Farris American History X

Neo-Nazism is depicted throughout American History X as a means of self-identification for lower-class white groups who feel victimized as if their own personal freedoms are being limited because of the influx of minority groups into any given area, as suggested by Finley's article. In the movie, it is also suggested that broken family structures can also lead to becoming involved with such a group, because younger members searching for the ideal "family" feel comforted in this group atmosphere. The scene in American History X that best illustrates how a person from a "broken family" would be attracted to Neo-Nazism is the dinner scene in which Derek and Danny's mother invites her new boyfriend over for the first time. A political discussion ensues, which becomes extremely heated in a matter of seconds. Derek is hostile towards this man because he feels as if he is trying to replace his father. Derek's entire goal while arguing was to violently combat everything that this man suggested no matter what, in order to intimidate him. The color values used in this scene play an extremely important part. The scene is in black and white, which actually causes the viewer to focus on the violence without worrying about other details. The intimate camera proxemics and tight framing used around each character in the scene cause audiences to look deep into the character's minds to examine what they are really thinking.