Summary
This music video by Childish Gambino (Donald Glover) focuses on ongoing issues that are happening in America. Throughout the video, many metaphors and symbols are used to express social, race, violence, and entertainment issues.
Setting
A warehouse in the 21st century
Conflict
The black race vs America
Entertainment (distraction) vs themselves (reality)
Climax
When you hear the gun go off and the chorus of “This is America” starts playing.
Symbol
Dancing à the people dancing aren’t hurt or attacked throughout the whole video which shows that dancing/entertainment (social media?) is distracting them from the reality.
Man with black hood riding a horse with police car following à a biblical reference “And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” (King James Version, Revelation 6:8)
Red cloth that's wrapped around the gun once shot à After Childish Gambino shoots the gun, the gun is wrapped and taken care in a gentle matter. However, the body that had been shot is dragged forcefully and disrespectfully, which shows that America treats guns with more respect than people.
The church choir shot down with an AK à Charleston Church Massacre
Running away from group of people towards the end of the video à the black race being attacked. People attacking the black race and blaming them while they let actual problems slip by.
Irony
Social media that is used for entertainment is now used to distract themselves from the actual issues that are surrounding them.
Childish Gambino and the students that are dancing with him seem to look excited and happy even when chaos is happening just behind them.
Guns are treated with more care than the ones that are shot with it.
The backtrack of this song is rather happy and soothing until the chorus comes on. Break of silence.
Theme
There are many polarizing issues going on in America at this moment about racism, police brutality/violence, massacres, and gun control. However, social media is becoming a safety shield that is making us look away from these issues. Childish Gambino is addressing that “America” isn't what it seems like when you get to look inside the box, it is actually full of issues that people have the tendency to look away from. The song is focusing on America but it is not only America that can relate with such terrorizing issues that are kept away from the social world. We need to open our eyes.
