American History X
By: Elizabeth Bassett
Featured throughout many civil rights movies throughout the decades, the “anti-racist white hero� is a common theme. After watching American History X, I see how this idea was touched on in the film. At the same time, however, I recognized many contradictions to this ideal in relation to Danny and the various individuals he meets in his metamorphosis from racist to good guy.
In first looking at the idea of the “white hero� myth in relation to American History X, I feel that it is strongly contradicted at the beginning of the movie. This is apparent as the white people are the “bad guys� with organized crime when they break into the store and terrorize both the multi-racial workers as well as the caucasians who employed them. Contradictions of the “white-hero� are also seen when Derek forces the black man to bite the curb so he can break his skull after shooting both of his friends.
This movie exhibits complete opposition to many myths related to the typical civil rights movie as the story progresses and Derek finds himself in prison. Derek meets his black friend whom he folds clothes and talks with which calls forth the black stereotype into question. Boyz in the Hood revealed the black stereotype to be of men who had no purpose in life without proper jobs and extreme racism against white people. As Derek works with his black friend who cares about his job and Derek’s well-being, the stereotype of black men seen in Boyz in the Hood is reversed in American History X. As Derek is leaving the prison and saying good-bye to his friend he expresses that he wouldn’t have been able to make it through without him. Somehow, his black friend’s kindness and work ethic had helped to reverse Derek’s ideals regarding racism and white supremacy. Ultimately, his black friend becomes the hero of the story, completely defying the “white-hero� myth.
Finally, many people have suggested that this movie is very Eurocentric. In my opinion, I think it exhibits the very opposite of this ideal. Derek’s black friend initiated the friendship which greatly aided in Derek’s transformation. Had this film held greater Eurocentric ideals, Derek or another white man would have been more likely to instigate a friendship thereby aiding in changing the black man’s ideals. The ideal of Eurocentrism was also defied at the end of the movie when Danny was killed by one of his black school peers. Had Danny taken the role of the murderer, a Eurocentric attitude may have been more prevalent.