Within School Daze, Spike Lee, through the use of Rachel and Jane, offers two complimentary dialogues regarding black womanhood. With Rachel, femininity and blackness is preserved by way of her darker complexion and natural hair. Conversely, Jane’s beauty, which relies on an European foundation, aids in providing a distinctive narrative that strengthens Rachel as a marker of black female strength. As reflected in the Good and Bad Hair Scene, darker-skinned females possessing nappy hair become Lee’s epitome for black womanhood and racial empowerment, while the lighter-complexioned women with chemically altered hair not only are unable to represent this ideal, but also refuse to embrace it. For instance, in the Salon scene the Jigaboos argue with the following lyrics: “My hair is so strong It can break the teeth out of a comb” meaning that their “untamed and unmanageable” locks provide not only authentic hair texture, but also serve as a symbol of their black female pride in their race as well which makes them superior over the altered hair Wannabees. In response, the Wannabees say, “Your hair ain’t no longer than (finger snap) So you’ll never fling it all back”—this shows the Wannabee’s conflation of a “beautiful” black femininity as only coming from characteristics of white ideals. “Good” and “bad” hair is ultimately an expression of each of the black women’s worth.
As evidenced through Jane’s character, with her blonde fake hair and blue contacts, Lee posits that any desire and attempt towards a white standard of beauty results in a deflated, inferior, and non-existant female voice. Jane’s womanhood is quited throughout the film as she transitions from a role of being a desired commodity to becoming nothing more than an object to the men. It’s also important to realize that Lee shows the Wannabees in the same physical space being ignored.
Jane’s dismissal and Muteness; Jane is seen only in the background as the MEN talk
However, the clearest example of Lee vehemently rejecting white feminine ideals as a marker of black beauty, femininity, and womanhood is depicted when Jane is given to Half-Pint. Jane’s sexual mistreatment by the fraternity brothers serves as Lee’s belittlement of Jane as a marker of desired black womanhood. The fact that Jane is literally “raped” (which is synonymous with the word “degradation”) with none of the other males contesting her treatment further shows the “degrading” nature of placing white womanhood and ideals of femininity as synonymous to black ones as problematic. Julian’s abuse of Jane is also Lee’s commentary of refusal of white womanhood as depicted through a black woman.
Jane and Rachel’s Sexuality
Lee also advances Rachel as an example of a “respectable” black woman by his contrasting displays of Rachel and Dap’s romantic encounter as compared to Jane and Julian’s. Rachel is depicted with restraint, gentleness, and admiration from Dap’s eyes can clearly be seen. Their encounter is private, as evidenced by the darker lighting and covers, and the audience’s gaze is never fully on the private union of Dap and Rachel. Conversely, Jane and Julian’s encounter takes place in brighter lighting and the audience gets a full-fledged viewing of Julian’s lust for Jane. In other words, Jane is put on display for gazing.
Characterized by romance and privacy
Public Viewing and Lust
Conclusions
In the context of School Daze, Lee does have commentary on black womanhood. In his eyes, physical markers such as hair and skin complexion notably define black womanhood. However, this becomes problematic because it supposes that black womanhood is solely connected to a black man’s preferences and a woman’s physical attributes. Therefore, in this regard black womanhood befalls the same issues that womanhood typically does in that it becomes solely defined by a male’s gaze.
Womanhood in Spike Lee Joints 