Concept of ethnicity, class, and gender through Cinema

“I wished…. I wish my child would never be born. No. Not into this world.” (Salt of the Earth, 1954). Those were the last words spoken by Esperanza in her introductory narrative for the 1954 cinematic production, Salt of the Earth. The introductory narrative, especially the last line, intrigued me. I am usually not one to watch anything not Star Wars made after 1985, but something about this movie and the discussions we have been having about the borderlands flipped a switch for me. I liked it even more when I heard it had been banned in the United States. I wondered what this movie would represent, what its message was. What I soon learned was that it tackles the issues of ethnicity, class, and gender. These key subjects are even touched on in the fifty eight second original trailer. What the movie ultimately proves is that the best way to accomplish a goal is to come together, putting all differences aside.

A vast concept of Salt of the Earth is ethnicity and the role it plays in how individuals are treated. Most of the mine workers are of Mexican decent where as the owner of the company and the police officers are white. In my opinion, the producers of this film are making the point that the white men have the power over the other ethnicities. The owner of the mining company refuses to give into the demands of the workers even when the mine conditions become extremely hazardous. When asking for safer working conditions the boss replies “Read your contract or get someone to read it for you.” (Salt of the Earth). The boss is insinuating that because the man is Mexican is unintelligent and illiterate. The unsafe working conditions force the workers, mostly Mexican, to go on strike. The men picket the entrance to the mine and chase away any scab workers. The writer of the movie could be send a message to all minorities that if you want to be treated as an equal you must stand up for yourself rather than allowing the same ethnical discrimination to continue.

The next key concept is economic class. The movie shows the large discrepancy between the lower class and the upper class. Esperanza and Ramon struggle to make payment and put food on the table where as the boss of the company drivers around in beautiful car and wears expensive suits. This is yet again another issue of power; those who are financially better of hold the power. This is why the bosses allow the strike to continue for so long. They believe that once the families run out of funds they will willingly comeback to working in the same horrible conditions they had previously worked in. The same point that is made about ethnicity is made about class. If those of the lower class would like to hold some of the power they need to take that power because if they continue on the same path they have in the past they will ultimately still be pushed around by the upper class. In Salt of the Earth the lower class does rebel from the power held over them by the upper class when they go on strike. Yes the strike is the main plot point of the movie, but it can have a deeper mean as well, a more general lesson. That lesson is that when people come together they are a hard stop. This is the exact case in the movie. The bosses try everything in their power to bring the miner back to work, but the lower class stays strong; they help each other. An example of this is the union supplies food to the families. The women even go to take the spots of the men in the picket line. Class still plays a large role in today’s society, let alone 1954 when this movie was filmed, but what this black and white movie is showing us is that the class system can be overcome by coming together for the common good.

The last key notion is that of gender. The idea of gender roles is turned upside down in this film. This is not something that was thought highly of in the nineteen fifties. Esperanza is the best example of a complete gender role transformation. In the beginning of the movie she is seen as the typical house wife who says home and takes care of the children, but this changes once she decides, against her husband’s wishes, to stand up for what she believes and march on the picket line. It’s worth noting that she is pregnant at the time. In one part of the film she is struck by Ramon, she responds by saying, "Never strike me again--that was the old way. Sleep where you please but not with me." (Salt of the Earth, 1954). The Esperanza that was introduced at the beginning of the film would not dare talk to her husband that way, but now she was the one who was standing up for her family and refused to be spoken to as anything but an equal. This goes for the rest of the women in the film as well. When the police get a court order removing the men from the picket line the women step up and take their place. Many of the women even go to jail for the cause. This is another message and that message is that men and women are equal. They are both able to achieve great accomplishments. The film also makes it a point to show that things work much better when men and women are supportive of each other. Salt of the Earth is innovative in its portrayal of women. Women are not seen at this time as doers, but followers. This movie completely turns that idea upside down. The men of the film find a greater respect for the women in their lives.

Through all the key concepts represented in Salt of the Earth one cannot ignore the most prevailing idea. The idea is coming together despite differences is the best way to accomplish goals. One can see that throughout the entire story. Countless examples are shown again and again. The mine workers and their wives are able to overcome ethnicity issues, class issues, and most of all gender issues. It is obvious to me that the film is about much more than an entertaining story line but more of an underlining message and maybe even a call to action for equality in the United States. This is something that we as Americans still continue to move towards even today. Countless examples of how we have improves are highly noted, our first black president. But we still have not perfected equality. Racism, gender discrimination, and class differences are still prevalent in today’s society even more than fifty years after Salt of the Earth was released. Manuel Apuy writes a very interesting article inequalities very much exist but have become almost undetectable.  What we are still attempting to learn is that coming together, as they did in the film, is the only way we can achieve the equality that our country speaks of having. Films are writing like this are attempting to send that message. The message of equality rains down from every part of this spectacular cinematic masterpiece.



Other Interesting Links

Movie Summary

Online Book about borderland issues
Work place gender gap


Written by John Morris