Boyz N The Hood blog

In the film Boyz n The Hood, the protagonist, Tre, learns how to become a man. Tre's father gives him avice throughout the film, such as "any fool...can make a baby but only a real man can raise his child." In the film, the image of masculinity that portrays men as intelligent, hardworking, and independent is promoted as a positive image. Men like Tre's father who strive to make something of themselves serve as role models for the men in their communities. They do not let their surroundings and circumstances define them or keep them from reaching their fullest potential. On the opposite side, men who become caught in the cycle of drug abuse and gang activity are portraying a dangerous image of masculinity. These men often go in and out of jail, like Doughboy, and live lives centered on violence and crime. It is hard for these men to believe that they too can be successful if they do not let their circumstances belittle them.

Race is especially important in portraying African American men in this film. I believe that the film would not have had the same perspective if it had been filmed and been told through the eyes of a member of the mythical norm. Racial stereotypes are evident in the film, such as in the scene where Doughboy is having a welcome back barbecue, and "soul food" is served. There is also racial tension inside the African-American community, evident in the scene where Tre's father calls the police to report a break in in his home. The Caucasian police officer is patient and tries to get to the root of the problem while the African-American police officer uses a degrading tone towards Tre and his father, making him seem like he is better than them because he isn't "out in the street," as he tells them. The police officer assumes that all men who live in the hood are not doing anything useful with the lives they have been given.

The women in the film are generally not portrayed in a positive light. Many of the young women are portrayed as objects to the men, mostly because of the way they dress and act, and because the story is predominantly focused upon males. Besides Tre's mother and Doughboy and Ricky's mother, the older woman in the film is portrayed as a drug addict who does not even look after her children because she lets them wander in the street. In contrast, Brandi, Tre's girlfriend, is shown in a positive light because she aspires to make something of herself. While she is doing her homework, she comments on the fact that she wishes there wouldn't be gunshots outside. She represents someone who is an "outsider within." Eventually, she does leave her community to go to college at Spelman. Also, in the film one girl asks Doughboy why he calls females "bitches" and "hoes" because it offends them. As Audre Lorde stated "violence against Black women...often becomes a standard within our communities, one by which manliness can be measured" (Messner 248). The women in the film are passive agents, and the men derive their manliness from their influence over women. Tre's mother is a more active agent, though, because she worked hard and lives in a middle to upper class area. She takes a stand against Furious' viewpoints when she has coffee with him. Overall, I thought that the film accurately depicted the struggles of life in South Central Los Angeles, and it had an impact on me.