Reflection on Doing the Right Thing - Essay Example

“Do the Right Thing” is a critically acclaimed movie directed by Spike Lee. It portrays simmering racial tension in a black neighbourhood in the US. Lee stars himself in this movie as a main character named Mookie who is a family man but lacks ambition in life. Much has been written about this movie regarding the end when the real action happens. This is because the end of this movie is fraught with material which is worth exploring. It calls for debate because it is very deep and holds much to reflect on. Throughout the film, there is tension seen between the two racial groups, African Americans and Italian Americans. Mookie is a black man who works at the local pizzeria which is owned by an Italian American named Sal. Since Sal is an Italian American and it is his restaurant, he hangs only the pictures of other Italian Americans on his Wall of Fame in his restaurant. This offends other African Americans, particularly Buggin’ Out and Radio Raheem who complain that since black people form the majority of Sal’s clientele, pictures of black celebrities should also be hung up on the wall since it is only fair. This demand from the colored people lays the foundation for racial tension which continues to pick momentum as the story progresses.

One of the most distinguished features of this film by Lee is that it is based on a very riveting subject which is the war between love and hate. Throughout the film, love and hate fight each other, but the ending is significant because hate wins over love. What happens at the end happens because hate wins over love. There is so much violence and a state of pandemonium at the end. This is because hate and racism prevail and love takes a backseat. Though the battle between love and hate is ceaseless, but the fact that Mookie screams “Hate!” as he throws a garbage container through the wall of Sal’s restaurant reinforces this idea that hate wins over love near the end. This victory of hate is the reason why Radio Raheem gets killed by a policeman because he is a coloured man. The policeman appears to be so deeply consumed by hate that his judgment ceases to keep a check on his actions and that is when the vilest of sorrows befall mankind. Radio Raheem dies at the hands of a policeman in front of many onlookers. This irrational act which was a consequence of racial hatred speeds up the chaos in the area and more fights break out as a result. Radio Raheem’s untimely demise enrages Mookie to extreme lengths and he yells “Hate!” as he damages Sal’s pizzeria. He is not shown as a violent person in the beginning of the movie, but later as chaos and racism escalate, he lets his hate get the best of him and personally engages in vandalism. This is the reason why in the end Mookie is shown acting on vile impulses.