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  • Essay / Boyz N The Hood and Sociological Perspectives

    Boys in the HoodThe film “Boyz n the Hood” captures various sociological dynamics. Although the media content was published in 1992, the controversies it describes are still relevant in modern times. The frameworks of conflict and order are used extensively in this film to explain the problems that the main characters endure. The plot of the story follows a group of friends who struggle to grow and thrive in South Central Los Angeles. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Gender roles and norms play a role from the beginning of the film. Tre Styles lives with his mother who is considered the primary caretaker. Although she is currently unemployed, she is going to school in order to find a better job. The father is not mentioned until Tre gets in trouble at school and is suspended for fighting. The stereotype portrayed in the film is that the father of an African-American family is not there for his wife and children. Emile Durkheim would believe that selfish suicide would be a major factor in the lives of the disadvantaged families depicted in the film. There is not enough integration within the community to hold the family structure together. Because of this, the main characters demonstrate a distinct lack of purpose and are prone to accepting learned helplessness. Due to the lack of an outside entity attempting to reverse this situation, the problem is seen through past and present generations of the family. The film is also able to show the effects of altruistic suicide. This form of action takes place specifically in the various gangs and cliques represented in the community. Many gang members have the mentality of doing whatever they can to increase power and influence in their neighborhood. Class inequality due to poverty is another integral part of life that the protagonists have to face. Poverty decreases an individual's protentionality because it increases the stress they face compared to a wealthy family. This leads to a lack of care in scenarios that the person considers not necessary for their survival. In the movie, getting a good education from a young age was considered a waste of time. This creates a cycle of poverty that continues for generations. The contrast to this idea was shown by one of the protagonists named Ricky. The film made it clear that the path Ricky took to separate his future from his past was unique. Many people admired him and he had a sense of righteousness. This attitude then selflessly and suicidally killed him because he was defending someone who was being bullied. Sociologist Max Weber would say that this form of poverty among minority groups, particularly African Americans, arose from the way they were viewed by the Caucasian race in the United States for most of their existence. He could argue that if racism were not widespread, the problem of poverty would be more evenly distributed among the population. The lack of regulation and proper assistance from government entities to combat poverty leads to Durkheim's definition of anomic suicide. Fatalistic suicide arises from the oppressive behavior in which the individual is placed. In the film, there is a scene where the police clearly act in a way that expresses their contempt for the law. They racially profile a group of minorities who were peacefully returning home after an event. The police make it clear that they exercise both physical and mental control and are prepared to.