Blog Assignment #4

The positive definition of masculinity in the movie “Boyz n the Hood” is depicted by Furious Styles (Fishburne). Styles was wise, responsible, caring, educative and not temperamental. Styles repeatedly stressed wise advices to the young children as well as the neighborhood people. He was depicted as responsibly taking care and educating his son, Tre (Gooding Jr.), even though initially the child was under the care of the mother. Last but not least, Styles was very patient in handling the black police officer who insulted him after the break-in. However, negative masculinities were also portrayed in the movie. The rivalry of the gangs as well as the constant shooting amongst these gangs were the most dangerous issues. These activities jeopardized the future and the lives of the children in the neighborhood. The role of race in the depiction of the African American masculinities is a stereotypical depiction of the irresponsible, hostile characteristics of the African American male in general. These men are depicted as not taking on the traditional role of being the head of the household. When compared to the Mexican men, they actually have something in common. The article “Male Discretion and Sexual Indiscretion in Working Class Mexico City” points out that a lot of Mexican men leave their first wives and start another family with another girl. Most of them do so without officially getting divorced first. In a way, this is really similar to the African American race in the movie who are simply not present in most of the women’s lives, and might have moved on to be with another woman.

Alternatively, women characters are portrayed as the powerful race who support and take care of the children, They are definitely “active agents” controlling their children’s lives and educating them in the best way possible. Even though Tre’s mother kind of disappears in the middle, it is depicted that she still fights to regain custody of her child until the end. As for the other mothers in the movie, from the beginning they were depicted as the sole provider and caretaker of the children, in absence of men’s support in their lives. These behaviors elucidates that women are in fact “active agents”. Reva is also an example of “outsiders within” who defied the African American struggling women stereotype. She worked hard to educate herself and in the end, is depicted as highly successful.