The Butler

Audience emotional responses to 'The Butler' are heavily influenced by its biographical drama genre and a plot spanning decades of racial injustice and social change. Sadness is prominent due to the personal tragedies, systemic discrimination, and family struggles depicted. Empathy is strongly evoked as viewers connect with Cecil's quiet resilience, his family's pain, and the broader African American experience during the Civil Rights Movement. Inspiration arises from the perseverance of characters like Cecil and his activist son, Louis, and the eventual progress towards equality. Melancholy reflects the passage of time, the bittersweet nature of historical change, and the lingering weight of past injustices. Anger is directed at the casual cruelty, violent oppression, and deep-seated racism portrayed throughout the film.