Crooklyn is a movie about a Black family in the heart of Brooklyn battling several outside factors to raise their children properly and have a functional family. Like any child, the family’s five children are malleable, being molded by their environment. It is the parent’s job to ensure that their children have the proper morals and values instilled in them. The family may not be rich, but they are more fortunate that other families on their block, which makes the other children envy Troy, who is the main character. The theme of the film goes back to the old proverb, saying, “It takes a village to raise a child”. This is relevant to the film because there are several factors that influence the behavior of a child, such as family upbringing, …show more content…
environment, the company kept and so forth. All of which, were reflected through the five children’s behaviors. There was a lot of friction between the parents, disorganization within the home, conflict in the neighborhood, and bad influences, yet there were several good qualities the parents had to keep their family grounded. Crooklyn was successful at elaborating on how the dynamics of a Black family can affect the upbringing of a child and more importantly family structures are very complex.
Family structures are complex because although they can be dysfunctional at times, they also provide individuals with a lot of guidance and deeply rooted values. This movie helped achieve the course objective of taking a personal exploration of African American cultural experiences for several reasons. Aside from being based off of Spike Lee’s life, Crooklyn was the reality for black families across the country during that time period. Families had to battle several oppressing factors in addition to trying to keep their heads above water. Having a functional family in the city is by no means easy, and the movie Crooklyn effectively depicts that truth. While there were a lot of negative connotations shown there was also emphasis put on how strong the black family is. In my opinion, the film signifies familial strength because although there were a lot of factors against them, such as money issues and negative influences, the family remained united, prevailing all of those things. In addition, it is important to acknowledge the significance of Troy’s trip down south to see her aunt. Her trip allowed her to mature into a young lady, which ultimately prepared her to take care of her younger brother after her mother’s death. This showed that people outside of an individual’s immediate family that contribute
positively to molding a child. The key objective best associated with this film is, (AFAM Minor Outcome1) which states to engage students in a personal exploration of African American cultural experiences is extremely relevant to the content of the film. There were several scenes in the film that I could relate to my personal life. One of the most recognizable characters in the movie was the mother. Within so many families the mother is the dominating force becoming the backbone of the family. She was the disciplinarian and the decision maker. Like their family, my mother has always been a stern force in our family, which has become increasingly common for the black woman. Black Women often struggle with submission and do not know how to allow the male to be the dominant force. Often men are portrayed as weak and woman are seen to be overly strong. I would keep this video as a part of the curriculum because it lays the foundation for Black Families. The film represents so many ordinary black families. To improve the structure of black families, the first step is to first identify the typical family. As a culture we cannot fix what is broken until the problem is identified.
Black children do not get to be children. Unfortunately, a myriad of forces contributes to their accelerated maturation. One of these forces is the environment, and Spike Lee’s, Crooklyn (1994), bolsters this claim. The bulk of the film takes place in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. This neighborhood has historically housed a predominantly African-American community, which is significant. Blackness disadvantages black children, and prevents them from having a childhood. In the film, Carolyn and Woody operate on a strict budget. Their lack of disposal income indicates that they are not wealthy. Both characters’ economic status, coupled with their race, results in them living in Brooklyn. Carolyn and Woody’s blackness is the
This documentary portrays the life of wheelchair-bound individuals that are professional rugby players. A few of the players take the spotlight in this independent film such as; Mark Zupan, Joe Soares, and Keith Cavill. These particular individuals were chosen as the icons of this movie because of their phenomenal spirit and determination. The most heartfelt and inspirational story was of Mark Zupan who plays for the United States Quad Rugby team. He was the victim of a tragic car accident provoked by his best friend who was driving while intoxicated. This misfortune left him paralyzed from the waist down while his friend was unharmed. Zupan is an amazing individual that was able to forgive his friend and still involve him in his life. He
One may assume that Cholly’s abandonment was a result of poverty brought about by a racist society. African American’s means of obtaining money to raise a child were much narrower than that of anyone in a white community. The absence of Cholly’s father also meant the absence of a role model. He had nobody to shown him how to be a good husband and father. Furthermore, the humiliation brought about by the white hunters took a toll on Cholly mentally.
...ism and segregation, it is what will keep any society form reaching is maximum potential. But fear was not evident in those who challenged the issue, Betty Jo, Street, Jerry, and Miss Carrie. They challenged the issue in different ways, whether it was by just simply living or it was a calculated attempt to change the perspective of a individual. McLurin illustrated the views of the reality that was segregation in the South, in the town of Wade, and how it was a sort of status quo for the town. The memories of his childhood and young adulthood, the people he encountered, those individuals each held a key in how they impacted the thoughts that the young McLurin had about this issue, and maybe helping unlock a way to challenge the issue and make the future generation aware of the dark stain on society, allowing for more growth and maximum potential in the coming years.
Considering the documentary only centers around young African Americans, and the majority (if not all) of the individuals that resided in Henry Horner were African American, race plays a huge factor in the life chances of those who grow up in the inner city of Chicago. The demographic of those living in poverty in this book represent that there is a serious issue with society and that Pharoah and Lafayette cannot simply overcome poverty by working hard. According to the text LaJoe, their mother, has eight children (Kotlowitz 10), three of which were circulating in and out of jail at the time. The children are essentially born into a difficult cycle, which is hard to break, due to negligence and the systematic racism that existed at that point in time, and still prevails today. There even existed a rumor that the boys would shoot at the train windows as it passed through the neighborhoods, which were often “blighted”, while the young boys had heard that the passengers on the train would shoot at them (Kotlowitz 7). However, this rumor may not have ever surged had the boys been white. The police also proved to be a potential enemy to the young people growing up in Henry Horner. Near the end of the book, at the stadium, a white office called Lafayette a “n*gger” when he was receiving money to flag in cars to the parking lot (Kotlowitz 160). Not only did the cop call Lafayette the unforgivable racist slur, he continued to kick him into a puddle of water and grab him by his jacket collar. Race played an enormous factor in the lives of this
The film’s brilliance lies in the choice to show three distinct familial units with varying and different responses to their disadvantaged circumstances. The three boys who are the main subject of this film each experience a set of challenges and disadvantages associated with growing up in poverty. Appachey lives with his mother and younger siblings and has little to no adult supervision because his single mother must work long hours to support the family. Harley lives with his grandmother because his mother is incarcerated for attempting to kill the man who sexually abused her son. Harley suffers from anger and personality disorders and has a difficult time fitting in at school. Andrew lives with his father, mother and sister but is subject to repeated and frequent moves due his father’s inability to secure stable employment. His mother also suffers from significant mental illness and bouts of manic
Troy has a lower-middle/working class occupation - a garbage man. In Troy's mind, this job is something that enables him to survive thus far. Growing up, Troy experiences many hardships. Escaping an abusive father, Troy corrupts his life with a passion for thievery and irresponsible actions. For example, Troy impregnates a woman; the woman gave birth to Lyons. Because of Troy's irresponsible lifestyle, he is sent to jail; Lyons grows up without a father. Upon obtaining this job, Troy thinks it is one of the most stable aspects of his life. Stability, security, and success - this occupation brings many enhancements into Troy's life. Having a steady income changes his personal ideology of what character traits an African-American male should possess; in particular, what character traits his sons should possess. Troy's son Lyons now lives as a musician. To Troy, musicianship as a career does not provide that level of stability his job as a garbage man provides. Telling Lyons his point of view, Troy says the following:
Troy?s damaging relationship with his father had a dual effect in his life. It created a conscious awareness of how not to conduct his life and built fences, which inevitably recreated his father in his personality. These fences shaped and formed his relationships with his son. Due to his conscious efforts to not become what he did hold that were his father?s. The narrowness of his thoughts and ideas about life made him an almost impossible person with whom to have a relationship. These flaws permanently changed the lives of the people around him and built barriers which were too solid to ever be broken.
Lareau’s main argument in the text is that when children grow up in certain environments, parents are more likely to use specific methods of child rearing that may be different from other families in different social classes. In the text, Lareau describes how she went into the home of the McAllisters and the Williams, two black families leading completely different lives. Ms. McAllister lives in a low income apartment complex where she takes care of her two children as well as other nieces and nephews. Ms. McAllister never married the father of her two children and she relies on public assistance for income. She considers herself to be a woman highly capable of caring for all the children yet she still struggles to deal with the stress of everyday financial issues. The Williams on the other hand live in a wealthier neighborhood and only have one child. Mr. W...
John Singleton’s view of social problems in South Central Los Angeles happens in a tale of three friends growing up together. Doughboy and Ricky Baker are half-brothers and have opposite personalities. Ricky is a football player who hopes to win a scholarship and spends most of his time playing football. On the other hand, Doughboy is a young man who looks upon his environment for guidance. He is involved in violence, abusing drugs, and participates in violence. In between is their friend Tre, who actually has a father to teach him what is right from wrong. Furious Styles, who is Tre’s father in the film does everything in his strength to keep his son from becoming another startling statistic. As you can see, it is always important for parents to be a part of their child’s life because it can make a big difference not only in their life but also their child’s future.
The two families were just some of those that really cared although all had different stand points and views they stuck to their beliefs and ended with more love for each other in the end than they ever started with. In the white family there was the conservative ex-marine father who loved his children dearly but wanted them to be well behaved and often was hard on them. The mother was more liberal housewife who stood up for her and her children’s opinions to her husband. The oldest son Brian was a football star in high school and later goes on to join the marines and fight in Vietnam. The middle child Michael was very liberal active anti war student who marched with the blacks in the Birmingham. The youngest Katie was a young 16 year old who loved to party and have a good time. The black family was a family of good hearts and lots of hope.
He portrays that the survival of the fittest is a just rule, with using a weak character’s weakness to dominate them. In the book it is shown that you have to be physically, emotionally and mentally strong to withstand the pressures. In the story we see a character that is weaker compared to everyone on the ranch, that is Crooks. He is weak because of the color of his skin. The moment when Curley’s wife enters Crooks room and starts talking with the men, Crooks is scared that Curley himself might see them. So this leads Crooks to talk against the woman, but the woman threatens to lynch Crooks. The author illustrates the woman using a weakness such as color to threaten Crooks with “Well, you keep your place then, nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.”(p.81). This perfectly shows how in the real world a black man is not able to rebel against a woman or any other character. Steinbeck shows this as a universal truth. Crooks faults are unable to compete with a woman who is stronger than him. In other words the african american is weak and in his relationship with the woman, he is unable to compete with her as she possesses power that dominates and threatens him. Although both characters similarly face isolation and loneliness or have lost something, the
Like many other African-American families of the past, Peggy would insinuate herself into a family. While the white community may see this family structure as lacking because there is a lack of a nucleus or male leadership, in Gender, Economy, and Kinship, we discover that much of the African-American community do not see the lack of a nuclear family as a detriment, but “Rather a source of strength, not weakness, in surviving structural adversity and disadvantage (Blumberg 2005). I would have to agree, for it would be the strength of community that would allow Peggy and her husband Paul to take in a child who was not their own and teach her the value of community. This community or “good segregation” as June calls it, would give June a place to be herself without having to question where she fit. June would eventually say that it was Peggy’s rules and decorum that would shape her ideals and open her political consciousness of race. Peggy would use the story of the Ugly Duckling to cement in June’s consciousness that while race was binding, class could be overcome. Much like June Jordan’s mother in Patricia Hill Collins article Shifting the Center, Peggy would also show June the value of hard work in creating a new line of work for up and coming black women, while providing for June the opportunities to “Pursue the privilege of books”
Historically, the black American solution to racially imposed loneliness and homelessness was to embrace the structure of family. White characters in the novel appear without families, for whatever reason. However, black Americans were compelled to come together as a people despised by others, to shelter and protect, even to the point of the creation of extended families, much as George assumes a protective all four. Significantly, Crooks does not receive an invitation to join George, Lenny, and Candy on the farm, even though he broaches the subject. Racial and ethnic minorities in America in the 1930s understood the importance of this strategy for survival because otherwise they would not have survived. Crooks gets described by Curley’s wife as “weak” because he is crippled and a Negro, two conditions which Steinbeck conflates into being synonymous in the novel. He functions in the role of a victim-savant. Acting as an insightful thinker and clarifying the meaning of loneliness for the reader, he remains an “outsider,” someone for whom the reader feels more pity than respect.246 By remaining on this ranch, experiencing unfair treatment, Crooks chooses his own racial victimization each and every day.246
I have chosen to review the film Boyhood written by Richard Linklater that took twelve years to film. In the movie Boyhood, it illustrates the life of a boy named Mason Jr. through the many stages of his childhood to adolescence to becoming an adult. The movie follows Mason Jr.’s life through his years of kindergarten, middle school, high school, and to college. Through these milestones in his life encounters society with socialization, culture and norms that are exhibited through his family, friends, and others. With factors of social classes, and gender that influence Mason Jr. as he grows and fits into the society that is formed. From the events and milestones in Boyhood, it is able to show human behaviour in society from our