american history x // by vallaster

Derek Vinyard is the charismatic leader of white supremacists that ends up in prison for a hate crime (curb-stomping a black dude). After being released, his motives have reversed by being enlightened on racial scenarios. His brother, who is following his footsteps in racial discrimination, is influenced to change his brother’s recently enlightened. I found a number of the scenes vividly memorable do to their gruesome nature. The plot, character development, and cinematography all played a role in how we are to perceive Derek and his surroundings. After watching out main character travel down the slums of this path in life, he acquires an epiphany that takes him down a road to influence others in the same position to change. By going back to the same group of individuals that he once lead, he attempts to sway their narrow sited opinions by asserting that their means of destruction is merely shallow propaganda. He is only successful in reaching one person, that being his brother, who in the end is the one that pays the price. What I got out of it was that selfishness and being too stern on my opinions can lead to damage not just to myself, but also to those that I surround myself with.