American History X: What’s Behind The Racism?
In 1998, American History X hit the screen. Tony Kaye directed this American film starring Edward Furlong and an almost unrecognizable Edward Norton.
The film is set in the contemporary United States. In the film, immigration has changed the cities and caused some radical ideas to resurface in the minds of young adults.
American History X opens with a black and white flashback scene. A young neo-Nazi, Derek Vinyard brutally murders two young African Americans who try to steal his car. All the time his mother and his two sisters are sleeping at home. His younger brother watches him in shock.
Immediately after, the film jumps to the present and this time in color. Young Daniel Vinyard, Derek’s brother, seems to be following in his brother’s footsteps when he submits an essay on the book Mein Kampf.
Professor Sweeney tries to stop Daniel from destroying his own life by giving him an unusual assignment for homework. The name of the project is “American History X.” Professor Sweeney expects Daniel to reflect on his brother’s actions.
American History X
A film with mixed reviews
Interesting
The movie is very interesting. The storyline is also well developed. However, the film provoked conflicting reactions. Some critics portrayed the film as melodramatic. They also emphasized how difficult it was to feel empathy for Derek’s character.
It’s hard to believe he’s the same person after being released from prison. Moreover, it is also difficult to believe the behavior of his mother and his sister. Can it be so easy to forgive?
As a viewer, you forget the first cruel scene after a few minutes. That’s also why it feels strange and difficult to believe that the Derek at the end of the movie is the same as in the beginning.
Stunning performance from Edward Norton
Norton puts on an incredible and astonishing role for Derek. Still, the character is not very convincing. That may have to do with how different he is after being released from prison. It is difficult for the viewer to accept Derek’s new situation and his attempt to distance himself from his dark past.
Credibility of the movie
As a result, the film raises many doubts in the mind of the viewer and thus loses credibility. Nevertheless, it is interesting to see the backgrounds of the two main characters and how the most vulnerable characters are manipulated.
It also helps us to some extent to understand why this form of hatred exists in our society today.
Thinking about your own prejudices
You get to see scenes in black and white from the past and scenes in color that take place in the present. That way you will find out why Derek ended up in prison and why he was released.
This film is about the way ideas are passed on from one generation to the next. It also makes you think about the nature of your own prejudices.
Immigration and racism
Every day we get more used to walking around the city and finding people from different backgrounds, religion, culture and so on.
No matter how much you try to avoid them, there are many prejudices that have to do with other cultures. These prejudices are deeply rooted in our society and in our institutions. They are also very difficult to eradicate.
Every community has a cultural identity. We all like to feel like we’re part of something. It is also normal to defend your customs, your language and your culture. We want what is “ours” to continue to exist. We hope that the things that our parents and grandparents have shared with us will not disappear.
That is why conflict occurs when you feel that what is “yours” or “ours” is under threat. In the worst cases, you may harbor ideas or practices that provoke hatred.
American History X puts us in a working-class neighborhood. Over time, the neighborhood becomes more and more diverse. Many of these new people are marginalized. That is something that often happens in our cities. This massive arrival provokes indignation among the original inhabitants. They then reject the immigrants out of fear.
At the same time, the newcomers reject the local population for the way they treat them. This vicious circle of hatred repeats itself over and over again. It makes integration and relationships impossible.
Derek meets a mentor
Derek has lost his father. He blames the black and Latino population for his father’s death and for all the problems in society. From there, his perspective begins to change. He befriends Cameron, a middle-aged neo-Nazi.
Cameron sees Derek as a young, frustrated and vulnerable man. However, he also has a lot of potential. Derek is intelligent and extremely angry with the minorities. Cameron takes advantage of this situation. He orders him to lead his own “army”. This army is a group of skinheads just like Derek who are dedicated to taking the law into their own hands.
As Derek organizes his army, the black youths respond by forming their own gangs. Both sides agree that violence is fundamental to their movement. The interesting thing is that Cameron, the mastermind behind the operation, keeps out of any conflict.
He doesn’t want to get his hands dirty. He, on the other hand, manipulates and uses the young people. Cameron throws parties for them. After all, his goal is to make sure that they fully adopt his ideas and behave in a violent manner of their own volition.
American History X : from executioner to victim
Danny idolizes Derek even though he’s in jail for murder. The group of skinheads for whom he is responsible is also growing stronger. They see Derek as a hero.
However, as his group glorifies his actions, Derek goes “black” in prison. The other inmates abuse him. So he tries to find his place among the other white people.
Derek joins a group of neo-Nazis in prison. However, he quickly realizes that they believe in nothing. Their ideology is not very strong. It’s really just a facade.
At the same time, he works in the laundry with a young African-American who tries to make everyday life in prison a little less difficult. At first, Derek resists the ideas of his fellow inmate. In the end, however, he becomes his ally.
In prison, Derek becomes a different person. He experiences the hatred and abuse that he himself inflicted on other people simply because of the color of their skin. This is what, with the help of Professor Sweeney, brings Derek to penance. Obviously, he can’t bring the two people he killed back to life.
However , he can make sure that his brother gets on the right path. When he is released from prison, he must confront the difficult reality he has left behind. He has to make sure his brother doesn’t make the same mistakes he made.
Cultural identity and conflict
We all have ideas in our heads that have been passed down from generation to generation. We are emotionally tied to our heritage. We don’t want our cultural identity to disappear.
At the same time, social policy does not make integration easy. When new cultures come into play, conflict is inevitable. However, our history and the world are the fruit of migration movements, cultural exchange, language exchange, and so on.
American History X shows us the truth behind Derek’s ideas. He inherited them from his father and Cameron reinforced them. This film is tragic, violent and raw. American History X shows us the most profound consequences of a reality that seems familiar to us.
