White Skin Heads In The Movie example essay topic

American History X is about two boys, Derek and Danny, that are skin heads. Derek, the older brother, brutally kills two black men at the beginning of the movie for trying to steal his car right outside his home. Danny, the younger brother, witnessed the whole thing. As a result of this Derek spends 3 years in prison where he learns that his previous lifestyle is wrong. While in jail he is beaten and raped for going agian st the other whites and skin heads. He befriends a black man with whom he works with in prision.

He then realizes that maybe blacks aren't as bad as he thought they were. Derek's former principle, who is black, comes to visit him in jail adn tells him how his little brother, Danny, is heading in the same direction he went. Derek realizes he needs to make changes in his life adn he begs the principle for help. Meanwhile, Danny writes a paper in school on Mein Kempf. The prince and teacher are extremely disturbed by the paper so the principle tells Danny that they are going to have their own history class together called American History X. Danny's first assignment is to write a paper on his brother, everything that happened with him, adn how it affected Danny adn his family.

That same day Derek is released from prision and goes to the head of the skin head group and tells him he doesn't want to be involved anymore and he doesn't want Danny involved either. The head of the skin heads doesn't take this news too well and Derek winds up running for his life. Derek then explains to Danny everything that went on while he was in prision and how all his hate seemed from their dead father. Danny then changes his mind and also wants out of the skin head group but finds that it is too late. The next day in school Danny is in the boys bathroom with his paper about his brother in hand when a black boy at school that he had some trouble with walks in and shoots him point blank in the chest. The main cultural issue of the movie is how the white skin heads cannot relate to the blacks.

They think that all the blacks are on welfare and are gang bangers. The white skin heads in the movie also think that all the immigrants are inferior to them. They believe that they should stay in their own countries and not bother us in America. The main stereotype in the movie is towards white skin heads.

They all have shaved heads, are extremly muscular, idolize Hitler, and have white power and swastika tatoos. The main character, Derek, is a prime example. He is very muscular, has a a shaved head and various hate tatoos all over his body. Another stereotype portrayed in the movie is against blacks. They say how all blacks are on welfare and how they go against their own people. They also say in the movie that "weed is for niggers".

They call the black principle a "Uncle Tom" because he is a strong man who believes in himself and his people. Derek's father also criticises the principle for having his students read a book called Native Son, which is about black people. Derek's father criticizes affirmative action and says that it is unfair and puts the white man down. He feels as though it gives black people the jobs when there are white people who can do the job better.

Another stereotype that was mentioned in the movie was towards Mexican immigrants. They were called spics in the movie and were all portrayed as illegal aliens. In the movie they criticized Americans for hiring the immigrants because they are not real Americans. One scene in the movie when Mexicans were put to shame was when the skin heads vandalized the grocery store owned by Japanese where a lot of Mexicans work. The one Mexican woman was tortured and had various food items dumped on her face such as milk to make her look white.