the shower’s due to his race and the football player’s kept saying derogatory terms and treating Jessie like he was trash. Jessie was not able to use the showers and had to act like a second class citizen in the locker room due to the fear that the football team would do something bad to him if he didn’t. Secondly, an example of racism in Berlin at the 1936 Olympics was when Hitler wouldn’t shake Jesse’s hand after Jesse had just won the gold medal. Jessie was in the finals competing for the gold medal in the 100 yard sprint going against Germany’s sprinters. In the race, he destroyed Germany’s sprinters, beating them by a mile. He showed he was the dominant athlete on the track as he easily won the gold medal. After he won gold, he was supposed to shake hands with Hitler as he was the leader of the hosting country. Though, this was an example of racism as Hitler didn’t want to shake his hand because he wasn’t part of the Aryan race and dominated Germany’s Aryan runner’s. This shows racism as Jesse was discriminated against because he didn’t belong to a certain race.
Describe Jess’s relationship with his coach, Larry Snyder. Is Larry racist? What drives Larry to push Jesse to do great things?
Jesse I believe had a good relationship with his coach Larry Snyder. I think Larry grew as a person throughout the film. At the very beginning of the film, when he was first approached by Jesse and his desire to run; he was reluctant to accept him and even got a little bit snappy with him about his commitment to the team and his mandatory attendance. However, at the end of the film I feel that the two got very close with another. One example of how he was not racist at the end of the movie was when they went to the celebratory dinner for the olympic team, Jesse and his wife were forced to use the service entrance and Larry stood up for Jesse and even got into it a little bit with the male workers. I think what drives Larry to push Jesse the most was the fact that he was so close to making it to the olympics when he was younger and he just wants Jesse to live out his dreams.
Examine the multiple meanings of the word, race, included in this film. Use specific examples from the film.
I think there are several meanings of the word race in this film. The two most obvious meanings are the running race and also the race meaning color of someone’s skin because Jesse was an African American and faced some unfair treatment because of that. One other usage of the word race in this movie is the human race. I see this because it took place during the World war two era where Germany was being run by the natzis; this divided the country and even the Olympics because two Jewish USA runners were forced to pull out of their events.
How does the film portray Jesse Owens as a complex character? Use specific examples from the film.
I think this film does a great job of portraying Jesse Owens as a complex character because his life has a lot of layers. Behind the scenes of him being a world champion and record holder, he is just a normal guy who works a minimum wage job in order to keep his small family a float. He was unable to live with his family and only able to communicate with them through letters. I think these are reasons he is a complex character because usually when someone is a olympic winner, they are seen as rich and boastful but that is far from the case of Jesse Owens.
Describe Jesse’s relationship with his coach, Larry Snyder. Is Larry racist? What drives Larry to push Jesse to do great things?
I would say that their relationship is pretty normal for a coach/athlete sort of relationship. Larry certainly pushes Jesse past his limits, while still maintaining a kind of friendship. Larry can certainly be critical of Jesse’s performance and decision-making, but it’s merely out of care for Jesse. I feel as though Larry, like any other white man of the time, would’ve been inherently racist due to the biases that are deeply ingrained in the pre-WW2 American society. Not to say that Larry is a bad person, he’s just complex, as is Jesse Owens, as is any person. The only reason he trained Jesse as hard as he did was because he felt that with the proper training, care, and preparation, he could be one of the best runners in the nation, and maybe even the world. Though, he consistently struggled to understand Jesse’s experiences with racism and discrimination; about halfway through the film, Jesse expresses discomfort with going to Nazi occupied Berlin as a black man. Snyder merely brushes it off as olympic-related nervousness, not a fear of the Nazi regime nor a poor image for the black community in America. It gets to the point where Jesse has to spell it out for him, in the simplest language that he knows a white man will be able to comprehend.
How does Jesse’s relationship with German long jumper Luz transcend the racial and political tensions of the Olympic Games in 1936?
After Jesse’s victory in the long jump, we see a kind of intimate moment of athlete-to-athlete connection between the two. Despite the fact that Jesse is a black American and Luz is a white German, Luz and Jesse can both admit to the inherent flaws of their respective governments. This demonstrates the breaking of both political and racial tensions/boundaries of the time due to their willingness to engage with one another as athletes. Not as a black man and a white man, but simply, runners. They appreciate each other for their athletic prowess and overall abilities, not for their government, not for their skin color. A mere moment of connection between two athletes, just two simple people.
How does the film portray Jesse Owens as a complex character? Use specific examples from the film.
Within the first 30 minutes of the film, the audience comes to find that not only does Jesse Owens have a fiancé and a child, but he’s been continually cheating with said fiancé. It’s later noted that Owens feels somewhat remorseful about his actions, but the fact that he saw no wrong in committing them in the first place certainly raises some questions among the viewers. This gives Jesse a kind of edge; you as the viewer want to root for him, but it’s hard to earlier in the film considering what he did. Even if they weren’t married, he was still threatening to break their family apart, completely ignoring the consequences of his actions.
3. In ohio black athletes faced racist remarks from the white football team and were forced out of the locker room whenever the white athletes were using it. In the end of the film Jesse is forced to use the service entrance of a restaurant to eat at his own party. In berlin, black and Jewish athletes were discouraged from joining Olympic events and the fuher hitler refused to shake the hands of black gold medalists. And when the germans realized they were losing to a black man, they wanted to cut the cameras so no one would know of the loss
2. Because in both America and berlin it was discouraged for whites and blacks to be near each other let alone converse and with and support each other. There was also the fact that Luz and Jesse were both meant to win for their countries to spread their influence so Luz supporting a american athlete despite being on the german team was almost seen as a betrayal to his country. This is proven when the end credits say Luz was put on the front lines in WW2 as punishment for this “betrayal”.
5. What makes Jesse a complex character is his reason for running, and the dilemma he faces in the middle of the film. He says he doesn’t only run for winning, he runs because it makes him feel free. He also expresses he doesn’t care as much about winning races as he does about his family saying to the coach that he won’t run if he can’t support his family. He also given a conflict where the aaag representative says he shouldn’t compete in the events because it would prove the germans right and it would hurt his race, so he must choose what he truly stands for.
1. Jesse and his coach, Snyder, grow an unbreakable bond throughout the movie. Snyder continuously defends Jesse and his choices. I don’t think Snyder is racist because of all the things he does for Jesse. Coach Snyder is always there for Jesse when he needs help whether that be on the track or in life. Snyder continuously acts out to anyone who has something racist to say to Jesse. Although Snyder is not racist he doesn’t fully grasp why Jesse makes the decisions he makes, for example when Jesse was debating whether he wanted to even attend the Olympics at all and Snyder didn’t understand why he would even consider not going.
2. Jesse and Luz transcended racial tension of the olympic games because their friendship represented that people that come from different backgrounds and races can still be friendly towards each other. After the event Jesse and Luz did a victory lap together in front of Hitler and many people from the Nazi party. The nazi party was very racist so having a man from germany opposing racism in front of thousands of people was very monumental.
3. In the movie many black athletes faced racism in both Ohio and the games in berlin. For example at Jesse’s first track practice the football team lines up and starts saying racist comments to Jesse. Jesse also encounters racism with the football boys later in the locker room, the football team was attempting to enter and they began to scream at the track and field athletes. When Jesse was in Berlin at the games, Jesse wasn’t allowed to train how he normally likes to because his olympic coach didn’t allow it. The coach goes on to say racist comments towards Jesse because of this. Jesse doesn’t allow himself to be disrespected so he said he wouldn’t compete in the olympics unless he could have Coach Larry.
Describe Jesse’s relationship with his coach, Larry Snyder. Is Larry racist? What drives Larry to push Jesse to do great things?
Jesse has a complicated relationship with his coach. This seems like a bad response to the question, but there are many different elements to their relationship that make it difficult to focus on whether it’s a positive or negative relationship. Jesse’s relationship with his coach is strong and powerful. Jesse trusts Larry, in turn, Larry believes in him. Jesse trusts his coach’s running advice while taking all of his coach’s advice to heart. Larry pushes Jesse to be better, but not to an impossible degree. To elaborate, Larry is very reasonable with Jesse. When Jesse makes it known to Larry that he has a family to provide for, and that his job to carry out said payments interferes with practice, instead of punishing Jesse, Larry finds a way to get him the money while still giving him the opportunity to spend as much time as possible on the track. Although the personal elements of their relationship seem entirely positive, this view ignores color in the same way that Larry does at times. An example of this is when Larry underestimates Jesse’s conflicting feelings about attending the olympics in Nazi Germany. Larry essentially insults Jesse for merely considering the idea of not going, and Jesse points out that he can’t and will never be able to understand, and therefore doesn’t get to have an opinion. This ties into whether or not Larry is racist. I don’t think this is a question that has a definitive answer because we have to consider the social norms at the time and the idea that he was obviously racially biased given his lack of understanding of a black perspective due to a lack of experience he couldn’t possibly have. Basically, Larry has inherent bias, and his actions and opinions regarding race stem from those biases, and one can always do more to undo these biases. It wouldn’t have any benefit to label him as racist or not racist, so I’ll end that train of thought here. The thing that drives Larry to push Jesse to do great things actually ties back into Larry’s lack of acknowledgement of race. Larry sees himself in Jesse. Because he sees himself, he feels inspired to bring those parts out of Jesse, and it helps to remind him why he decided to coach in the first place.
Describe examples of the racism that Jesse and other black athletes faced in both Ohio in the 1930s and in Berlin in 1936.
There are many racist experiences that Jesse and other black athletes were forced to endure in the 1930’s in Europe and in America synonymously. This movie did a wonderful job of illustrating some of these examples, and there are deeper experiences that often aren’t talked about. Some of the examples referenced in the movie include locker room discrimination through forms of segregation, a lower set of expectations, yet a higher set of standards for black athletes, and harassment based upon race. In the beginning of the movie, Jesse is forced to endure discrimination from other guys on the football team in the locker room. He and his black friend are told that they’re not allowed to shower until after the white football guys were done, despite the fact that Jesse and his friend were there first. That combined with usage of racial slurs against them were daily encounters for black athletes at this point, and this was in some cases seen as mild discrimination. In terms of standards and expectations, we can see some set of higher standards in a discriminatory way when Jesse beats a world record during his first meet, but it isn’t counted because the track official ended the clock slightly after he crossed the finish line. Athletes at this point were subject to many challenges as a result of their race that they otherwise wouldn’t have been subjected to. In addition, they endured a lifetime of being taught at the very least through racial bias that they were inferior to white people, and they were forced to overcome not just physical obstacles, but mental ones. When it comes to race based harassment, this is seen when white guys would intentionally bump into Jesse with racist intents, and the obstacles here had more to do with black athletes being forced to ensure that they weren’t put in any situation where they could be accused as “aggressive,” which led to a sense of forced acceptance of this discrimination. Some of the off screen discrimination includes something as simple as representation. At this time period, a majority of black athletes in America grew up watching only white people be successful, while also being likely to experience multiple instances of discouragement from athletes and coaches on a higher level as a result of race. This is shown to a certain extent in the movie, but the extent in reference to one’s whole life, there’s a much larger degree. In Berlin, many of these obstacles were similar, but one difference can be seen through the idea of discriminate facilities versus allowance of people of color to even have the right to make it to those locker rooms. In the movie, Jesse is shocked to see that there’s no discrimination in the rooms in Berlin, but he was also seen as an object by one of the military leaders at that time which is seen when the word “that” is used to describe him. The comparison is quite ironic.
Examine the multiple meanings of the word, race, included in this film. Use specific examples from the film.
I think that the word race in this film has at least 3 different meanings. The first couple are obvious. The movie is about Jesse Owens, a black track athlete in the 1930’s, so in this context, the word race refers to Jesse’s obstacles resulting from his race while also referencing the fact that he’s a track star. Jesse faces a significant amount of discrimination at this time as referenced in my previous responses, and this racial discrimination is highlighted by the title of the movie. Oftentimes, American history chooses to whitewash information to portray white people as saviors and people of color as people in need of saving. The usage of the word “race” highlights the fact that it isn’t the fault of Jesse, or the fault of black people that he endured discrimination as an athlete and as an American, but the results of a system set up by white people. The meaning of the word “race” in a running sense doesn’t need an explanation given that in track, one is literally racing against other individuals. The third meaning of this word keeps in mind the long term idea of a metaphorical race. The race for equality. The fight for equality in America is one that has been fought since before its founding. Because this word in the context of the movie obviously has multiple meanings, it’s likely that the term is also used to establish the dichotomy between these meanings. The goal of a race when running is to be the fastest one out there, and Jesse manages to do that, however, the race for racial inequality is one that even today hasn’t been won, and that’s taking into account hundreds of years of opposition to these systems.
(I apologize for the one minute late response, I literally just remembered that I forgot to hit the “post comment” button. Silly me!!
6. The word race in the movie has multiple meanings. The first one being race as is the races of the characters in the movie and discrimination of black people exclusively the discrimination jesse owens faced. The political race between Germany and the US. Germany wanted to be better than America
and they wanted the world to think Germany was better than America and the olympic games were a way to prove that. Then race means the physical race that athletics were going to run.
1 Larry and Jesse are close. Larry sees himself in Jesse and Jesse needs someone who can motivate him and push him to his full potential and thats what Larry does. Larry also always has Jesses back.Larry is not racist towards jesse. He never cared about the color of Jesses skin but he knew it played a huge roll in his running career. Jesse needs a coach who see’s his full potential and who will advocate for him and Larry is that person.Larry pushes jesse to do great things because he knows Jesse can be great. He doesn’t want Jesse to miss out on opportunities like he did when he was Jesse’s age because Larry see’s a lot of himself in Jesse and doesn’t want Jesse to fail like he did.
5 The film portrays Jesse as a complex character by using his lifestyle and race to show the complexity. Jesse has a Girlfriend who later turns in to his wife but he also cheats on her. Jess has a daughter who he puts before anything even his running career. He is black which adds a lot of complexity seeing he is not accepted by white people so this makes his running career extremely difficult but his coach Larry who does not care about Jesses race helps him to work through the racism in his running career.
2. Jessie’s friendship with luz long helped to cut across racial and political tensions of the nations. Jessie seemed to question their friendship due to how much racism he had faced in the United States and he wasn’t sure if Luz was being genuine or doing so for political reasons. Luz helping Jessie during the long jump showed how much kindness and empathy he had, despite the Nazis he faced all around him.
3. In the movie Race there are many examples of racism faced by Jesse Owens and other black athletes both in college and in berlin. In the US, they faced segregation, limited opportunities, discrimination in sports, and unfair treatment. At Ohio State, Jessie also faced derogatory remarks from fellow white athletes. In Berlin, black olympic athletes also faced racism. First, they faced the nazi ideology which included promoting racism and white supremacy. Also, they were faced with hostility from fellow athletes, coaches, and spectators. There was also segregation in the olympic village and how black athletes were given unfair accommodations. This all shows how Jessie and his fellow black athletes had to overcome many challenges to achieve greatness.
6. In the movie Race, the word race has many different meanings. First obviously is the sport term race because one of the main focuses of the movie is the track and field events of the berlin olympic games. In this movie the word race can also refer to racial tensions and discrimination in America and overseas. A third meaning for race in this movie is the concept of Aryan race during the nazi regime that took place during the berlin olympics. These olympics were used by the Nazis to promote their racist ideology. The last term for race could be the unity with different races seen in the movie. When African American, Owens and German, Luz become friends it shows how they transcended racial differences. They overcame racial divisions and became friends over shared experiences and having empathy for each other.