Movies That Impacted Society's Culture

One of my favorite John Singleton movies, “Boyz 'N The Hood,” is always on BET and I had considered it to be a huge impact on society. “Boyz 'N The Hood” introduced America to the reality that exists when living in poverty as many families do when you reside in the ghetto. As it relates to our society, John Singleton’s masterpiece portrays life in the hood; it covers issues such as the struggles of children raised up in a single parent household, under the adversity of violence, gang involvement, drug abuse, and poverty. Of the three main characters, Tre, Ricky, and Doughboy, Tre has only fatherly support, while Ricky and Doughboy, who are brothers, are raised by their mother. Furious, Tre’s father, raises his son to have respect for life, avoid violence, and to avoid temptations of these streets: easy drug money, theft, and unprotected sex. Furious also was an inspiration to Tre realizing the importance of an education young black male need while living in America. Even with Doughboy’s mother present, she favors his brother Ricky. Without a father, or the tender love and influential mother in his life, Doughboy resorts to a life of crime and delinquency. Doughboy somewhat raised himself into a drug dealing thug who ambition for pursuing an education was all but gone. His ambition is only money and power. Ricky realizes the errors in his brother’s ways, and avoids the temptation of his brother’s way of life. He was empowered by receiving for a football scholarship. Ricky fails to realize that his football dreams could be halted by the necessary academics. Neither Ricky nor Doughboy had the father Tre had to teach him about academic responsibility, hard work and dedication. As the movie goes on, both Ricky and Tre take the SAT and pass. But the hood is a battlefield with the increase of gang violence, murder scenes, shootouts, and racist police. And all do not escape, as Ricky is gunned down for retaliation for him standing up to a gang member at a party;

References: Boyz 'N The Hood Dir. John Singleton. Perf. Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube, Morris Chestnut, Laurence Fishburne. Columbia Pictures, 1991. Film.