Looking For Lincoln Analysis

Throughout the film, Looking For Lincoln, historian Henry Louis Gates. Jr has been attempting to be informative about Abraham Lincoln that the common person didn’t already know. What was interesting about his presentation was that he tried to convey a clear message to the viewers that became apparent throughout the first half of the documentary. In the first chapter of the film “Henry Louis Gates Begins His Journey to Find the Real Lincoln”, Gates made it very clear his intent for creating the documentary. In the chapter, he stated that he is “looking for Lincoln”, which meant that he wanted know the real person behind the Sixteenth President and share the knowledge with others through his visual presentation. Some of the revelations that Gates finds out about him will unveil his flaws, and betray the expectations of some who thought of him as the savior who ended the slave system. Despite his faults, people should still
He was able to keep the country from completely tearing itself apart while also being ahead of his time with his ideas of slavery. This is part of Gates’ message in that he wanted to show how Lincoln was able to overcome great odds despite not being perfect as everyone thought of him to be. It was even stated in the chapter “The Assassination of Lincoln and its Impact on his Legacy”, that Frederick Douglass recognized the growth of his character when he was previously critical of him. Henry Louis Gates. Jr wanted to show how Lincoln was a more of a complex figure than what everyone expected, while also highlighting his achievements. The documentary was able to convey this well as it was able to make me respect Lincoln more as a