Imitation Of Life Film Analysis

Imitation of Life deals with two separate story lines, Lora Meredith and her daughter trying to achieve a typical white successfulness and Annie Johnson and her daughter trying to overcome a racial problem of a black child looking white and ashamed of a black mother. Lora Meredith was a widow with a six-year-old daughter who had ambitions to become a Broadway star. In the beginning of the film her daughter, Susie, is lost and she finds her playing with another child on the beach. The other child is Annie Johnson's daughter, Sarah Jane, who looks white, however, is African American. Annie told Lora that her father was practically white. The children were getting along and Annie told her that they did not have a place to stay. Lora asked them to come and stay at their small apartment. This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship although had the typical racial profiling. When they arrive at the apartment, Susie gives Sarah Jane the "perfect doll," an African American doll. Sarah Jane told her that she wanted the white doll. It is here where we find,
Sarah Jane was denying her race and even denying her own mother. More than once in the movie, Annie confronted her daughter in social situations such as school and her job, where Sarah Jane was embarrassed as she was identified as white and no one knew otherwise. Sarah Jane moved to a different state and had no idea where she was. Lora with the help of Steve found Sarah Jane. Annie confronted Sarah Jane on the but she lost the job because her employer found out that she was African American. On another job when Annie arrived she told a coworker that she used to care for her when she was younger. We find their relationship is on hold, as Sarah Jane tells Annie that she never wants to see her again. At the end of the movie, Sarah Jane really does love her mother and is extremely sorry for the things that she has said and