AMERICAN HISTORY X

[xyweng]

Hi this is Sylvie (Xiaoyu Weng).

The story is based on racism, one of the most deeply rooted issue in the US. I was surprised to find out there are still such large-scale white supremacist gangs in the country even though negro slavery has been abolished more than a hundred years ago. To present such a serious and sensitive topic, this film choose a small but smart entry point, using nonlinear narrative to depict the story of a family.

Derek’s dramatic transition is the main clue of the story. From a irritable neo-Nazi who would smother his own sister just because of a conversation over the table to the one who wishes to start with a clean slate and prevent his young brother from repeating the same path, what happens in the jail is the biggest puzzle that arouses the audience’s curiosity. Derek learns not to judge a book from its cover and think about the long-lasting prejudice and hatred he holds. The scene that he finally laughs in front of the black co-worker is a break-through moment of his life. But personally, I find the flashback in the jail a little bit lengthy but not powerful enough. Also, while I was watching the film, I wondered what would be the turning point of Danny. However, Danny just changes his position when hearing Derek’s story, which seems kind of unnatural considering he used to be such a fanatic.

The story ends with Danny’s monologue, “Hate is baggage”, which is probably the theme of this film. All those feud of the human society roots from our greed and lust.
It takes long to let go of it all, and I hope time can be healing.

Speaking of films talking about racism, I have to mention my all-time favorite: Crash. It uses several interweaved stories to present the racial tension in Los Angeles. I like its way of storytelling, and also the theme it conveys. There is always a dime light when everything seems to be crashed.

[chenyuer1118]

Hello!
This is YUER CHEN

Actually this is the second time for me watching this film and I still feel something different from the first time I watched this film. To be honest, this is my favourite film among all other films that we have watched during this course.

Obviously American Histroy X is a film about racial discrimination. But I do believe that this is a film more about belief. At the very begining of the film, Derek has his own belief about the white and the black. But later, it changed dramatically. Or instead of saying that Derek has changed his personaly belief, it would be better to say that racial belief has gradually become less important in Derek's life and this change happened in the prison. There is one questions asked to Derek by Mr. Sweeney which is that "Does any of these made your life better?" I remembered that I have seen an one sentence comment on American History X which is "See reality in your eyes when hates make you blind." This is indeed the truth. When you spend all of your life hating, there will be no good time in your life. Thus, I do believe that at the end of this film it should not be a new start of hate from the inside of Derek but more frustration and helplessness. And I think this is the best way of ending this film.

But I do believe that there is some inapproriate setting of this film. For example, Derek's change is kind of exaggerated. The description of Derek's prison life is too short to lead to such a dramatic change. To a certain extent, the change happened to Derek seems to be a little bit farfetched. But I do get the idea from the director. Actually I don't think this film is physically violent. But I do think that the most violent scene of this film is when Derek is topless after killing the two black men and kind of showing off to his little brother. That is for me the most violent scene in this film. Sometimes violence does not need to be physical.

Anyway I enjoy watching this film for a second time very much! It is my favourite!

Thanks!

[YiminGu]

Judging by its name, I was expecting a historical movie with epic scenes. But I was wrong. The movie is as intense as expected, but without any grand spectacle; the story is within the family, the school, and the group, where all the conflicts have taken place.

One of the most intense scenes happened in the family when Derek confronted his family at dinner. Due to his fanaticism in Nazi and rage toward the black people, he was consumed by hate and hit his family. Norton was so good an actor that he infuriated the audience. I remember clenching my fists. But throughout the whole movie, the director wants to tell us impetuosity and anger can ruin lives. When Dr. Sweeney visited Derek in the prison, one of his lines enlightened Derek: "You have to ask the right questions. (Derek Vinyard: Like what? ) Has anything you've done made your life better?" It reminds me of several lines in the Imitation Game: "Do you know why people like violence? It is because it feels good. Humans find violence deeply satisfying. But remove the satisfaction, and the act becomes... hollow. "

I found this movie to be motivating and poignant; however, transformation of Derek from evil to good doesn’t really convince me. I am doubtful about how doing laundry with a black guy can shift this extreme racist. Admittedly, the Lamont was a nice guy. But as an audience, I expected more from the prison. Or perhaps it’s just that other scene outside the jail were so strong that they lifted my expectation for the prison scene.

The ending was truly heart-wrenching. I don’t think Derek would go back to his previous life because he already learnt how violence is vain, especially when he finds out what Danny has written in his paper of “American History X”. The little brother quoted Abraham Lincoln at the end of the essay: “We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature" I do believe Derek will seek for peace between races after the tragedy.

Teacher's note: If this story were the "real world" it would probably take a little more than a few jokes in the laundry room to change a guy's soul, granted. But in a fiction designed to showcase Derek's story, I feel that "American History X" does a pretty convincing job of portraying the main points of Derek's transformation, one being Derek's acquaintance with Lamont and how Lamont probably saves Derek in the end. Another point being Derek's realization that the inmates whom Derek thinks are his friends turn out to be nothing like Derek. This all culminates in the brutal shower scene. Finally, the one person who comes to Derek's rescue in prison is, yes Dr. Sweeney. But as Sweeney says, "My help is not unconditional." Derek has to promise Sweeney that he will change. Then, he has to keep his word.

All of these events include implications of more mundane daily occurrences that probably would have happened over the course of the three years that Derek spends in Chino Prison. So I feel that Derek's transformation in prison is believable, but this is just one opinion. What do others think? Thanks, author, for a great piece of writing including some insightful observation work.

--mike http://www.moviesgrowenglish.com

[jacqueline]

Angry youngsters could be horrible, Derek Vinyard was one of this kind. He was a typical racist at the first half part of the movie, holding faith in his own belief.

Belief is one of the most powerful emotion of human beings. Followers could become fearless and unrelenting under its guidelines regardless the belief stands on which side. Belief grows from the bottom of one’s heart which makes followers difficult to be intervened if the belief somehow against the moral. Derek firmly held his faith that black people should not stay in the U.S. or even deserve to be treated as slaves. This belief came from his father who had told him not to be brainwashed by his black teacher and was murdered by a black people as a result. Derek naturally became a racist and things went worse. No one could stop him, neither his family nor his teacher. Dropping out from school and breaking with family didn’t save him but prison.

Prison is a place where everything could be turned upside down. As Derek found, his belief became a thing to fulfill people’s desire but not support who he was. Then he began to doubt, to question. Finding things you has believe for years are wrong is not painful, to admit it is. Derek’s inside has gone through a tough period I believe. Though he lost Danny in the end, he has gotten rid of hate, that is worthy.

[zuhui]

What is the basic conflict in this story?
This is a movie, which can shock people in 2 hours and have very big influence.
The basic conflict in this story I think is about race problem. White people against black people, everywhere, anytime. Racial is a big problem in U.S. history, and this is still a problem in nowadays.

What does Derek learn in prison?
Derek learned a lot in the prison especially on race problem. I think it is the turning point for Derek in his life. He made a black man as friend, of course, is wasn’t that fluent plot, but in the end it is a good friendship, and turns Derek to another man, an absolutely different attitude man. During the prison time, he realized that he did lots of things useless and didn’t make any sense, he figured out that his hate and anger have no point to stand. Black people helped him and these people are not bad.

Is the ending Derek’s final step toward redemption or a U-turn back into his previous life?
I think after lots of things happened, prison, losing family, Derek is moving forward in his life and I think he won’t be back into his previous life. He should live with a redemption life if he really realize that he did before is pointless and cruel. I also believe that Denny would be proud about Derek redemption life.

Write a setup / opinion of American History X.
The first impression about this film is cold, blood, cruel, and then I realize this movie is a really educational one that could make people think a lot, especially for American history. Racial is a problem in the U.S. for a long time until now, life is difficult for black people from that time. I believe that everything will be better and better.

[Gus]

What is the basic conflict in this story?

The basic conflict of the story is the discrimination between blacks and white people, this fact can be seen by Derek who lost his father in a crime by a black guy and then his hate against back guys grown up. After that he started being in a white group that hates black and immigrants in general and he influenced a lot his young brother.

What does Derek learn in prison?
Derek learned that the character of a person is not judged by the skin color, in prison he passed to bad situations with the white gang of the prison and he realized by his black friend that black guys can be good people, his friend that probably saved him to be killed in prison.

Is the ending Derek's final step toward redemption or a U-turn back into his previous life?
I think that it's a final step to redemption for him because he passed so much struggle to learn that black people are not the problem but the discrimination is the bad side. Also, in the past he killed black guys from the black gang and I think if the guy that killed Danny is somehow related to the guy that was killed by Derek in the beginning of the movie. Derek needs to understand that what killed Danny wasn't the black guy but the hate that was involved between them.

American History X is a fantastic movie with a lot of tension, a lot of background of the discrimination between white and black people, it's a really deep story, I really like it.

[Amber]

The basic conflict in this story is between white people and people of other races. I believe Derek learnt in prison that people from different race background could get along with each other. Prison is a totally different place than the outside world where white people become discriminated race and Derek experienced to be one of the discriminated ones. The black guy he works with is very nice to him. He cares about Derek, gives him kind help on work, and tells him how to survive in the prison. Through communication between the two of them, Derek realizes that it is silly to judge people by its cover, and figures out he is used by Cameron.

I do like this kind of movies which uses normal people’s life to discuss an abstract topic. Racial discrimination is not a new issue in this country, and there are many movies related to it. The reason that American History X is outstanding is that for one thing, this movie reflects racial discrimination in a vivid and reasonable way. No matter the plot or actors and actresses are similar to daily life which makes the whole story even more convincing. What’s more, this movie is not only about the phenomenon itself, but about changing. Derek changed, Danny changed, and their mother changed. It is hard to say whether they are changing in a right direction or not, but changes enrich this story and make it more attractive.

[HenriqueTeixeira]

It was a history of two brothers, Derek and Danny, involved in the neo-Nazi movement, witch borrows elements from Nazi doctrine, including ultranationalism, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, anti-Semitism. This movement killed a large number of people, using Nazi symbols and admiration of Adolf Hitler. The film contains a lot of intense scenes to show how difficult this part of the American history was.

Derek was sent to the prison after kill 2 black guys, who were trying to steal his car. Something that was not difficult to him, since he hated black people. The black principal of the school tried to do everything possible to help Danny. After the prison of his brother, he started to go more often to the neo-Nazi reunions, trying to be just like his brother. Even thought, Danny hated black people because of the neo-Nazi movement, it was possible to see a respect between them.

After all, it is possible to see that the problematic brother finally realized that there was no problem to talk and have fun with black people. Actually was a black guy, who worked in the prison laundry, the one who saved Derek’ life.

Unfortunately, the one how suffer the consequences of Derek’s attitudes was your younger brother how died at the end of the film. The massage of the film is that we are all the same. Does not matter our skin color, sexuality or religion, we are all the same.

Definitely it was a better choice than “The notebook” (I have already seen this movie), for an English class, since we are trying to learn the culture of the US. Fortunately, just few people continue with this outdated thinking.

[ClaireL]

Hi, Mike!

After watching this film, the first thing that comes into my mind is: “thankfully this film is not based on a true story”. What happens to Derek and Danny is so sad. The scene that Derek holds Danny in his arms and cries constantly occurs in my mind. I have to admit that this movie makes me a little uncomfortable because of the sadness and heaviness.

But it still is a great movie. By depicting Vinyard family’s tragedy, the film vividly illustrates the conflict between the white and the black at that specific period in the US. What impress me a lot are the uses of slow-motion in this film, which become a great help in setting the mood.

There are two scenes that impress me most. The first one is when Derek kills the black guys and drops on his kneel asked by the police. The shots swift from Derek to Danny and then turns backwards. We can see both Derek’s twisty smile showing his pride and satisfaction and Danny’s shock and pain. The slow-motion emphasizes the difference between the brothers and the heaviness of the moment. Then, Derek’s facial expression slowly changes. He gradually realizes what he has done and what will happen to him. With the slow-motion, we can see the subtle changes on his face, from satisfaction to seriousness, from pride to panic. I believe that scene slowly removes the cover of Derek, the extreme and hate put on him by his father and Cameron. For a very short moment, we see Derek as the real him.

The second one is at the end when Danny is writing his essay while Derek is taking the shower. From Danny’s memory we find out that his father is actually the starter of the whole tragedy. Everything happens latter is set up at that moment when his father tells Derek to be cautious about the black. Then we can see two young boys, Derek and Danny, running and playing on the beach at sunset, representing the innocence once they are. Following this scene is the one that Derek takes the shower trying to wash away his dark past. The slow-motion is used in the running scene and shower scene, emphasizing their regret.

The cinematography is very special in this movie and that’s one important reason that I love it so much.

Siyu Li
(Claire)

[Yoni chang]

Hello, Mike !

The movie is about complicated racism in the United States for a very long time, and in fact, it is too dense that i could not fully understand it because i am a foreigner. Derek once had hatred toward black people because his father, the hero for Derek, was shot by the black guy, but he changed his attitude and mind at the prison. He met one friend who is African-American but has warm-heart and Derek finally opened his mind and accepted the unbiased information about African-American. He realized that the his past behaviors and thoughts are not right and wanted to rectify them, and Derek wanted to influence Danny in a positive way. At the end, it looked like the things were going well and nothing would happen but Danny was killed at the school. I think it indicates the complexity of the racism and reveals the severity of the problem, and i think the ending is the final step toward redemption and also i think it is kind of payment for the past behaviors which made Derek feel extreme pain.