Dinner Scene Derek example essay topic

1. Danny Vinyard was influenced greatly by his brother. Derek Vinyard was basically the write hand man of Cameron Alexander, who was the leader of the D.O.C. Danny probably saw that Derek was in a high position and idolized him so therefore he took steps to someday hold the position Derek held. 2.

Derek was greatly influenced by his father. In the movie they showed a flash back with Derek's father and they were sitting around eating dinner. Derek mentions Mr. Sweeney and how he was black and how Mr. Sweeney had 2 PhD's and that he had them reading black literature. Derek's dad says "Oh is it Black History Month". Soon there after his dad goes off and starts talking about how the force hired two black men over a white man who scored higher than them because of Affirmative Action.

Then at the end of the scene his fathers said don't give in to Sweeney's trap. 3. Derek's father and his father's beliefs in Affirmative Action socialized Derek in a couple ways. In the dinner scene Derek explains that he is reading black literature in English class. His dad asks if its black history month, then asks if the school was making them read black literature because of Affirmative Bl action. Then he tells Derek because of Affirmative Action the police station hired a black man over a white person who scored higher than the black man.

I though with his dad saying that it made it seem that all black people are dumb. 4. Derek's viewpoints changed between what his father tells him and how he responds to the media. In the movie when 5. Derek had some negative views towards the Rodney King beating.

He said that Rodney King desreved to be beat because he was in danger of killing some one on the freeway. Derek also said that it was stupid that all the black people rioted there own neighborhoods; I think he said something along the lines of that it makes the minorities look like savages 7. Racism is practiced different than on the outside. Lamont told Derek one day while they were folding sheets that there are more of him than they are of you in the prison. Lamont basically said that he being racist in the pen wouldn't affect any of the black race in the pen 8. The criminal justice system gave Lamont the shaft and Derek basically a cakewalk.

Lamont stole a T.V. and the store owner chased him and Lamont ran into a couple of cops and he dropped the T.V. on the cop's foot, so he got six years for that. On the other hand Derek killed 2 people and only goes 3 years. 9. Derek realized that African Americans were treated unfairly by the legal system after hearing Lamont's story. I think after hearing Lamont's story he basically realized that he got a cake walk and Lamont got the shaft, because Derek killed two people and got three years and Lamont got six years for shoplifting.

10. When Derek breaks from his group in prison the person who came there to support him was Mr. Sweeney. His opinion was changed drastically. He was probably 11. Derek is socialized into believing certain things about African Americans from his father. In the dinner scene with his father he warns Derek to read the literature Sweeny makes him, take the test, Ace the test, but don't believe any of the information Sweeny is telling him or the literature there reading.

12. Danny was influenced by Cameron Alexander greatly. One way Cameron Alexander influenced Danny is by telling Danny to write the paper on Mien Kim ep. In one of the scenes he Cameron says that if a black person would write a report about Malcolm X or if a Mexican would write a report about Cesar Chavez that they would get commended for it.

13. When Derek tries to break away from the D.O. C his significant others thought he was crazy. First, Derek approached Cameron Alexander and said that he wanted out. Cameron tried to persuade Derek by saying we are stronger than ever and that Cameron has every clan working together and they D.O.C. are no longer fighting against each other, instead they are working together.

Then Cameron asked Derek if he wanted to take over and Derek responded with a one two punch combination and left his office. Then Seth went into Cameron's office and found him lying on the floor, so he went after Derek with a gun and everyone in the crowd wanted Seth to shoot Derek because he wanted out, but he didn't and Derek disarmed Seth and him and Danny fled the party. 14. The person who has the greatest influence on Danny has to be Derek. One reason I believe Derek had a great influence on Danny is because Derek is Danny's older brother and I think that at one point in his life he looked up to him. Also when their father died I would assume that Derek would have taken a father figure role when his father died.

15. Would Danny have had his beliefs of racism if it weren't for his brother? Personally I think he wouldn't if it was for his brother. He saw his Derek getting a lot of attention and in a high position with the D.O.C. so, I'm sure that Danny looks up to his brother and wanted to be just as successful and accepted just like Derek. 16. Is it too late for Danny to change?

I think that he could but it could affect his life drastically. For instance, for Danny to change he would have to disown most of his friends, which would be hard because Danny has pry grown up with all of these people the majority of his life. Another thing is that he were to change it would take along period of time. 17.

I would have to say my feeling towards this movie is somewhat bitter but on the other hand its not. The movie is bitter because I and African American had to see some and hear words that I truly dislike. On the other hand I like the overall theme of the movie, which people can change no matter how they were socialized. 18. It's easy to become socialized by people you look up to. When you look up to someone you always see the good in the person and you never see the bad in them.

Take for instance Derek and his father. In the dinner scene Danny's father shoots down Mr. Sweeney and tells Derek to question things and try not to fail into any of Mr. Sweeney's traps. Derek agreed. 19. I think the quote "Has anything you " ve done, made your life better?" I think this is a good quote to use to examine you.

I think that it's saying you should ask yourself if you " ve done anything good for anyone or even yourself. If not you should because you will end up stressed in the end.