Di rected by

Tony Kaye
AMERICAN HISTORY X
Racism consists of both prejudice and
discrimination based in social perceptions of
biological differences between peoples.
It often takes the form of social actions,
practices or beliefs, or political systems that
consider different races to be ranked as
inherently superior or inferior to each other,
based on presumed shared inheritable traits,
abilities, or qualities.
It may also hold that members of different races
should be treated differently.

WHAT IS RACISM?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism
Must acknowledge that it is a social
construction people are not born racist, but
rather they become through:

Respected people pushing views on people
Stereotypical attitudes towards difference being
perpetuated
Environments and upbringings
Historical happenings
And many more.
HOW DO PEOPLE BECOME RACIST?
Insults
Contempt
Lack of empathy not recognising the
soul/character of a person
AND can ultimately lead to violence
It is:
Negative
Destructive
Not conducive to love or compassion

HOW DOES RACISM MANIFEST ITSELF?

Acknowledging that it exits
Can take just one person to take a stand
and actively work to not be racist
Walking a mile in someone elses shoes
Listening
Seeing the inequalities exist
And more

HOW CAN IT BE OVERCOME?
NOW TO THE FILM.
Who is Rodney King?






SOME CONTEXT AND TALKING POINTS
Neo-Nazism consists of post-World War II
social or political movements seeking to
revive Nazism. The term neo-Nazism can also
refer to the ideology of these movements.
Neo-Nazism borrows elements from Nazi
doctrine, including militant nationalism,
racism, xenophobia, homophobia, anti -
Semitism and initiating the Fourth Reich.
Holocaust denial is a common feature, as is
incorporation of Nazi symbols and admiration
of Adolf Hitler.

WHAT IS NEO-NAZISM?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Nazism
A Greek Example
Racism is not not just reserved for the
neo-Nazis of this world - it's throughout
all cultures, even other minorities

New Zealand is not free of it either..
BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW
TASK:
Work through the theme sheet - going
through
Development of
Manifestation of
Overcoming of
try to include with your ideas specific
evidence from the film
THEME - RACISM IN THE FILM
Through some traumatic incident. In the film
we see in a video clip how Dereks father is
killed by trying to stop a fire in a black
neighbourhood.
Through comments from a respected person.
In the film we see Dereks father talking about
black action and how it is wrong.
Through manipulation from some individual
who has a cause in mind. In the film we see
Cameron Alexander talking Derek round to his
way of speaking.
HOW IT DEVELOPS
Through wanting some excuse to explain why
we arent doing so well. In the film we see
Derek explaining that the reason they have no
jobs etc is because of the illegal immigrants
from below the border.
Through a lack of understanding about
another group. In the film we see the gangs
moving to the neighbourhood and staking
their share of the turf. For example in the
basketball courts.

HOW IT DEVELOPS
In the breakdown of a family. In the film we
see the Vinyard family in strife as Derek
argues with them and with the lover of his
mother, Murray.
In violence. In the film we see Danny meeting
black kids at school who are beating up
another white kid for no real reason.
In organized intimidation. In the film we see
the looting of the supermarket with Derek
leading a group of disillusioned skinheads.
HOW IT MANIFESTS ITSELF
In verbal violence. In the film we see Derek
put down Murray a Jewish friend of his
mothers.
In making victims. In the film we see the
checkout girl being forced to eat various
potions such as milk by the skin heads who
are robbing her store. She is so scared she
wets herself.
In setting one side against another. In the film
we see the battle for the basketball courts
where Derek eventually secures them, for the
white kids for good.

HOW IT MANIFESTS ITSELF
By becoming a victim. In the film we see Derek gang
raped in the shower at prison.
By realising that the other side are discriminated against
too. In the film we see Lemonts side of the story. How he
was jailed for six years for stealing a TV and dropping it
on some policemans foot. This is nothing to the three
years that Derek got for killing two guys.
BY realising that other people are just people. In the film
we see Derek becoming aware that Lemont has feelings
and is a good person too because of the humour and the
way he looks after Derek in prison. Derek realises that
the only reason he has been safe is because Lemont has
been looking after him.

HOW IT CHANGES
By seeing that the lip service that they have been paying
to the so called great ideals are no more than tokens. In
the film shown by the way Derek realizes that the other
members of the gang in prison are must bending the
rules to suit themselves.
By realising the impact the ways of racism are
destructive on families. In the film we see Derek seeing
how his views have destroyed the family. He says the
lounge they used to have is bigger than the whole house
they presently live in.
By seeing that there are people who are just out to
manipulate others. In the film we see Derek call Cameron
Alexander a chicken hawk and a snake and he talks
about the next crop that is waiting to be indoctrinated.
HOW IT CHANGES
Edward Norton in an interview comments
how there is a message to be learned from
this film, one that is very real and very human.

It is thought that perhaps this was not exactly
what the director intended, but rather is a
byproduct of our own understandings or
realities of the world we live in it is however
a message that an audience can latch on to
DIRECTORS PURPOSE?

WHY EXPLORE THIS THEME?
How is the story shown to us?
Work through the first questions on the
hand out
In groups cut out and put in
chronological order the scenes on the
hand out
From this complete the next part on the
sheet
STRUCTURE
We are goi ng to watch the openi ng and cl osi ng scenes once
more
In your book, or on a new pi ece of paper draw a venn di agram








Fi l l i n by i denti fying si mi larities and di f ferences between
them through thi s we can see further poi nts about raci sm
STRUCTURE OPENING AND CLOSING
SCENES

1. Complete the Characters handout by matching up the
description with the right character
2. We are now going to look at 6 of these characters in
greater depth
Danny (3 People)
Derek (3 People)
Seth (2 People)
Cameron Alexander (2 People)
Sweeney (2 People)
Lemont (2 People)
On the A3 sheet fill in the columns with as much specific
detail as possible think of particular instances in the film
the reveal each characteristic and idea

CHARACTERS
A symbol is used for various subtle
reasons. It can be a visual or aural
symbol or a combination of both.
It can suggest nuances of meaning
(subtleties that add depth to the
experience), connotations by alluding to
something else, set a scene historically
and by doing so enlarge our
understanding.

THIS LEADS INTO - SYMBOLSIM