From Marty McFly to C.J. Walker

 WEEK 14

        The films Back to the Future (1985) and See You Yesterday (2019) are set in vastly different cultural contexts which shape the characters' experiences of time travel. Marty McFly travels back to a nostalgic version of the 1950s that romanticizes American culture and history, while C.J. and Sebastian travel back to a time period where racism and police violence are prevalent. This context shapes the characters' experiences and the challenges they face in trying to change the course of history. 

        C.J. is a young black woman who is portrayed as a brilliant and passionate scientist. She is a character who defies stereotypes and challenges the notion that science is a field that is only accessible to a certain demographic. On the other hand, Marty McFly is a white teenager who travels back in time to the 1950s, a period when white privilege and systemic racism were prevalent. Marty McFly's journey through time is largely driven by chance and circumstance. He accidentally travels back in time, and his efforts to return to the present are largely motivated by a desire to fix his own mistakes. In contrast, C.J. and her friend Sebastian actively choose to build a time machine and travel back in time to save C.J.'s brother. Their actions are driven by a sense of agency and the desire to inflict meaningful change. C.J.'s character is groundbreaking in the way that it explores the complexities of time travel and its ethical implications. C.J. is a complex and multifaceted character who embodies the film's themes of grief, loss, and the consequences of time travel. She is portrayed as a strong, intelligent, and resourceful young woman who is committed to using her talents for the greater good, but she is also shown to be vulnerable and emotionally complex, struggling to come to terms with her own feelings of grief and loss. 

        While Back to the Future is primarily a lighthearted adventure story that explores themes of nostalgia and the consequences of altering the past, See You Yesterday tackles more serious themes of racial justice and police brutality. The film explores the trauma and grief that black communities face in the wake of police violence, and the challenges that young people of color face in trying to effect meaningful change.