This is my second American History X paper. Not to be confused with my first American History X paper, which was neither accurate or any good. Not to say that this one is much better, just that it is longer. That game me a little more room to fit in some things about the rise and fall of white supremacist mentality in Derek. Anyway, here it is...
Update: This is the second part of my essay, not a hint at sequel. There is not and will not be a sequel to American History X.
Critically analyze a character from the movie American History X. Specifically, Derek. Show why he hates minorities.
Derek Vinyard comes to see the world in color only after removing the blinders that cause him to see in racial black and white. American History X brings Edward Norton to the screen as Derek, an intelligent and charismatic neo-Nazi, whose hatred for non-whites erupted from circumstances of his environment. Several factors contribute toward Derek's acceptance of white supremacy as a correct way of thought and subsequent reconsideration.
Late in the movie but early in Derek's life, Derek's father, Dennis, fostered racism in his child. During a scene at a family dinner Dennis and Derek have a conversation about a book he is reading for school. The book makes up a portion of a black literature unit instituted by Derek's teacher, Dr. Sweeney. Dennis reveals his thoughts on blacks and their literature when he talks about, "affirmative black-tion." The young Derek looks surprised when his father speaks his hatred so overtly, and says that he'll think twice about taking Sweeney seriously. His father then corrects him, and tells him that Sweeney's ideas are, "nigger bullshit." These words settle into Derek's mind to ferment into a more robust hatred.
Later, an incident occurs that solidifies Derek's racial hatred. On a call to put out a fire at a drug den, a shooting kills Dennis while he performs his duties as a firefighter.
Although the killer's ethnicity never comes to light, the shooting takes place in a black neighborhood. This leads Derek to make certain assumptions about the racial background of the killer and to form conclusions about the socioeconomic state of his father's killer. A television reporter interviews Derek, who appears on camera ranting about how, "it's race related. Every problem in this country is race related." Bleak opinions of blacks, Hispanics, and all minorities have clearly formed in his mind as a result of his father's death.
After his father dies Derek seeks to learn more about how minorities are ruining his country. He finds this information in Cameron Alexander. Dialog early in the film indicates that Alexander publishes more hate literature than anyone else in Los Angeles County. His involvement with the Vinyard boys since their father's death has clearly been the role of a replacement father-figure. He accepted Derek as an initiate and enlisted him to recruit other insecure, impressionable kids for the cause of white power. Alexander cultivates in Derek a leader of white supremacists, who drives his group of misguided ruffians to perform many racially motivated crimes.
Derek's war on minorities takes its toll on his life at home as well as those in direct conflict with his views. At one point, a random break-in into Derek's car by a couple of black men causes him to react with excessive violence. Not until the authorities imprison Derek for killing one of these men does he start to realize the error in his thinking. In prison Derek meets Lamont, who works with him cleaning and folding clothes in the laundry. At first Derek sees Lamont as just another black man in prison; However, as time progresses he sees Lamont as just another man trying to get by. Lamont reveals that he was imprisoned for a six year term for simply stealing a television. Derek sees the inequality of race outside the prison walls when comparing that to his three year term for murder.
Early on in his incarceration Derek figures to make friends for safety. He associates with a group of other prisoners who show leanings toward white power. Although they accept him for his attitude, he slowly realizes that the leader of this group makes deals with some of the minority prisoners. When he starts to voice his opinion and show dissent, the group takes note of his actions. Gradually, as he realizes that color makes no difference, he starts playing basketball with the minority inmates. This seems to be the last straw for his white power friends. Even though they themselves associate with Hispanics for the sake of politics they find that Derek has crossed the line. Derek begins to question whether his cause is truly righteous after they rape him in the shower.
Derek's mother, Doris, visits him in prison. Derek learns that Danny, his younger brother, has fallen in with his old crowd during his conversation with her. He holds you up so high, she says to him of the impression he has made on Danny. She tries to make clear to him that he sets an example for his brother. Dr. Sweeney, now Danny's principal, echoes this sentiment when he visits Derek in the infirmary saying, He's headed right where you are. Sweeney asks Derek how he feels about the effect he has had on his family. "Has anything you've done made your life better?" After considering Sweeney's question Derek realizes that he has to make amends for the damage he has caused his family and to prevent his brother from walking the same path as he has.
Through the story arc of the movie Derek Vinyard gains hatred for minorities through the circumstances of his upbringing and environment. When he exercises his beliefs on the thieves and experiences prison, he comes to understand a bit of what it is really like to be amongst a minority.
