Boyz in the Hood Mikhail Karpich
Many reviews or critiques of Boyz in the Hood suggest that it clearly shows the sense of nihilism in black youth culture. I disagree with this statement because I viewed the movie as a message of inspiration and hope for the black people. When Tre went off to live with his father, he and his father still had good morals and values that they abided by even though they lived in a bad neighborhood. They were not corrupted by the violence and the disadvantages that surrounded them. When Tre’s best friend was murdered, Tre was very sad, angry, and frustrated but he did not lose meaning or purpose for his life by going off and committing murder back onto the murderers. Instead the movie ended with him and his girlfriend going off to college. Gates said, “[black people are like] crabs in a barrel. As soon one tries to get up and out, the others reach up and pull him down” (bloodbath 177). This movie offers motivation and inspiration to work and study hard and shows that it is possible to change one’s life around and get out of the situation there in. One might start in the barrel but there is an opening for one to get out. K. Clean said the following about the black people, “crime and street violence are a part of his world, and the way he comes to terms with it frequently determines the path he eventually takes in life” (Clean 45). This film showed that a bad neighborhood could force you toward crime and violence but it is your choice how you respond to it and act on it which in turn decides the path you choose.