Theodore Melfi directed the great movie entitled Hidden Figures that was released

on January 6, 2017. This paper will circulate the scenes correlated to a

particular approach, symbolisms nor realizations, issues evident, and relevant
today. As a viewer, there are questions tangled up in my mind; firstly, how did
the director entail its subject matter and themes? Secondly, despite the
success, does it seems like it was oversimplified? Lastly, can the film be the
voice to those who are voiceless and the sight to the blind, nor can it open an
individual's hearts, minds, and souls? 

Taraji P. Henson as Katherine Johnson, Octavia Spencer as Dorothy Vaughan, and

Janelle Monae as Mary Jackson are the three brilliant African-American women
working at NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). Those are
indeed the brains behind one of the special operations in history: the launch of
astronaut Glen Powell as John Glenn into orbit. This achievement turned around the
Space Race and galvanized the world. Firstly, in view of Historical Criticism, the
film Hidden Figures originated based on Margot Lee Shetterly's novel. 

An article was written by Lolade Fadulu that includes an interview with Margot Lee
Shetterly. She asked, "What did your parents do?" he answered, "My mom taught
English at Hampton University. My dad worked at NASA; he's a retired research
scientist. He spent his entire career as an atmospheric research scientist at NASA
Langley. I grew up in Hampton, Virginia, and the women I wrote about were people I
knew growing up. That NASA connection was very much a part of my life from the
very beginning." Followed up by a question, "Did you know all along that this was a
story you wanted to write? He answered, "Yes and no. The story's genesis came out
of a conversation that my husband and I had with my father. We were visiting my
parents in December of 2010. My dad was talking about some of the women he had
worked with. The facts of the story I knew growing up because I knew what my father
did. But it never really occurred to me to ask why there were so many women when I
got to NASA to visit my dad at work. There were always women there; there were
black women there. It was just part and parcel of my perception of what NASA was.
There were black people, scientists, and they did the scientific work, which was the
thing's nature. It was that moment [in 2010] that called into question my
understanding of that entire thing. Why the hell were there black women at Langley
in the segregated south in the '50s? How did they get there? Where did they come
from? The larger story of social mobility and work identity and race and gender—I
think that is the story that has interested me forever. Writing Hidden Figures, for me,
was a way of helping myself understand a lot of those things that I've I've always
been trying to understand." In light of all this information, it is evident that the
film's background is correlated to the environment he grew up with, beliefs,
prejudices, time, and history. Secondly, in view of Gender Criticism under a
Feminist Approach and Sociological Approach, there will be several scenes to
mention and elaborate on as it is correlated. At the beginning of the film. In this
scene, a police officer saw the three African-American women and asked, "Do you
have an identification on you?" When he knew that they were working at NASA, he
then said, "NASA? I had no idea they hired- (women)" and praised gentlemen and
said, "those boys are the best we've we've got." Correlated to this scene, Levi
Jackson questioned his wife, Mary Jackson. He said, "A female engineer?" and "you
can't apply for freedom. Freedom is never granted to the oppressed. It's got to be
demanded." In short, they are not granted the rights as white Americans. And lastly,
in a conversation between Jim Johnson and Katherine, he underestimated her as a
female working at NASA. It is evident that there is an issue about job
qualifications and signifies a gap between men and women.

Moreover, in the scene, Katherine was assigned to calculate the launching and
landing trajectories. She was supposed to wear a pearl-encrusted uniform to project
a veneer of class-tinted "respectability." She received a stack of documents from her
co-workers. Some were blacked out, and to keep her out of the loop. These
documents are essential as she needed them to interpret and proceed with her
calculations accurately. The coffee station is labeled "colored." And when Al Harrison
questioned her for taking so long, he didn't know that Katherine had to sprint across
the street to go to the restrooms, separated for white and women of color. Aside from
that, offices and schools are also separated.

In the scene, Mary aspired to be an engineer. However, obstacles are along her
journey, including her husband's guilt-tripping for not remaining at home with their
children and battling institutionalized racism for the right to be the first black woman
to attend her all-white grad school. In these scenes, gender inequality, racial
injustice, domestic discrimination, racism, sexism, and misogyny are highly
evident. To add on, how white women are addressed played the role of
oppressors (due to the benefits of their class and ethnicity), as they spoke to
black women in disrespectful tones. Lastly, In view of the Marxist Approach,
the three black women can showcase their intelligence like any other white
woman. However, they suffered as a result of the adverse circumstances of the
period. They were paid less due to their gender and ethnicity. They are like
"computers" that could quickly be replaced when a newer version is available, which
signifies how women were being objectified back then. Also, when Dorothy goes to a
library with her children, the librarian asks her, "What are you here for?" Dorothy
replied, "a book." The librarian said, "You have books in the colored section." then
she replied, "It doesn't have what I'm looking for." and the librarian said, "That’s just
the way it is." And a security guard escorts Dorothy and her boys, not so gently, out
of the library. When they were on the bus, she said to the boys that "separate and
equal are two different things. Just cause it’s the way doesn’t make it right." after
that, she pulled the Fortran Computer book out of her purse. Leonard asks, "You
took that book, Momma?" and Dorothy explains, "Son, I pay taxes. And taxes pay for
everything in that library. You can’t steal what you already paid for." She opens the
book and starts reading it to them. Speaking of class, it involves the behavior and
assumptions in life. Their experiences validate those assumptions, how you
act, feel and think. It's a behavioral pattern that middle-class women resist
recognizing. Correlated to the scene, prejudice is evident as the white librarian
utters, "we don't want any trouble in here." Therefore, Anti-black feelings
among white women are noticeable compared to white men and black women.
In fact, in the workplace, it creates a competition between white women and
black women. The clashing of opposing social classes in society, namely, the
ruling class (white Americans) and working-class (African-Americans), is
evident. 

In light of all the information stated, given a reader-response criticism. To

begin with, the subject matter nor the themes are highly evident, which are
gender inequalities, racial injustices, domestic discrimination, racism, sexism,
misogyny, and classification (socioeconomic status). Which I suppose are still
evident as of now. These issues are still at their peaked, the topic in debates, and an
ongoing battle. The second point, despite the success of the film, is
oversimplified, I suppose that. Some scenes are glossed over. As a viewer, I
cannot fully absorb how the main characters experienced sexism and misogyny. And
how the film begins with a throwaway scene that alludes to police brutality.

Moreover, I couldn't take the stage where Harrison smashed the "Colored Ladies
Room." If he knew that discrimination and racism are an issue at NASA, why didn't
he address it for all? To highlight the last point, Indeed, the film can open an
individual's hearts, minds, and souls. It can be the voice to those who are
voiceless and the sight to those who are blind. To support the statements
above, three remarkable scenes are evident. Firstly, when Katherine speaks up
about the injustices she experienced at the workplace. Second, when Dorothy
demands the job title, she deserves. Lastly, when Mary plea in court to fight
institutionalized racism. This film sheds light on the issues relevant today. And
reminds us to; speak up; second, it is always the right time to listen and
speak; thirdly, acceptance, not tolerance, and lastly, stick to your values and
beliefs.