How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from D.W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation.
Quote #7
[Black state representatives are shown acting in an unprofessional manner during sessions.]
Griffith argues that Black Southerners are incapable of being leaders by showing them acting in an assortment of unprofessional ways during a state legislature session, such as eating, drinking, and taking off their shoes.
Quote #8
[Gus chases Flora to the edge of a cliff.]
FLORA: Stay away or I'll jump!
[She jumps.]
We know that Griffith wants us to sympathize with Flora here, but this scene actually provides a pretty great metaphor for racism. Gus most likely wasn't going to hurt Flora, but her irrational fear of him leads her to do something that ultimately hurts herself and gets blamed on him.
Quote #9
INTERTITLE: The former enemies of North and South are united again in common defense of their Aryan birthright.
Alrighty, folks—we're now in Nazi territory. The Camerons' relationship with the two Union veterans conveys the idea that their racial bond unites them against Black people. This is an attempt to frame the Civil War as being unrelated to slavery.