Boyz N the Hood

The movie “Boyz N the Hood” offers a realistic depiction of the male gender norms in the south central, African-American society. It gives outsiders that may not have experienced a neighborhood like this a new perspective on the people that live there and their values. Two of the characters, Tre and Doughboy, represent two very different forms of masculinities evident in this society. Tre, though in a tough neighborhood, stays busy by keeping a job, staying in school, and playing sports. His father is a great role model, keeping Tre out of trouble and leading him to become an educated, supportive and respectful man. Doughboy on the other hand, represents the “dangerous” masculinities in this society by dealing drugs, not keeping up in school, and acting out violently. Such characteristics are not foreign in the neighborhood, and often lead many of these young men to rough situations in life. The movie really promotes the idea of a guiding fatherly figure; without one, many of these boys become troublesome figures in society. A lot of people tend to characterize African American young men to be like Doughboy, because of the neighborhoods they live in and the lives they end up living. A lot of the boys that don’t have a male figure to look up to find themselves tangled up in violent habits and behaviors. The women characters in the film are portrayed as objects that the men use for their entertainment. Many of the boys’ mother’s are single since the father’s left them once they were pregnant. This also reinforces the idea that a fatherly figure is essential in creating a successful lifestyle for these boys.