The Butler Movie Essay

746 Words3 Pages
In the movie The Butler by Lee Daniels, shows us the life of Cecil Gaines, who works as a butler in the White House during the American Civil Rights Movement. Cecil begins his life traumatized after his father was shot and killed for trying to defend his wife, after being raped by the plantation owner. After leaving the plantation and working at hotels, Cecil gets offered a job at the White House as being a butler, but eventually his job takes a toll on Cecil and his family. This job makes him choose between work and family, causing conflicts in his relationship with his wife and son. Gloria, Cecil’s wife, begins a drinking problem causing her to almost have an affair. Louis, Cecil’s son, becomes an activist of the Civil Rights Movement, creating…show more content…
Cecil sees two hanging men from a tree, symbolizing his fear towards white people, the law and how no one will defend an African American. The cake in the window symbolizes the future of Cecil’s life, foreshadowing Cecil working for the most powerful man in the country. When Cecil is nervous about going to Washington DC, his boss tells him “We have two faces, ours and the one we got to show the white people”, this shows the reason why Cecil was obedient and took his job seriously. The setting of his home is bright and cheerful when he gets the job at the White House. The picture of George Washington is another symbol of foreshadowing in Cecil’s life, eventually he would be working for presidents and create history. The setting becomes darker and dull over time, caused by Gloria’s drinking a. Louis and Cecil’s relationship begins to get rocky when he find out Louis is a part of the nonviolent demonstrations. Cecil drinking from the colored water fountain symbolizes old views and beliefs on society. Polishing the silver every night symbolizes the dedication and respect Cecil has for his job. President Kennedy’s tie and the pin given by Johnson are symbols of the respect and gratitude that the presidents he served had towards
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