Boyz N the Hood
Film Review
May 18, 2012
Boyz N the Hood The film, “Boyz N the Hood”, written by John Singleton in 1991, exhibits the upbringing of young African American teenagers who are brought up in less than ideal living conditions in their neighborhood. The film compares the distinctions between the lifestyles of Tre Styles and his friends’, Darren and Ricky Baker. Singleton demonstrates the importance of patriarchy and the focus on the teenagers to exhibit hegemonic masculinity while living in the ghetto of Los Angeles by comparing the difference between the lifestyles of Tre and his friends. While some young males in the hood have can create positive social relationships with others, there are some that form relationships by constructing identities on various and simultaneous levels which can be connected back to alcohol and drug abuse. The social unequal circumstances the African Americans of this community live in provide difficult chances for possibilities of social justice to occur because of both the neighborhood and discrimination they face. Tre, Ricky’s best friend, is able to survive the surrounding violence and discrimination as a result of the powerful hegemonic masculine presence of his father in his life. Therefore Tre is educated in making good choices in situations he faces among his friends. His friends, however, are not so fortunate. For example, Dough doesn’t have good direction or a father figure, but is raised by his single mother who is determined to get her children to be successful; nevertheless, her main focus is Ricky because in her eyes he has the most money making potential. The mother’s lack of leadership over Dough’s can be directly related to the fact that her class only allows her to focus on the money that he children can make. This lack of presence in Dough’s life is in turn what causes his to make negative choices in order for him to survive in the life he has been born into. There are many instances of
May 18, 2012
Boyz N the Hood The film, “Boyz N the Hood”, written by John Singleton in 1991, exhibits the upbringing of young African American teenagers who are brought up in less than ideal living conditions in their neighborhood. The film compares the distinctions between the lifestyles of Tre Styles and his friends’, Darren and Ricky Baker. Singleton demonstrates the importance of patriarchy and the focus on the teenagers to exhibit hegemonic masculinity while living in the ghetto of Los Angeles by comparing the difference between the lifestyles of Tre and his friends. While some young males in the hood have can create positive social relationships with others, there are some that form relationships by constructing identities on various and simultaneous levels which can be connected back to alcohol and drug abuse. The social unequal circumstances the African Americans of this community live in provide difficult chances for possibilities of social justice to occur because of both the neighborhood and discrimination they face. Tre, Ricky’s best friend, is able to survive the surrounding violence and discrimination as a result of the powerful hegemonic masculine presence of his father in his life. Therefore Tre is educated in making good choices in situations he faces among his friends. His friends, however, are not so fortunate. For example, Dough doesn’t have good direction or a father figure, but is raised by his single mother who is determined to get her children to be successful; nevertheless, her main focus is Ricky because in her eyes he has the most money making potential. The mother’s lack of leadership over Dough’s can be directly related to the fact that her class only allows her to focus on the money that he children can make. This lack of presence in Dough’s life is in turn what causes his to make negative choices in order for him to survive in the life he has been born into. There are many instances of
Cited: "Boyz N the Hood (1991)." IMDb. IMDb.com. Web. 08 Apr. 2012. . "Boyz N the Hood Quotes." Quotes.net. Web. 08 Apr. 2012. . "Differential Association Theory." University of Minnesota Duluth Welcomes You. Web. 08 Apr. 2012. .