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Analysis of Hidden Figures Film

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Analysis of Hidden Figures Film
Introduction
The movie "Hidden Figures" is one the unique art in the film industry that presents the
unique but unrecognized contribution of African American female mathematicians in the Space
Race, which is, during a high moment in the competition in this field, by Theodore Melfi's story
(IMDB, n.d.). This movie chronicles Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson's
achievements and their systemic overcome. In addition, it casts a long-overdue light on how the
factors of race and gender intersect in STEM fields. The narrative revolves not only around their
achievements in NASA and space exploration but also their pivotal role in transforming the
opinion of African American women in STEM (Azizah, 2020). Through the lens of historical
analysis and contemporary reflections, this study highlights the impact of their story on the
motivation of future generations and the creation of a more inclusive scientific society. In this
paper, we shall dive into a critical analysis of the film “Hidden Figures." First, the paper will
analyze the movie in light of symbolic interaction theory, then discuss the benefits of Symbolic
Interactionism in illuminating the interpersonal dynamics and personal experiences portrayed in
the movie. In addition, it will look at the weakness of this theory and then criticize it using the
Expectancy Violations theory. Similarly, this paper will analyze Media Ecology theory in light
of "Hidden Figures" and also look at its weakness. Finally, social conflict theory will be used to
refute media ecology theory.
Analysis 1: Symbolic Interactionism
The theory was developed by George Herbert Mead in 1920. The main premise of the
theory is that people construct their social identities and sense of self by their interactions with
other people. The idea of symbols—shared meanings that individuals use to understand and

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communicate with one another is fundamental to this philosophy. Symbolic interactionism holds
that people constantly negotiate meanings, positions, and identities through their interactions
with others in society (Husin et al., 2021). The theory also argues that meaning is not inherent
but rather constructed, and the self is a product of social interaction, with the mind being a social
process that is shaped by those interactions (Vannini, 2016). In addition, the theory focuses on
how meaning is created in the immediate context during communication, placing more emphasis
on the importance of symbols.
In "Hidden Figures," Symbolic Interactionism provides insightful information on the
social interactions and interpersonal dynamics of the characters. We witness, for example, how
Mary Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Katherine Johnson balance their personal and professional
lives in the setting of NASA, a primarily white, male-dominated organization. They navigate
their identities as women of color in a divided society through their contacts with coworkers,
managers, and the general public. In addition to ethnic and gender identity, symbols also convey
social position and power relations in the movie (Brody, 2016). For instance, NASA's segregated
restrooms serve as a symbol of the systemic racism and segregation that prevailed during the
period. The difficulty Katherine had using the "Colored" restroom is a reflection of the
demeaning treatment African Americans endure in places where they are segregated
(Suarnaningsih et al., 2020).
Similarly, diving deeper, Katherine’s cup had a different color from the other coffee cups.
While the others are white, her cup is brown, indicating that she is different from the others.
Similar to this, when she asks one of her coworkers, who is a lady, where the lady's rooms are,
the coworker responds by saying, "I do not know where yours are," signaling that she is viewed
differently even by the other women. Moreover, all of her white coworkers are shocked when

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she casually fills her coffee mug from the common coffee pot when she starts working at the
Space Task Group. The following day, a "colored" coffee pot showed up on the table.
Katherine's oppressive coworker, Paul Safford, is shown giving her a full cup of coffee in the
film's last scene (Febriani & Arianto, 2020). Despite the lack of words in these moments, they
yet say a lot.
Katherine is given a piece of chalk twice in the movie, both as an adult and as a child.
Katherine's teacher gives her a piece of chalk at the beginning of the movie and invites her to
solve a challenging arithmetic problem. Her significantly older classmates were taken aback by
her effortless solution. Katherine receives a piece of chalk from her boss, Al Harrison, during a
meeting toward the end of the movie giving her the task of figuring out the arithmetic involved
in the space launch. The chalk was used as a representation of authority and information
exchange.
Furthermore, Katherine's frequent declaration, "I am good at math," takes on significant
symbolic meaning. It is a continuous negotiation of meaning rather than merely a declaration of
fact. She keeps using this phrase to redefine the perception that her white colleagues, who
initially disregarded her, ha...