Movie Analysis
Movie Analysis: American History X
Dianna N. Nguyen
California State University, San Marcos
Background/Introduction
The film, “American History X” tells the story of two brothers who are involved with the neo-Nazi movement. After their father is murdered by black drug dealers, the older brother, Derek develops an extreme hatred for minorities and becomes a violent white supremacist leader for a gang called the D.O.C. Derek brutally murders two gang members who tried to steal his truck and eventually receives a three year prison sentence. After leaving prison, Derek’s prejudiced views have changed and he ends all connections with his supremacist gang. He is determined to stop his younger brother, Danny from following the same path he did. The film exhibits the drastic changes that these two individuals go through that alter their beliefs both morally and ethically.
Erikson’s Psychosocial Development
Both brothers experience an intense transformation in character development throughout the film that is impacted by the individuals surrounded by them. They transform from being regular American teenagers to modern day neo-Nazis. Erik Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development can be used to explain the changes in Derek and Danny’s character. According to the textbook, Derek is in the fifth stage of Erikson’s Psychosocial Development, Identity vs. Role Confusion is described as needing to develop a sense of self and a personal identity. Erikson suggested that adolescence has a crucial effect on an individual’s identity development. At this time in life, adolescents want to become independent from their parents and develop their own beliefs based on their explorations. It is essential for the adolescent to question and challenge their parent’s rules and behaviors in order to increase their autonomy. Failure to successfully finish any of the Psychosocial Development stages may negatively impact the adolescent’s development (Rathus, 2014).
In regards
Dianna N. Nguyen
California State University, San Marcos
Background/Introduction
The film, “American History X” tells the story of two brothers who are involved with the neo-Nazi movement. After their father is murdered by black drug dealers, the older brother, Derek develops an extreme hatred for minorities and becomes a violent white supremacist leader for a gang called the D.O.C. Derek brutally murders two gang members who tried to steal his truck and eventually receives a three year prison sentence. After leaving prison, Derek’s prejudiced views have changed and he ends all connections with his supremacist gang. He is determined to stop his younger brother, Danny from following the same path he did. The film exhibits the drastic changes that these two individuals go through that alter their beliefs both morally and ethically.
Erikson’s Psychosocial Development
Both brothers experience an intense transformation in character development throughout the film that is impacted by the individuals surrounded by them. They transform from being regular American teenagers to modern day neo-Nazis. Erik Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development can be used to explain the changes in Derek and Danny’s character. According to the textbook, Derek is in the fifth stage of Erikson’s Psychosocial Development, Identity vs. Role Confusion is described as needing to develop a sense of self and a personal identity. Erikson suggested that adolescence has a crucial effect on an individual’s identity development. At this time in life, adolescents want to become independent from their parents and develop their own beliefs based on their explorations. It is essential for the adolescent to question and challenge their parent’s rules and behaviors in order to increase their autonomy. Failure to successfully finish any of the Psychosocial Development stages may negatively impact the adolescent’s development (Rathus, 2014).
In regards
References: Rathus, S.A. (2014). Hdev 3(3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.