AMERICAN HISTORY X

[wenhuizhu]

A Chinese writer has said, “after ten years when we come back to think about belief again, I suddenly find that any beliefs, including my belief, if misused, can become a big stick to hit people and disparage others.” In this film, Dereck and Danny were both used by Cameron. They are angry youngsters, angry racists who believe only white people are of the superior race. Belief is a kind of spiritual strength. With belief, people will be not afraid of death, rightly or wrongly. Dereck, guided by his father, began to hate, exclude black people. Therefore, he behaved so aggressively, lost his temper when arguing with his teacher and his mother, and he even squeezed his sister.

Then he was put in prison, because hate guided him to kill black people in an extremely brutal way. In the prison, Dereck saw the reality for the first time. The constrast was miserable. White people were not so decent as he thought. And even black people were not so dirty either. His belief began shaking. And when he was insulted by his white “friend” and received kind treatment of his black friend, he finally controlled his temper and enmity rationally. And he was aware that he was controlled by someone.

Then Dereck was released. He tried his best to keep away from the previous organization and make a man of himself. But he found Dan, his brother was on the same march. He became nervous. He must save his brother. From the essay Danny wrote, we can see that the discussion at night was successful. But the end…

I once though Dereck would come back to his previous life, hating black people, treating them cruelly and living in the guilt for the whole life. If I were Dereck, I must pay it back. But when I think it twice, I think Dereck would not. As Dan wrote in the essay, hate is baggage, life is too short to be pissed off all the time, it’s just not worth it. Dan could know it, so could Dereck. And the ending, is part of Dereck’s responsibility. If he hadn’t done those things before and affected his brother invisibly, Dan would not have such fate. Dereck would live in guilt for the whole life. For the guilt, he must salve Dan and himself. Grudge can not save people. Only put hate and grudges aside can Dereck make some changes. Or more people would have the same fate as Dan.


Wenhui

[haoqiulyu]

Hi it’s Jessica again. We have been longing for a dark movie for week s and finally we got American History X! It’s a great movie and Edward Norton is one of my favorite actors (I am a big fan of the Fight Club). This movie talks about racism and violence. Derek and Daniel are two brothers. Derek started a neo-Nazi movement to exclude all other non-white races. From where I stand, the conflict in this story lies in the hatred between the gang that used to be lead by Derek and people from other races, especially the black. Derek, who always holds a grudge against non-white people, blamed his father’s death to colored people. Thus he united a bunch of white people and revenge on colored people through burning, killing, and harassing.

During the prison time, Derek found that his faith cannot convince himself anymore. It is the people he was fighting for who harmed him, while those black people he had always hated actually never hurt him and even helped him. During the 3 years he spent in the prison, he realized that never judge a book by its appearance, and sometimes love and hatred can be blind.

I think Derek’s last step is towards redemption. Life is ironic sometimes. Derek killed black people for his white comrades, while he got hurt in prison right by those white folks. After he realized his mistake towards colored people, his beloved younger brother got killed by a black kid. Derek would think that he himself did all these to his family, and regret his behavior before. He understands if he go back to his old life, it would be a awful circle, and his other families would get hurt also.

The American History X is very much impressive. The ending made me almost cry because life is so harsh for Derek even he has changed. Derek would rather it’s him who died instead of his brother. Daniel is a sweet boy, who is merely a sacrifice of the racial fight. All that Derek did, including the gang, is aimed to protect his families, while ironically his brother got shot. The ending of the movie is a climax of the whole story and makes the movie thought-provoking and classic.

[1993iris]

Hi, Mike!
American History X is a pretty good movie. It talks about really sensitive issue in the US: the conflict between the white and the black. In fact, Derek didn't have discrimination for black people at the very beginning. It was his father's death triggered his hatred. His father also had an influence on him since Derek was still interested in black novelists in his high school. However, things changed after Derek went into prison. He hanged out with a group of white people who have the same believes with him, but he found out afterwards that they didn't really believe in the "white power". They did these staff just to survive in the prison. One of the white guy always did a favor to a Mexican man. Derek also developed a strong friendship with one of the black guy in prison, which protected him and made him walk out of prison alive.

However, his brother didn't understand Derek right after he came out of prison. Dan followed his brother's step and started to worship the white power, but after he listened to his brother's story in prison, he started to question himself. Just after both brothers wanted to have a fresh start for the future, the tragedy happened. It would change Derek's life entirely, just like his father's death years ago. I believe he would turn back to his previous life afterwards, since his faith felled down just after his redemption. He might become even worse and his family would be the victim of his change.

Siying Li (Iris)

[yuzhang]

American History X is so far the best movie we review in our class. It has more controversial concept, more complicated scene language, and more fashion style. I always believe that movies should make people think rather than enjoy. American History X has succeeded in leading me to think deeply about the racism problem is America and what’s hidden behind these hatred.

The name of the movie itself is conveying a message that the story is going to tell us a special part of history in the United States—the history that cannot be taught by schools, the history that everyone tries to neglect.

As a foreigner, I can see clearly how the chain of hatred goes around. Racism is passed from generation to generation: Youngsters like Derek were told not to trust their teacher, just because he is black; The younger brother follow the step of his brother even if he knows it isn’t the right way. When accident happens, this hatred is intensified—that is when Derek’s father was shot, and the seeds of evil begin to grow and finally lose control.

More thought provoking is that, even if Derek stops to question himself and make amends after his imprisonment, this chain of hatred doesn’t seem to be stopped—his old friends betray him, his brother doesn’t understand him. What’s more sarcasm is that his brother is killed by a black kid in the end. How tragic is the destiny!

However, what I don’t like about this movie is that, it doesn’t provide us with deeper inspection on the racism. The whole movie seems to rely too much on the performance of Edward Norton thus lack enough profound explanation on racism issue. Maybe we need an answer more than just“ Stop living a piss-off life”.

[Yumqqq]

Hello everyone, this is Yumqqq . Can't believe that this is the last movie we watched together in class, but it seems that everyone really likes it. I like the story, too. Though it's not a real story, but when I watched the movie, it was like a real story. For me, American History X is like a mirror that reflects how life was during that period of time in the US, actually I didn't really know about that period of history.

All the characters in American History X that so vivid. Danny is just like one of those teenage boys who once got lost in his life. But I think Danny is also a very kind person, who truly loves his family, takes care of little sister, goes to school, and helps the boy who has been bullied in the school's restroom. And Derek, who seems to be a quite bad figure, or even a terrorist at the beginning of the movie, has a huge change after he is out of the jail. I think Derek used to be very cynical. After his father died during work, he began to turn his back to the black people and thinks that it is the black people who caused his father's death. He joined the local gang, and became a kind of spiritual leader. I think he's also a magnetic person, that's why there have been so many teenagers worshiped him. But Derek really changed in the prison.

I was very moved by the part of the story when Derek and that black guy treat each other like a friend. When they work together, laughing and chatting, it seems to me that Derek finally starts to let go of all the hatred in his heart. Of course, after he is bullied by the bunch of guys in the shower room, Derek, I think, for the first time, shows the weakest part in his heart, and because he is feeling so helpless, he decides to totally change. In this kind of story, an important figure always dies at the ending. When everything seems to be so perfect, Danny was killed. Every scene in this movie is like closely connected, just like before Derek began to go against the black people, his father had already done that.

Sorry that I posted so late, and I got to run for the class. I want to quote the last several lines in the movie, "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."

And thank you Mike for showing us so many wonderful movies .

- Yumqqq

Teacher's note: You're welcome. It's been my pleasure. The quote above is by Abraham Lincoln, our most revered president. Thanks for a fine post.

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

[lxr205]

Hi, Mike

This is Sherry. I usually love to watch happy endings, but I like this movie. It is so provoking.

What is the basic conflict in this story?
I think the basic conflict in this movie is the conflict between Derek and Dan. He needs to solve his own consequences before he was put in jail. Another conflict is at the most end where everything seems going well, Dan got shot. I was so sad at that point.Therefore, the main theme is the conflict between white people and white people, and it is all about racism in America.

What does Derek learn in prison?
He learned that not all black people are bad. They are also good people, even better than white people. The only reason he survived in prison was because of the protection from a black people. This made him change his mind and perception to racism and black people. He also decided to stop Dan from repeating his fault.

Is the ending Derek's final step toward redemption or a U-turn back into his previous life?
I think his final step will be redemption. He already realize revenge is an endless circle. Although he is so remorse, he will end this circle at his point. Moreover, the voiceover of Dan in the ending also indicates that Derek may make his final step as redemption.

Thank you
Sherry

[JackieDu]

What is the basic conflict in this story?
The basic conflict in this story is racism. Racism is a very complicated issue and very difficult to talk about. In this movie, two gangs of people hate and fight against each other just because of their different skin colors. However, entering deeper, there are actually a lot of reasons behind, especially during the tradition period of society change. All the people are repositioning and navigating themselves to different destination. Taking Derek's family for example, they used to live a peaceful and stable life. But with more and more black people entering their community, they started to feel uncomfortable because things were getting complicated. His father's job was under challenge by some black colleagues, their neighbourhood became unsafe, their Caucasian privilege gradually waned. Instead of adapting themselves to the new changes, they blamed all the things to black people, without any self-criticism or self-improvement. The death of Derek's father even pushed his emotions to extreme.

So in my opinion, there's another basic conflict: the extremism and rationalism. Most characters in the movie stand for extremism, represented by "Derek before prison", including Danny, his father, his Nazi gang, Seth, girl friend etc. There are still some sane people such as Principle Sweeneny,Teacher Murray and Davina etc. trying to make some sense.
extremism rationalism

What does Derek learn in prison?
At the beginning, Derek stood in White line without any doubt. But later on he started to realized that the white guys were running some dirty business in jail, and not every black guy was an evil. He was gradually moved and influenced by his co-worker, so he decided to open mind a little bit and place himself in the middle area. But the white group wouldn't let that happen. As a punishment, they raped him and tortured him. That made Derek totally collapsed. Citing his own word, " I am done with it!". So he finally opened his heart to Sweeneny by accepting his books and help. In the last 6 months in prison, he got protection from his black friend, and finally realized that he shouldn't judge or treat people by their skin colors.

Is the ending Derek's final step toward redemption or a U-turn back into his previous life?
That's a question mark and also a cruel test for him. I am sure of one thing that he can not totally turn back to nazism again considering all the costs he and his family had paid. However, can he immediately get his head up and move on in a sensible way? I don't really know, as it will definitely take a lot of time and efforts. Danny was the most important person to him, and Danny's death is such a big strike to what he believes now. But I hope Sweeneny and his own family will be there to support him pass through the difficult time. There's a saying in Chinese that " If you keep revenge everytime you're hurt, that will be en endless vicious circle and no one can win eventually.

This is a great movie that evokes a lot of resonance and thoughts from me. Racism and discrimination is a long-time controversial topic in American history. In nowadays, although it's definitely defined "political incorrect", it still exists in some way. But America is a migrant country, and the essential spirits of migration create a lot of great features for this country and make it continuously energetic and vibrant. The topic of the movie is meaningful and profound. But for this complicated issue, I feel the movie is a little bit short.

I am totally into the first half of the movie, as the story is told in a intensive and logic method although the time frame came back and forth. But I somehow feel the latter half is a bit rush, and I hope and playwright explained more details about what Derek went through in the jar to contend against his behaviors in the first half. The change of Danny is too sudden for me. I understand he was greatly influenced by his brother...but how can an individual people change in mind without doubt in just one night? I think more comprehensive outline of Danny should be revealed.

I like the ending although I do feel sorry for poor Danny, this kind of serious story shouldn't come with a happy ending. I can see the thoughts and intentions of playwright and movie director. Last but not least, all the actors and actresses are soooooo great!

Teacher's note: Another author also wrote that the Chino-Prison back story felt a little rushed. I felt that this segment filled in the details with subtext, enough to cover the bases of Derek's transformation. for example, Dr. Sweeney gave Derek some books to read, and Derek read them. What did the books say? It's easy for me to imagine that they contributed to Derek's transformation in a positive way. Thanks for a great post.

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

[RayXiao]

Hi everyone.

I've always been interested in the relationship different ethnicities and races. The conflicts between races in the States has remained intense regardless of the long-term effort done by the government as well as other parties in the society. In this movie, a group of extreme WASP racists were confronted with some normal African-American teenage gangsters. Not the worst case scenarios. Tragedy struck, however, just when we thought the victim will take a totally different path and go further and further away from the extremely racism memories and lifestyle, racism pulled him down an endless and lifeless hole.

The ending is ironic. What I learn from the ending is that understanding is never a one-way street. It is a two-way flow of communication, compromise and consensus. Understanding cannot be achieved through permanent conflicts, fights, and meaningless quarrels and provocation. All men are born equal, and if people don't let go of their rootless ground of pride in their own ethnicity and stop seeing ethnicities in a inferior-superior perspective, and in a simple dual-dimension.

I believe that is also what Derek learned in the prison which changed his opinion (or maybe belief is more accurate) and persuaded him into making the determination of pulling his family out of racism and financial difficulties.

[Yuqing sun]

What shocks me most is the ending of this movie. I did see a death coming; however I never thought it would be Danny, a lost child with a wild heart. This wild nature did not come from his own learning but a inheritance from his big brother and his father. How can all the punishment laid on this young child, who was about to embrace a huge transformation?

American history X is another masterpiece reflecting the severe situation of racial problem in United States. Tony Kaye, the director of this movies and a famous

British music video maker, is good at revealing the dark side of people's mind with a subtle and gentle emotional appeal.I saw his another movie named" Detachment" when I was a fresh man in college. I still remember the struggle and the redemption process of the hero, who was just like Danny. Danny's death to some extend express Kaye's in-depth understanding and desperate attitude to the racial problems.
There is an old saying in China that "good will be rewarded with good, and evil with evil." The hate between the white and black people should be resolved in to the equality of people's status.

I was so influenced by this movie, and I felt so pity for Danny because he will never get a chance to make things right and to make contribution to the equality of human being.

[reneeliu]

Belief is undoubtedly the strongest power in the world. People tend to be fearless and stubborn when they firmly rely on their faiths, no matter whether they are wrong. However, if those faiths are extreme or manipulated by people, they will lead to tremendous disaster. In Derek’s childhood, he was imposed with his father’s notions of race and gradually he became an extreme racist. His father’s death definitely revived [underscored] the hatred, which cannot be shaken by his step-father even his respected teacher. The only thing that was capable to change him is the fact. When he was trapped in prison, he found the faith was not something you can rely on but some tools you can use for trade, some methods to satisfy the lust, some means to cultivate the forces. The negro, he used to hate, tended to be the sincerest friend who did him a favor when he got trouble. The process of the subversion of faith must be painful.

When Derek finally realized he was used by someone he used to trust in. He feel deeply regret but and he wanted to change everything after he was released. Can he really say goodbye to his past life? Even he had tried so hard but he failed. He did get a job and successful persuaded his little brother, who used to take Derek as life model, to change his mind. But his brother got killed by an angry black child. His past still haunted him and even led to his brother’s death.

Can Derek be blame? I think answer is no. he just followed his mind and firmly obey what his faith guided him. The environment built him. And when he realized his mistake he changed his behaviors immediately. But the tragedy was irredeemable.
We should always be on guard against what we truly believe in, because it maybe the thing that wrecks ourselves.