I think jupe and OJ are more like foils in this case.
Jupe keeping the artifacts from his tragedy for profit. Whereas OJ keeps the coin to remember his dad and what happened. He never shows it to anyone. It’s not on display.
And his goal is definitely not to get paid for his pain. He’s driven by wanting to honor the legacy that his dad built with this first black horse ranch in Hollywood business. He’s selling the horses to survive but desperately trying to make things work to get them back because his dad and the memory and the legacy is so important to him.
So number one, when he realizes the alien is a danger to him on the farm, he can’t just leave it behind. And then two, the plan to make money from the alien is an extension of that drive to preserve the legacy and save the ranch.
It has nothing to do with spectacle for him.
He’s protecting that legacy. Refusing to let a predator drive him off his land and then trying to seize the opportunity to turn it into his salvation.
Em is an interesting midpoint between OJ and Jupe in the sense that her beginning motivation is definitely the desire for spectacle, notoriety, fame, money, but it becomes more pure as she reconnects with her brother and the legacy of the ranch in her own way.
She didn’t get to train that horse. She doesn’t feel the same pull to the ranch like OJ does. But the memory they talk about is OJ looking up at her and connecting with her in that moment of her pain as a child. So she comes to care about the legacy through him. Through that bonding as brother and sister.
And then the viral - disease connection is just factually untrue.
Viral just refers to how quickly something can spread. With a virus being a real life analogue for a phenomenon we see socially as well. There is no value judgment in saying something is viral.
In the same way the phrase spread like wild fire isn’t inherently negative when used as a simile.
So I think your personal feelings about internet fame or viral internet culture might be leaking through there.
Thanks Michael, this is an excellent comment. I can see how I misinterpreted some things. Being in Colorado, I do think spreading like wildfire will always be a negative simile, but that's just me!
I had the same thought initially V.C., but I think Michael makes a convincing argument in his comment that OJ and EM are trying to protect their property and save their family business. Getting the Oprah shot is a means to that end. It's definitely open for various interpretations, though.
I think jupe and OJ are more like foils in this case.
Jupe keeping the artifacts from his tragedy for profit. Whereas OJ keeps the coin to remember his dad and what happened. He never shows it to anyone. It’s not on display.
And his goal is definitely not to get paid for his pain. He’s driven by wanting to honor the legacy that his dad built with this first black horse ranch in Hollywood business. He’s selling the horses to survive but desperately trying to make things work to get them back because his dad and the memory and the legacy is so important to him.
So number one, when he realizes the alien is a danger to him on the farm, he can’t just leave it behind. And then two, the plan to make money from the alien is an extension of that drive to preserve the legacy and save the ranch.
It has nothing to do with spectacle for him.
He’s protecting that legacy. Refusing to let a predator drive him off his land and then trying to seize the opportunity to turn it into his salvation.
Em is an interesting midpoint between OJ and Jupe in the sense that her beginning motivation is definitely the desire for spectacle, notoriety, fame, money, but it becomes more pure as she reconnects with her brother and the legacy of the ranch in her own way.
She didn’t get to train that horse. She doesn’t feel the same pull to the ranch like OJ does. But the memory they talk about is OJ looking up at her and connecting with her in that moment of her pain as a child. So she comes to care about the legacy through him. Through that bonding as brother and sister.
And then the viral - disease connection is just factually untrue.
Viral just refers to how quickly something can spread. With a virus being a real life analogue for a phenomenon we see socially as well. There is no value judgment in saying something is viral.
In the same way the phrase spread like wild fire isn’t inherently negative when used as a simile.
So I think your personal feelings about internet fame or viral internet culture might be leaking through there.
Great post!
Thanks Michael, this is an excellent comment. I can see how I misinterpreted some things. Being in Colorado, I do think spreading like wildfire will always be a negative simile, but that's just me!
I don't believe you're overthinking things.
Do you think it's possible that Peele was (unintentionally) being hypocritical in how he portrayed Em and OJ's actions verses the themes of the movie?
I had the same thought initially V.C., but I think Michael makes a convincing argument in his comment that OJ and EM are trying to protect their property and save their family business. Getting the Oprah shot is a means to that end. It's definitely open for various interpretations, though.