1221607
Description
Mind Map by anastasialee, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by anastasialee
over 10 years ago
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Themes of
American History X
- The struggle to
change
- Costume reinforces this idea with his tattoos
“DOC” (Died on Cross) and the crooked cross of
the Swastika to represent the Anglo Saxon
Protestant as the basis of the ideology.
- The character of Derek is one of a
Christ like figure who has to be
deconstructed or die mentally so that he
may rise again and so save his brother
Danny.
- Throughout the film slow motion photography is also
used. This is to let the ideas and events that have taken
place be completely digested and analysed by the
audience. By slowing the action down the audience
can clearly grasp what is going on and the possible
impacts.
- Adding to the Christ symbolism is
the recurrence of water as
background shots, both natural and
indeed as a form of cleansing the
body and the soul as baptism is
done for Christians
- Derek realizes in prison that
essentially the ideology is flawed
and that others simply use it and
him for their own means. He must
now battle to destroy the mythology
that has been set up around him
and so prevent his brother from
heading down the same path.
- Costume reinforces this idea with his tattoos
“DOC” (Died on Cross) and the crooked cross of
the Swastika to represent the Anglo Saxon
Protestant as the basis of the ideology.
- Prejudice and the
manipulation of others
- Essentially the film bases itself around the idea of hatred and
prejudice of races against each other. Derek primarily, and to a
lesser extent Danny, are manipulated in their innocence, firstly
unconsciously by their father and then Cameron. This is echoed by
the minor black character who eventually takes Danny’s life in a
‘photo negative’ action that parallels Derek’s.
- The problem is that the manipulation
and persuasion exists in the form of
logical arguments, twisted as they
might be. It is easy to see how people
in difficult and desperate
circumstances can be manipulated.
- The director also deliberately
chooses to make a distinct
cinematic decision to use both
black and white and colour film.
- • Black and white was the main type of film
that was used in the past and so it represents
the idea of what has occurred before. All the
flashbacks that the audience see giving
background to the present, are in black and
white. The scenes in colour are those of the
present.
- The use of black and white also symbolise the state of
mind of Derek. When he is narrow minded and at the
height of his ideology he can only see things in right or
wrong, black or white. It is only now that he has gone
through his catharsis that he can truly see the world, in
colour.
- • Black and white was the main type of film
that was used in the past and so it represents
the idea of what has occurred before. All the
flashbacks that the audience see giving
background to the present, are in black and
white. The scenes in colour are those of the
present.
- In addition of the film stock showing the difference between the
open and closed mind, so the use of costume in the form of hair
adds to these ideas. All neo Nazis seem to show their ideals through
their skin heads, the closely cropped hair a symbol of short or
narrow mindedness. When Derek returns he has deliberately let his
hair and so his mind grow. This symbolism is not lost on the boys’
mother who remarks that Danny too should grow his hair and open
his mind.
- Essentially the film bases itself around the idea of hatred and
prejudice of races against each other. Derek primarily, and to a
lesser extent Danny, are manipulated in their innocence, firstly
unconsciously by their father and then Cameron. This is echoed by
the minor black character who eventually takes Danny’s life in a
‘photo negative’ action that parallels Derek’s.
- Hate is baggage
- The moral of the story is spelled out clearly by
the central character of Danny. The fact that he
does realise this until right before he is shot gives
the audience the message that they too must
realise the in-ground ideas and overcome them.
- By having Danny shot, the ending is both
unexpected and shocking. The director builds
on this by constantly showing close ups of
Derek’s worried face looking over his
shoulder in the walk to the diner and during
the lead up to the final bathroom scene.
- The soundtrack also adds to this moralistic ending as we hear the
voiceover of Danny saying “This is what I learned”, the audience looking at
his blood-splattered, baby faced body, symbolically in the toilet. It is then
we hear the score that has been slowly recurring throughout the film- a
choral arrangement of high heavenly, angelic voices that suggest that this
is not just mindless entertainment but a story with a message and a
purpose.
- "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,
stretching from every battlefield and patriot
grave to every living heart and hearthstone all
over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus
of the Union, when again touched, as surely
they will be, by the better angels of our
nature." Abraham Lincoln
- The moral of the story is spelled out clearly by
the central character of Danny. The fact that he
does realise this until right before he is shot gives
the audience the message that they too must
realise the in-ground ideas and overcome them.
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