Spike Lee Do The Right Thing

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Section 1: Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” is centered around themes of racial prejudice and social inequalities, analyzing how they manifest during conflicts within the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, on the hottest day of the summer. The movie sheds endless light on the complexities of racial dynamics within society, emphasizing the importance of understanding and empathy, all while questioning what it means to "do the right thing" during challenging situations. Section 2: The first point of the film I found interesting was the dispute over the Wall of Fame in Sal’s Pizzeria. In this scene, Buggin' Out demands that Sal, the pizzeria owner, put pictures of black celebrities on the pizzeria's famous Wall of Fame, which …show more content…
Throughout the film, when conflicts and confrontations arise, so does the temperature. I found this to be a clever use of symbolism, showcasing the boiling point of social tensions and how increased stress can lead to explosive outcomes. I also found the use of heat as a metaphor for anger, fury, and resentment to be very smart and impactful in the movie's synopsis which underscored the impact of external pressures on human behavior and the potential for violence during heightened situations. The third point of the movie I found interesting was the ending, which included quotes from racial activist icons, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. The quotes delved into their differing philosophies on activism, and the disagreements they had on the balance and relationship between violence and protesting when achieving activist aims. As an advocate for non-violent activism, I see Martin Luther King Jr.'s quotes as embodying the moral stance of peaceful protestors, whereas Malcolm X's quotes represented the justification for more aggressive and fierce protest