Boyz in the Hood Blog

In the film Boyz in the Hood, the idea of masculinity is a central topic, and strongly affects the lives of the three main characters. The characteristic of masculinity that is portrayed most are the ideas of independence and responsibility, and they are portrayed in a positive way. The boys in the movie are taught to be responsibility from a very young age. When Tre first goes to live with his father, his father gives him many jobs around the house that he is expected to do. When Tre asks why, his father tells him he is teaching him how to be a man. A man’s responsibility for raising his children is also strongly emphasized. Tre’s father tells his mother that it is time he took over raising his son. He also emphasizes to Tre the importance of using birth control so that he doesn’t have a kid at a young age, because he would be responsible for taking care of it. Tre’s friend Ricky has a kid, and he has to take care of his kid and his girlfriend, all while trying to play football and get a scholarship. Sports are also emphasized as a positive masculine thing to do. Ricky’s mother seems to like Ricky more than his brother Doughboy, because Ricky plays football and might be able to use it to go somewhere with his life. Doughboy on the other hand, just sits on the porch most days and doesn’t have very much responsibility, so his mother wishes he would do more with his life. The gender norm of male toughness is one that is portrayed critically in the movie. Ricky ended up being killed because of a stupid incident where he was trying to act tough. Doughboy then tries to act tough by killing Ricky’s killers, but that just perpetuates the cycle of violence, and we learn that in the end Doughboy is killed as well. It is quite sad because of how after Doughboy does the killing, he realizes that it was wrong and he wants to change his ways.

Race is very important to this movie as well. When Tre first goes to live with his dad and someone attempts to break in, the racism of the police is quite poignant. The policemen, even though one is black, are in no hurry to get to the scene, and the black policeman says that he wished Tre’s dad had killed the man. Tre’s dad also speaks to Tre and Ricky about how blacks need to help out other blacks and stop killing each other, because that’s exactly what the white men want.

Women are portrayed for the most part in this movie as lacking control. For example, Ricky and Doughboy’s mother has no control over what her son’s do. Tre’s mother also couldn’t control Tre, so she sent him to live with his father. Tre’s girlfriend is one of the only women in the movie to have some control. She is smart and doesn’t want to have sex with Tre, something that not many other girls refuse. This makes her an outsider within. Tre is also an outsider within because he wants to get out of the gang culture and do something with his education.