John Singleton explores the city of South Central Los Angeles in the 1992 movie “Boyz in the Hood”. Doughboy and Ricky are three main characters from this film who grew up in the same neighborhood. As young men, they all have to deal with different inner conflicts. Tre, a talented student, dreams of attending college. Tre develops character and responsibility under the guidance of Furious Styles his father. Ricky, a talented athlete, is determined to get a USC football scholarship. Ricky’s older brother Doughboy is a gangster who associates violence, alcohol, crime and himself with it. Doughboy, which is a drug dealer, however, has a strong sense pride. Doughboy Ricky, Trey, and their parents are documented from childhood through adulthood. Although they were raised in a deviant environment, there are many reasons why these characters didn’t become deviant. These characters were offered many opportunities for deviant behavior. Sociologists have many theories that influence their personality and behavior. These theories include social control, conflict theory, capitalism’s effects, and labeling theory. This film also shows that race does not determine class. These theories are exposed to the public and help normal people understand why this society is so deviant.

John Singleton (director and writer) depicts the social deviation that plagues Doughboy. The film is explained by Conflict Theory. Deviance theory is defined as Conflict Theory. This describes how deviant behavior refers to a desire to limit the power and privileges enjoyed by those who are in control. Social conditions are the cause of deviant behavior. Although the story is fictionalized, the actual conditions in South Central L.A. are very real. South Central L.A.’s urban decay and street crimes are well-known. South Central Los Angeles is home of famous gangs including the “Bloods”, “Crips”, and many others. Also, it is home to low-income minority communities. Tre’s father, who is a gun dealer on every corner in this area, tells Tre that he wants to talk guns. – Why? – I’ll explain why. Is it like there is a liquorstore at every corner? why? I’ll explain. You’d find a liquorstore on every corner. – Why? – I’ll explain why. The same way there are liquor stores on every corner of the black communities. Why? They want us all to commit suicide. It’s not like you see any of that in Beverly Hills. They want us all to die. It is the best way to kill a person, it is to stop them from reproducing. The social control theory is a term that describes how people’s thoughts and feelings are controlled in social systems. Tre’s father shows how social control within these systems allows people to retain and grow their power.

Many African Americans struggle to escape the constant sounds of guns and helicopters patrolling nighttime Crenshaw, which are making their lives difficult. Capitalist societies are characterized by those who control the economy and increase these conditions in order to keep the rich in power. Capitalist societies rely on “competitive models of social and economically interconnected” and large inequalities in social resources allocation. Economic security is not guaranteed because of inequalities in capitalist societies. Many South Central L.A. African Americans feel the need to compete in order to be able to provide for their families and themselves.

The Black family is the film’s most dangerous structural element. The film shows the increasing disintegration of Black families in South Central Los Angeles. The film’s central theme is how Brenda Baker, played by Tyra Ferrell, feels it necessary that she favors her younger son Ricky Baker over Darin Baker. She does this because her family’s economic system (capitalism), dictates her decision to favor him. Brenda’s only hope for a better economic system is Ricky, a star student-athlete who has the potential to be a professional athlete and a superstar college student. Brenda has to choose her children, because there are no economic or social opportunities for her in South Central Los Angeles. Ricky becomes her financial investor and Darrin is her “waste”. Sadly, Ricky as well as Darren die at the end, symbolizing the importance of family unity and the dangers of a capitalist society.

Singleton also discusses the idea of misrepresenting African-Americans and labeling them. Singleton points out that African-Americans are often depicted in a negative light in society and in media. Boyz N the Hood’s main characters are all from the African American community. Even though each personality is unique, they share one thing in the same: they are all affected by the same social issues. Doughboy, Ricky and Brenda’s mother are two examples of this labeling theory. Her outlook on life and lack thereof of interest result in her sons choosing the same path. Youth labeling is heavily influenced by the role of their family. Rick and Doughboy are different sons. Doughboy’s father is depicted as lazy and uninspiring, which are traits that reflect his lifestyle. Brenda tells Doughboy: “You ain’t shit. Ricky’s perspective is quite different. Ricky’s cheek is touched by her, and she comments that Ricky looks more like her daddy each day. Doughboy knew that you would accomplish something. Ricky responds well because she views Ricky as her ticket out South Central L.A. He will attend college and be drafted by NFL. She is able to make more money and have a better lifestyle. Doughboy will not be enough for her. This labeling theory is clear in that it creates feelings of worthlessness instead of countering them by core values.

This is not only the misrepresentation and labelling of the characters but also the movie itself. Boyz N the Hood has been mislabeled as a movie about gangs/hoods. Boyz N the Hood does not have a gang story because Singleton isn’t overly focused on it, nor are his characters gang-motivated or active gang members. Tre and his friends are just a bunch of young people who enjoy each other’s company and hang out on their front porches. Tre and his buddies do what all seventeen- and eighteen-year olds do: have fun, go to the movies, and enjoy dating. These are all part of teenager’s social lives. Trey’s dad calls the police when his house is broken into. Trey then receives two police officers, one black and one of white. Furious, Trey’s Dad, insults Furious’s black father by saying that all black males look the same. Furious replies quickly that he doesn’t know the problem, but that he thinks he’s superior to all other black males. Trey and Ricky get pulled over by this police officer later in the movie. Trey is threatened by the officer who holds a gun in his hand. This film seems to portray a role that was created to illustrate the fact that the rich and white are not the only ones in the higher classes. The above example shows that the oppressor was an African American male, making it inaccurate to define race as class. He treats his African-American “brothers” with contempt, even though he is black.

Boyz N the Hood offers a short summary and discusses the film’s strong messages, values, and principles. The theories discussed are necessary in understanding the ways that blacks are depicted as a dissimilar society. These theories show why and how they didn’t deviate. Tre, the main character in this film, was influenced by his father and guided throughout his childhood. Tre is able to learn responsibility and perseverance from his father and avoid the social problems that can affect him and his friends. Doughboy, Tre’s best friend, is without a father. Doughboy has Ricky as his brother, and Doughboy is still surrounded by his mother. Doughboy, who has no father or a mother to support him, eventually becomes a gang member and falls into the violent circle of his neighborhood. John Singleton concludes by pointing out how capitalism, the current economic structure and other theories can be harmful, particularly for Black people living in poverty.