TW: violence, racism, misogyny, sexual assault. *Spoilers*
Dear readers,
Most of you are aware that I am from India. We are a diverse country with different groups living together. You must be wondering, what this has to do with a series based in the USA.
The answer is – it does hit close home. India has casteism under its belly. Most marriages are performed within one’s caste group. It has a parallel to draw with racism in the USA. This movie is based on a particular time period yet it is relatable if one notices that similar things happen in India on the basis of caste. Whenever there is an inter-caste marriage, it often comes with a significant risk of violence.
When I started watching the series, I expected a happy ending and a love story about a couple that understands each other. The story revolves around the protagonist Bayou’s struggle due to his family issues and his love story. He fell in love with a mixed-race woman who comes across as white-passing.
The use of metaphors, symbolism, and Irony
Throughout the movie, there are certain metaphors that make it a worthwhile watch. The irony at the ending makes it sends a deep message to the viewers. It helps us understand that we may never be able to be clear of our roots. Whatever our background is, be it family background, education, etc it shapes us our ideologies, beliefs, way of living, and politics.
Love sees no boundaries and arrives when it is supposed to. It becomes important to fight for it. An alternative ending to the current ending can be thought of by most of the viewers. One may ask, why? Because we all crave happy endings where everyone lived happily ever after. But the story reflects the reality of many people across the world who die due to racism, casteism, and bias against inter-faith relationships.
Realism
This one hits close to home because the nature of violence inflicted upon people is relatable to the current situation of the country where many inter-caste couples and inter-faith couples suffer the same fate. The series had a realistic ending. It also showed the reality of many families as not only Bayou’s family was unstable. Leanne’s fiance was a domestic abuser having ego issues.
