Slave trade as a case study can be dated back to many years before today in America, even until and after the thirteenth amendment of slave trade in 1865. During this period, beginning in the 16th century, black people were being kidnapped and enslaved. The kidnapped victims were shipped over Atlantic as slaves to the white, under horrific condition such as working on plantations and other hard labour. This is the plot mirrored by Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz ( writers and producers ) in ANTEBELLUM as a reenactment in this century, following William Faulkner's quote "The past is never dead. It's not even past."
The narration of actions and arrangement of events in the movie surrounds the plight of Veronica Henley, the protagonist who is kidnapped in the city of America to an outskirt where victims are maltreated, suffered to work on reformer plantation commandeered by the Ninth infantry of the confederate Army of the 13 state as slaves. The conflict in the plot centres between the blacks and white, where each tries to define their roles and position in the society of America. Dr. Veronica Henley, as a social activist took it upon herself to be in the forefront of the black race and right against the discriminating white opinion. As a result of her undiluted view and out of her anxious aggression she published "Shedding The Coping Persona" a book (thesis) that highlights lack of inclusion, intersectionality of race, class and gender in the society. Veronica Henley asserts to have written her book as a road map to revolution for historical marginalized people such as the black.
Not noticing the traces of being followed and observed, the night before Veronica was kidnapped after a social gathering with friends, she articulated in a cinema stating:
"You know, I learned very quickly that black people, black women in particular, we're expected to be seen, not heard. Or we risk being perceived as threatening to the patriarchy. Or God forbid, we continue to get branded as the 'angry black woman. ' So,The Coping Persona has been this mode of survival for generations of the oppressed people. What I also learned through those experiences is within our authenticity lies our real power. And that's even in those environment, which by design, demand our complete and total assimilation.
To the patriarchy, we've been practically invisible. But their arrogance is their greatest vulnerability. And our greatest opportunity. And it brings me to a quote by Assata Shakur. 'The only thing that we have to lose are our chains '. Liberation over assimilation. They're stuck in the past. We are the future."
Following the anger and dismay of Veronica's antagonist caused by her aggressive move towards the conflict, she is kidnapped and enslaved in Louisiana's Premier Civil war reenactment park, where only two major classes exist; the upper and the lower class, having the white dominate the black as it was before the civil war, obeying their rules as informed by the plantation commander to every newly kidnapped black.
"Wherever you are before, what small freedom you might have enjoyed, I am here to tell you that's over. I don't tolerate any back talk whatsoever from inferiors. In fact, on this plantation, you will only speak when given permission to do so that means, absolutely no talking among yourselves unless one of the white folks on property gives you permission to do so"
Veronica who had her name changed to Eden tries to comply with the rules after attempting an escape and brutally punished for it. Nevertheless, the suicide of a new pregnant fellow who could not bear the pain and agony leads Veronica to plotting another escape plan with the help of a male fellow and succeeded, although without the fellow, whose live was lost in process.
A few other scenes in the movie:
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