The Sociological Effects of Differing Ethnic Groups in Youth Gangs

Media and society have always shared a mutual fascination in regards to American youth and gang life amongst different ethnicity groups, especially through the use of “hood” films. Over the years, the groups seem to be depicted less and less in versatile roles, if depicted at all in Hollywood films, Tony Kaye’s 1998 film, American History X, is a controversial and brutal story of racism in a family and portrays the enduring seeds that hate can sow. Filled with countless examples of concepts of social psychology, this film views the gripping talons of American racism and youth violence and compares the differences amongst black and white youth gangs. Menace II Society, created in 1993 by directors Allen and Albert Hughes, deals with an African American boy named Caine who grew up in the “hood,” which according to “hood” films involves drugs, money, alcohol, and guns. Similarly, to characters in American History X the Derek and Danny is torn between accepting life as they knows it and giving in to change, which could help improve their lives. Through the innovative use of literary constructs and cinematic techniques, the alluring portrayal of sociological effects of differing youth ethnicity groups is bestowed to reveal the unsettling violence and societal persecution, and provokes the audience to scrutinize the authenticity of the protagonists’ emotional tumult. In addition, the implementation of symbolism allows the audiences to pursue a more in-depth understanding about the life hood and limitations amongst two differing social and ethnical groups by analyzing similarities and difference of their symbolic values and themes throughout the films. Furthermore, the use of language techniques also allows the observation of social norms that portray the sociological effects that are compared and contrasted in differing ethnicity groups involving youth and gang violence.

Through the brilliant use of cinematic techniques such as, slow motion, flashback, backstory, round characters, and diegetic sounds both directors have enabled the films to thoroughly tell the story and, help setup the tragic scenes, that conjures the message. The Kaye uses of slow motion in a number of scenes throughout the film to either emphasize dramatic scenarios and to create pictures for the audience and capture the meaning of the social culture, that way of understanding hood life in different ethnic groups. Derek the older brother and main character, murders a man standing outside of his house that is on the lookout for another man who is breaking in to his truck. He opens the door and fires five shots into the guy’s chest. The man’s death and Danny’s reaction to viewing the death are both played in slow motion and are interlaced throughout the scene, and Danny’s reactions to the events (they range from a look of disbelief to near admiration). These scenes are all slowed down to enhance the effects that Derek’s actions are having on Danny as an older brother. Thus, also giving the same effect towards the audience as they are able to view Danny’s perspective while also feeling conflicted with their own values versus the values demonstrated in the film. Menace utilizes very much the same techniques in which scenes are visualized in backstories through flashbacks to allow the audience to understand the past lifestyle leading up to current circumstances, as well as use slow motion in violent and tragic scenes that capture the consequences that lead to this overall image toward youth gang groups and violence. After the passing of his parents, Caine (the main character) goes to live with his grandparents. As Caine narrates, “Instead of keeping me out of trouble they [his parents] turned me on to it,” this short scene is an ideal way of foreshadowing the cycle of gritty, callous, and senseless violence while also setting the nihilistic and fatalistic tones that suffocate the rest of the film. Altogether, cinematic techniques capture key essence of films that allow the audience to visually interpret the message being provoked as well as further understand key social elements that lead to the effects of these ethnicity groups….In addition, many hood films that relate to confliction, crime, racism etc., are predominantly stereotypical in utilizing symbolism relating to dystopia and gender orientation, in particular males. Menace paints the ghettos of South Central like a fatalistic dystopian society, in which there hardly are any fathers or positive father figures, and offspring are doomed to repeat the mistakes of generations past. Children are raised by the community (Pernell to Caine, and after Pernell is imprisoned, Caine to Pernell’s son Anthony) because men who aren’t dead by their twenties have escaped, are imprisoned, or are totally irredeemable shells like A-Wax (another character). It’s an utterly dehumanizing society that is dominated by young men focusing on a tough facade and a me, myself and I first code of honor. Visually, this symbolism is seen mainly in the environmental setting. For example, in both films the houses are often unkept and property is constantly damaged by gun shots or violent out breaks. Clothing attire baggy, loose and would be accompanied with a gun. American History X often portrayed the dystopian world through their tattoos on their skin e.g. Swastika, which divided them from others. Overall, these visual details determine their differences and similarities of their beliefs, life style and upbringing which displays social trends of their time and therefore, the audience can also visualize the sociological effects amongst these groups.

Furthermore, it is not common that females are involved in the riots between such groups as shown in Kayes’ film, American History X does not have any authoritative or important women and therefore, is symbolically male orientated as portrayed through the main characters (Derek and Danny) whom are very round and strong characters. Conversely, the Hughes Brothers developed a strong female character. Ronnie is a combination of all things female in Menace, love interest, mother, sex symbol, and damsel in distress which, the film continues to subtly keep the character as she is as well as a strong independent woman in the face of this violent masculine stupidity. Mention how the audience can visualize and understand the social depiction of women amongst men and gang life. In addition to this comparison, the audience can visually depict a certain social status that women were amongst during this time as shown in the two films as they were very much the carrying figures. This adds value to the audience as it explores the social norms that are symbolic to the effects of the way the two differing groups shared their morals and how they were acted upon.

The use of language techniques sets the overall tone and nature in films which emphasizes themes many more. Informal use of language is the most predominant and consistent use of techniques used throughout both films, which each to their own can be compared to when analyzing different ethnicity groups. In American History X, at dinner with his parents and teacher, Derek gets angry at Mr. Murray for sympathizing with the blacks and Hispanics. He says the following: “Coming in here and poisoning my family's dinner with your Jewish, n****r-loving, hippie bullshit. F**k you! F**k you!!...Get the f**k out of my house! See this (he exposes the Swastika on his chest)? This means not welcome!!”. Dereks’ racist comebacks involve constant profanity as well as the N-word (used to degrade African ethnicity) however, the characters choice of speech dialogue and accent in the film separates the difference in tone which would come from his ethnicity. Furthermore, it is clearly perceived by the way he says the N-word, emphasising the “er” in the end as opposed to characters in Menace pronouncing it with an “a” replacing the “er” as shown in this example. "Hey man, who the f**k gonna be all out here at 12 o’clock at night b***h? S**t, N***a, I’ll smoke anybody, n***a. I just give a f**k. S**t. I'm gonna hit this s**t, n***a”. In addition, most women are treated (as shown in both films) badly through strong profane language and actions toward them.

Overall, the films both portray that profanity and the use of “slang” was a social norm, thus, anyone who insults, “punks” you, or “catches you slippin” must be dealt with. Another language technique used in Menace to Society was first person narration. The Hughes Brothers utilized first person narration to emphasize Caines’ thoughts and feelings within each situation he was in. It also played a significant role in foreshadowing the overall tone and nature of the films after narrative a flashback and coming into current time during the beginning of the film as he narrates, “Instead of keeping me out of trouble they [his parents] turned me on to it,” The directors have thoughtfully used narration in the beginning in the scene of the flash back right as it ended as a way of transition into the current state which would give the prediction to audiences of an idea of what is to come.