Boyz N the Hood was a drama/crime movie directed by John Singleton in 1991. This film is about the growing up of three friends in Los Angeles. Ricky, Doughboy & Tre. Boyz N the Hood demonstrates many theories. The rational choice theory says that people make calculations in order to decide which crime will be most beneficial for them. The strain theory suggests that society pressures individuals to reach socially acceptable goals. Sociological positivest describes how community factors, like poverty and educational level, can affect a person’s behavior. Each theory creates an individual identity.
The label of a young black man as a criminal, thief, disobedient has always existed. They have been stigmatized for this and it will eventually backfire. The film’s time period is not very different from ours. Growing up is still about trying your best to escape the hood by whatever means you can. In the end, gangs are formed which lead to blacks killing blacks. The drug war in America has proven “There were more than 1.5 millions drug arrests in 2016. More than 80% of arrests were made for simple possession. People of Color are treated with discrimination in every phase of the justice system. They have a higher chance of being stopped, arrested and convicted. This is a particular case with drug law violation.” This shows that no matter if someone is involved in the use of drugs or the distribution of them, their skin color makes them easy targets and they suffer more. Doughboy spent a lot of time in prison because he felt the need to stand up for himself and be tough. He had no goals and only sold drugs, drank alcohol. When the Crenshaw Mafia Bloods killed Doughboys’ brother Ricky he was forced to act on instinct, pulling the triggers on Knuckleheads #2 and others. W. E. B. DuBois, who started the strain theory to explain crime amongst the poorer and less privileged than in middle and upper class groups. Some people experience stress because they share the same values as their fellow Americans. These people are therefore more likely than others to seek out unsanctioned ways to gain economic success.
The film has more of a sociological focus. When Tre is able to make decisions on his own, you can see that he conforms. He is determined to graduate from high school and attend college. Tre is also a rationalist. Tre made rational decisions even from a young age. It was not always conscious, but because his father instilled morality and value in him. Tre and Doughboy go out to find the assassins of Ricky after Tre witnesses his death. Tre, who was riding with Doughboy and a vengeful heart to seek revenge, decides not to continue the mission. Tre was able to make a rational decision at that point by weighing the pros and cons of his actions. The philosopher Cesare Beccaria classifies Tre as a perfect citizen. Beccaria would describe the ideal person as “someone with a good understanding of law, a person who can make a deliberative decision and weigh the costs against the benefits.” Rafter is also in agreement that a person’s choice to be rationally weighed the pains of punishment versus the profits. Some people believe that the theory is flawed. “The theory’s first flaw is its inability to explain collective actions. The first problem with the theory is that it does not explain collective action.
Ricky grew up in Las Angeles as a sole parent and was able observe the realities of the inner city. He didn’t grow up with a father to teach him about education and provide for his family. Fathers can be a role model for a young man and help to reduce the chances of him becoming a sociological optimist. Ricky’s intelligence and his talent for sports helped him to escape poverty. He was retreatist. Ricky, a rising football star who was given an opportunity by the people in his neighborhood to pursue it. He did not let the social pressures influence his thinking.
All three boys have been labeled. Doughboy’s mother labeled him. He was also under pressure to meet socially accepted standards, known as the strain hypothesis. She told him repeatedly that he would never be shit. Ricky was labeled positively. Lewis Crump, a USC professor, told Ricky he could be anything he wanted to be. Tre is the one who gets the worst labeling. While driving home from an event, Tre is pulled over by Officer Coffey who puts a gun on his neck. The officer says: “I like it when you get scared, that’s why i got this job. You can’t even do shit with that, I could blow you off the head. How are you feeling now? What are you? You look exactly like a Crenshaw motherfucker.”
John Singleton does a great job in describing the black lives of Las Angeles. Not just within families. But also the street life. And even more importantly, he shows how a young African man with a bright future died. He describes each character using social disorganization, placing them under theories such as strain, rationality, and sociological optimism. Singleton emphasizes stereotypes that shape young boys to be the men they will become. One of its most important themes is the role of a dad figure. The film shows the effects of growing up without a father. The only black young man in the film with a father figure is different because he’s taught to resist the social pressure. Singleton used Ricky as the perfect example of how to achieve the American Dream, but because the film is about a black boy growing up in the inner city, he also had to demonstrate that he will never succeed.
