"Golf, God, and The Hunger Games: The Usage and Social Implications of " by Natalya Reister
 

Golf, God, and The Hunger Games: The Usage and Social Implications of the ‘Magical Negro’ Trope in Film

Level of Education of Students Involved

Undergraduate

Faculty Sponsor

Edward Upton

College

Christ College (CC)

Discipline(s)

Humanities

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Symposium Date

Spring 4-24-2025

Abstract

Films over the last 25 years such as The Legend of Bagger Vance and The Hunger Games have paired black characters along with the movie's white lead in an attempt to promote better representation of African Americans in cinema. While these films make small strides toward more positive representations, their use of a black character to advance the growth of a white protagonist classifies them as 'Magical Negro' (MN) films. The MN trope within cinema is problematic because it testifies to society's perception of unbalanced power between black and white Americans. This paper aims to critique the tolerance of semi-positive and seemingly harmless portrayals of African Americans in film through an analysis of the MN trope. After investigating the common elements and patterns within MN films, the paper argues that these stereotypes negatively impact the audience. This relationship between harmful characterizations and real-world impact as demonstrated with MN films warrants attention because cinema is an influential tool for enforcing racial attitudes that should be held accountable.

Biographical Information about Author(s)

Natalya is a senior undergraduate studying Sociology. Her research primarily focuses on the relationships between religion and well-being among college students. She became interested in studying the usage and implications of the 'Magical Negro' trope while taking an African American Literature course through Valparaiso's Christ College.

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