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The Human Stain MOVIE REVIEW: THE HUMAN STAIN Agathi Glezakos, Ph.D., California State University, Long Beach The Human Stain, a 2003 movie from and paradoxical events of the human Miramax Studios (based on the 2002 book experience in araciaUy segregated society are by Philip Roth), has two main characters — revealed. Faunia Farley and Coleman Silk. The hidden Coleman SiUc (played, at different ages background ofthe each character is important first by Wentworth Miller and then by Anthony in understanding tiieir interaction in the movie. Hopkins), the first Jewish Dean at Athena Faunia, a privileged young white woman, College in Massachusetts, uses the word ran away from home as a fourteen-year-old "spooks" in the course of a lecture when to rescue herself from her stepfather's sexual referring to two students who had never abuse and to heal the wounds opened by her attended classes. The reference is labeled as mother's inability to protect and defend her. a racist epithet by his coUeagues and the two The course ofher Ufe is affected by her fi^gile students who, unbeknown to him, are Afiican ego and the lack of effective coping skiUs in a American. Dr. Silk's subsequent forced social environmentthat permits the exploitation resignation from his academic post is foUowed of young females. As the movie opens, by a series of events that clearly demonstrate Faunia, now in her thirties, is still beautiful but both the superficial skin color criteria used to has multiple psychological scars. She supports categorize people and tiie intemal, life-long herself with income from several unskilled psychologically painful consequences of jobs on a farm, a post office, and the discriminatory practices. As the events unfold maintenance department at Athena CoUege. in a creative and suspenseful sequence, with Years earlier, before the civil rights alternating present and past episodes, we are movement, when legalized racial segregation reminded ofthe traumatizing intmpsychic and in America promoted discrimination, intrafamUial confUcts that sociaUy constructed inequaUty and injustice on the basis of one's realities can create. skin color, Coleman Silk, a bright African In the pre-civil rights era, Coleman, a American young man, suppresses powerful talented and ambitious black man, wants to intemal conflicts and uses ingenuity to take reaUze his dreams on tiie basis of achievement advantage of his Ught-colored skin to live as and merit rather than aUow his choices to be a white man. His intelUgence, multiple talents, determined by oppressive and discriminatory and hard work make him a prominent legal and social practices. As a result, he academic who is perceived as the first Jewish makes decisions that come to haunt him for a Dean of Athena CoUege. As the movie opens, lifetime. In the eyes ofthe college world he he is now age 70, working in an academic inhabits, he is seen as an accompUshed white environment that condemns politically Jewish academic. However, he remains a incorrect statements and behavior. He finds captive ofthe secret of his hidden African excitement and comfort in a relationship with American identity. In a social context that Faunia cannot accommodate interracial marriages, he The affair portrayed in The Human Stain must present himself as a white to marry the between these two very different individuals white woman with whom he faUs in love. His provides a creative and emotionally intense conscious decision to adopt a white identity scenario in which the complexities, dramas. has a paradoxical outcome: gratification fix)m REFLECTIONS - WINTER 2004 127 Movie Review: The Human Stain the benefits of success inthe vsdiite world and lens. The connection they experience is not intemal turmoU from having severed all ties stained by societal norms and is not dictated vsdth his family of origin. At the end, the by superficial taboos. The relational scenario gratification turns into overpowering bittemess that they create becomes clear proof of the when his colleagues, including Herb Keble, capacity within all of us to make personally Athena's first African American professor, meaningful and empowering connections vsdtii whom he had hired, find him guilty of using a feUow human beings who come from diverse racial slur and he is "forced" to resign from backgrounds. hisdeanship. Movies like The Human Stain, in which A recent widower, old, and without an the toxic effects of discriminatory practices academic post, Coleman befidends Nathan on individual and collective well-being are Zuckerman (played by Gary Sinise), a portrayed, help us appreciate the positive younger, white male neighbor. He also begins social changes that have taken place in the a romantic relationship vsdth Faunia Farley decades foUowing the civU rights movement, (Nicole Kidman), a troubled white woman and can motivate us to continue to advocate who is less than halfhis age. Nathan becomes for justice, equality and equity in our a confident and a reserved companion. Faunia increasingly diverse society. Such re-activates Coleman's sexual drive and helps presentations are powerful reminders of how contain his intemal rage. the development of human relationships and In the course of their tumultuous connections should not be contingent on a interludes, Coleman and Faunia make person's ethnicity, gender, age and socio- confessions to each other about their secrets economic status. that have a mutual cathartic and soothing effect. He learns of dramas in both her References families-of-origin and her marriage to an • Roth, P (2000). The Human Stain. NY: abusive, controUing man (Ed Harris), and the \^tage Intemational. subsequent death of her two children in a house fire. What she reveals shows a young woman's amazing capacity for resilience in the midst of great adversity. In her, he discovers the person to whom he can talk openly and to whom he can disclose his vulnerabiUties. She first relates to him through sex, the way she has leamed to relate to all men. Inthe course of their romantic encounter, he becomes her protector and, at the end of the movie, death companion. For his part, Coleman reveals to her his racial and ethnic identify, whichhe has kept hidden for so long. The actors are seasoned and skilled. The performances of Hopkins and Kidman are powerful and captivating. They reveal how two individuals from profoundly different backgrounds can develop an emotional cormection that helps them view their respective reaUties with a newly discovered 128 REFLECTIONS - WINTER 2004 Copyright of Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping is the property of Cleveland State University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use..
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