Essay Questions

How does the theme of racial discernment emerge in ‘Sorry to Bother You’ by Boots Riley”?

The film 'Sorry to Bother You' majorly focuses on racial bigotry and shows how the minority groups are denied opportunities simply because they cannot speak like more powerful people. Cassius is a black man, which implies that he does not get a promotion if he sticks to his cultural traditions. Therefore, Cassius is forced to abandon his traditional heritage as a black man and emulate the American speaking style to get a promotion. Consequently, an individual from a minority group must leave his culture and simulate the white persona to get an opportunity in America.

How does the film reveal the good and bad side of capitalism?

Cassius and other minority groups are working in a company that is founded on capitalist ideals. Companies formed under capitalism are profit-oriented, and they focus on increasing the founders' wealth rather than uplifting the employees to live a better life. According to this film, capitalism favors the rich, and because they are becoming more prosperous every day while the poor are becoming poorer. Regardless of how they work harder, their efforts will not uplift their living standards under capitalism.

How does the film illustrate that despite the efforts of the minority groups to emulate the privileged lifestyle, they are still not accepted entirely?

Cassius thinks that abandoning his culture and living like a rich white man will give him the advantage of being accepted entirely by white society. He can get a promotion and the money he dreamt of, but he is treated with a rude shock when he realizes that he is treated as an outsider. For instance, he is forced to rap, which symbolizes that the White lifestyle emulation is not a guarantee for full acceptability in white society.