Moonlight, 2013

May, 2023 | ASHLEY TEJEDA

The film “Moonlight” is a coming-of-age story directed by Barry Jenkins, that follows the life of Chiron a young black man growing up in a drug and crime infested low-income area in Miami, Florida. The film is divided into three different time periods in Chiron’s life from his childhood to teenage years and finally adulthood. Throughout the film, we see Chiron struggle with his identity as he is often targeted and faces discrimination and violence from his peers. “Moonlight” explores issues such as racism, identity, sexuality, and the impact Chiron’s upbringing has on him. Growing up in a predominantly black community, Chiron faces the pressure to conform to traditional masculine norms as he is continuously called “soft” and perceived as sensitive due to his sexuality. He does not have the necessary resources available to him that can help him feel understood and falls into a school to prison pipeline that young black men are usually the victims to. Moonlight demonstrates the theme of systematic racism through the barriers that Chiron faces growing up in a predominately black community. The film shows how the societal expectations of masculinity and sexuality can hinder an individual’s ability to express themselves freely, which affects Chiron’s well-being and limits his opportunities of personal growth. It can also be seen with Chiron’s mother that struggles with drug addiction, this highlights how systematic issues such as lack of resources contribute to endless cycles of addiction and hopelessness.

In the first period of Chiron’s life titled “Little” he is a reserved young boy that is often being bullied by his peers for being small and quiet. One day as he is running away from his bullies and a drug dealer that went by Juan, takes Chiron under his wing, and becomes a father figure to him. Juan runs into Chiron hiding from his bullies and provides a safe space for Chiron to feel welcomed and seen. Chiron did not have a father and his mother was addicted to drugs and dismissive of him. Juan introduces Chiron to the ocean and teaches him how to swim and provides him with a temporary escape from the difficulties in his life.

The second period seen in the movie titled “Chiron”, Chiron is now a teenager that is still dealing with his identity and faces discrimination and violence due to his sexuality. During this chapter, we see Chiron’s mother, Paula, fall deeper into her addiction, struggling to take care of her son and frequently neglecting him. Chiron rekindles a relationship with his childhood friend Kevin, and they share an intimate moment on the beach that is a turning point for Chiron’s life as it is his first experience of connection to a man. Kevin and Chiron do not get an opportunity to build on their relationship when Kevin is forced to beat up Chiron by his bullies. This act of violence impacts Chiron deeply which causes him to make a life-altering decision that sends him to jail. This period for Chiron explores the difficulties faced many teenagers growing up in poverty, especially those that identify as LGBTQ+.

Lastly, in Moonlight’s final chapter titled “Black” we see Chiron now an adult living in Atlanta. He has become a successful drug dealer and appears to have adopted a tough exterior, feeding into what society expected him to embody as a black man. Although Chiron seems successful, he is still dealing with his past traumas with his mother, Paula, and his sexuality. He shares an intense and vulnerable moment with his mom as she is now seen in a rehabilitation center trying to be better. She admits to Chiron her faults as a mother but reminds him she loves him. In this period, he also receives a phone call from his childhood friend Kevin that has not spoken to him since high school and decides to drive down and visit him in Miami. During their encounter, Chiron and Kevin share a powerful moment of vulnerability and honesty. Chiron is seen opening up about his struggles with his identity, and reveals that Kevin is the only person he has been intimate with. This scene is powerful and significant to Chiron as he has a moment of vulnerability that is never shown before, he is confronting his past and trying to accept himself for who he truly is and not what society wants him to be.

Care ethics is an ethical theory that emphasizes the importance of relationships, empathy, and compassion in moral decision making. It argues that caring is not only an emotional response, but also a moral duty. It focuses on the role of care in human relationships and the moral obligations that arise from those relationships. In the film “Moonlight”, care ethics is shown through Chiron and Juan’s relationship. Juan takes Chiron under his wing as a young kid and provides him with a safe space to be himself and offers him support. Juan's actions are motivated by his care for Chiron’s well-being, and they build a relationship on trust and empathy. Additionally, in Chiron’s adulthood he travels back down to Miami and reconnects with Kevin a childhood friend where they reflect about their past experiences. They both connect and show a deep sense of care for each other despite the challenges both have faced. Chiron and Kevin have a special relationship that is based on a mutual concern for each other’s wellbeing and desire to support each other. Although Chiron struggles with relationships throughout the film, the various relationships he forms are extremely important to his development. These relationships are built on empathy, trust, and willingness to support and care even through difficult situations. Care ethics in “Moonlight” emphasizes the importance of empathy and compassion towards those who are oppressed.

Kantian ethics is a moral and philosophical approach developed by German philosopher Immanuel Kant. It is based on the idea that moral actions are guided by rational principles and moral duties, rather than the consequences of those actions. Kantian ethics emphasizes the importance of treating individuals as ends in themselves, and not merely as means to an end. In “Moonlight” Kantian ethics can be applied to certain situations regarding duty and treating others as ends in themselves. This is shown in Chiron’s childhood when he first encounters Juan and he is hesitant to trust him. Juan tells Chiron he does not have to trust him but that he should know he is there to help him and provide support. This act aligns with Kantian ethics as Juan is acting out of sense of duty, trying to help a boy in need and does not expect anything in return. Additionally, when Chiron is an adult and becomes a drug dealer, he struggles with his identity and what he has become. This can be interpreted as a conflict between his duty to society and his own self-interest. Kantian ethics would argue that Chiron has a duty to act in a way that benefits society, not just himself.

Although Care and Kantian ethics are two unique approaches to moral reasoning, they can both be applied to the film “Moonlight” and its relationship to racism throughout the film. Kantian ethics stresses the importance of universalizing our own actions, therefore racism violates this principle as it treats individuals differently based on race. Care ethics encourages people to actively work towards an inclusive and supportive community that values and respects differences. Both ethical theories help demonstrate the importance of combating racism and challenging the societal norms embedded into lower income communities.