Spike Lee's Do The Right Thin
Spike Lee's representation of the severed relations between the racial groups that co-exist in the community of Bed Sty throws the question of "what is the right thing to do" and also "is there such thing as truth," right into our faces forcing us to grapple with them. With the presentation of opposing tactics of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "non-violence," and Malcolm X's "violence in self-defense is intelligence" one must wonder, can the two ideals contribute simultaneously in the struggle toward the same goal of achieving mutual understanding without annihilating each other in the process? Lee sees this violence as the only means necessary in making everyone painfully aware of the injustices racism causes, picking up the battle where the peaceful means of attempting to understand one another fizzles out. However this violence is a result of the rigid interpretation of preconceived assumptions of a racial group without consideration to the individuals distinct identity. This community exists not on the basis of true understanding of each other but parallels the concept found in Bellow's story of a flexible societal structure. Everyone present in that community finds a way to tolerate each other in order to perpetuate their own s
By appealing to this stereotype, Lee also trivializes the serious issue of single motherhood and poverty because the viewer is likely to dislike Tina and feel less sympathy for her plight. Moral ambiguity lends complexity and realism to the characters - this is what Jade lacks. An argument between Sal and a black customer who refuses to turn down his music escalates first into racial name-calling and then into a brawl. So instead of dealing with chaos, they push themselves away. The movie isn't making as much of a statement as it is making an observation. , who opposed the use of violence, and Malcolm X, who supported violence in self-defense. is a lingering one of the woman as she looks at Da Mayor, saddened and apologetic. It was as though he was ashamed of it himself and rightfully so. The characters in the film are intriguing not because they are heroes or villains - they are fascinating because they are us. Do the Right Thing" was the most controversial movie of 1989 before it even opened. It is interesting that some of the more likable characters in the film such as Sal end up doing bad things.
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Acceptance Essays
