American History X is a very controversial movie. It is a movie about a
Venice Beach skin head gang called the D.O.C. The gang is run by the master mind of
Cameron Alexander who likes to poison children’s minds with racism and other negative
things like stealing and vandalizing.
The story is based around the family of Derek Vineyard who Cameron
decides would be the spokesperson for the group. It shows how everybody in his family is
effected by his negativity especially his younger brother Danny. Danny sees Derek as a
hero and wants to become someone like him. Derek learned alot of his hate from his
father. When he passed away Derek became a more hateful person. His girlfriend Stacy
believed in everything he said and would stand by him no matter what.
Doris the mother was torn apart for the fact that Derek couldn’t be happy
for her when she tried to start a new life again with a Jewish man after her husband died.
After Derek commits the murders and goes to prison he comes to realize
that everything he ever believed in life was a bunch of nonsense. Mr. Sweeny had a lot to
do with his whole mind change. I feel that he is a very significant character in this movie
because it is good to know that there are people who are willing to look past the
In the three years that Derek was in prison things were getting more hectic
for Danny. He started running into the same problems as Derek.
Devina the oldest sister was very concerned for Danny because she knew
the kind of people that he was running around with. I think that she felt some kind of
sisterly instinct that something was going to happen to him. She was right because Danny
was shot to death. I can relate a lot to this character because my brother went through the
same situation with a gang and he is in prison right now for dealing drugs know exactly
how she is feeling. It is hard to grow up around that kind of thing.
I think this is a great movie for people to watch and see what really goes
on with families like this. I feel that it can teach a lot of children that hate is not the
answer. I think that they should show this movie in the first year of high school so these
students don’t do stupid things to try to fit in at a new school. I don’t think this movie
should have been as censored as it was. Everyone can learn something from this movie.
