Racial Bias and Discrimination in the Crash Movie - Research Paper Example

Running Head: “CRASH”—SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS “Crash”—sociological analysis The nature of human beingshas been marked by discriminating behavior and various opposing facets since time immemorial. If one considers the times of the Great Depression or analyzes the modern day’s social order, one finds a strong indication of racial bias and discrimination in almost all strata of society. This context is portrayed quite interestingly through the movie Crash. The film has hit the theatres in 2005. It was directed and written by Paul Haggis. The movie covers the racial conflict existing in America even today. The plot mainly surrounds the interconnected incidents in the lives of whites and blacks, the rich and the poor, cops and criminals, Iranians, Koreans and Latinos. All these interactions and subplots are guided by the underlying theme of discrimination. Therefore, it has several interconnected plot lines. Graham, a police detective, is sad to find that his mother cares more about his brother, who is a criminal. Graham, an Afro-American, is emotionally withdrawing from his partner, Ria, a Hispanic. Jean, the wife of a district attorney, Rick, is full of hatred towards people of color, and this is more revealed when her SUV is carjacked by two Afro-Americans. One of the men, Anthony, is biased against white people, and the other, Peter, is liberal-minded. Later, when a Hispanic locksmith is seen changing the lock of the couple, Jean complains about the carjack, and then the tattooed officer Ryan stops an Afro-American television producer Cameron and his beautiful wife, Christine, subjects them to a humiliating questioning, and officer Hansen witnesses the event. Daniel, a skilled locksmith, feels his looks make the customers distrust him. Farhad, a Middle Eastern shopkeeper, is persistently endangered in the context of 9/11 assaults, and he is compelled to purchase a gun in order to defend his family. While Farhad and his daughter, Dorri, argue before the gun store owner, he makes a racial comment about them. Dorri, who was initially against the gun purchase, now made the purchase by herself. The film epitomizes the tagline: “moving at the speed of life, we are bound to collide with each other” (Haggis, 2005). The story centers on the different reactions based on racial grounds in the human society. People’s reactions to different circumstances portray their understandings about ways of living their life. Agents of socialization Key agents of socialization are found essentially amongst the family members and close relations; secondary agents comprise religious institutions, workplaces, educational institutes, etc. One can also mention social classes, which create discrimination amongst the social strata (Baxamusa, 2011). The case of Farhad, the locksmith, demonstrates the cohort effect (impact of any particular event like a war) of socialization where the 9/11 incident altered the lives of the immigrants from Middle East. Facing continuous discrimination and hassles, one day he is cheated by one of his customers and his shop is looted. The problem has emerged owing to Farhad’s lack of language perception – he has misjudged the words of Daniel. The next day after his shop is looted he vows to revenge himself on Daniel and he purchases a gun with which he later shoots Daniel. But his daughter jumps to save him. However, the ammunition was blank, and that was selected by Dorri, Farhad’s daughter. Farhad undergoes a soul change and realizes that Lara, Daniel’s little daughter, had miraculously saved him from committing a crime. This reveals how one undergoes a change brought about by the influence of workplaces and family members. One’s family always can act as the prime agent of socialization and alter one’s perception and approach. The film explores the very source of racial conflict. Racism is portrayed as a character embedded through upbringing. Ryan has a close bonding with his father, who is the cause of his approach to Afro-Americans. However, though his father does not have any racial bias, his son draws examples from his experiences and his own knowledge to shape his judgment about black people. Everybody involved in the plot of the movie is responsible for the discrimination. The key feature reflected in these interactions of the subplots lies in the fact that an individual assumes something beforehand about the person he interacts with, and with this pre-assumption he begins the interaction. The discrimination within people’s mindset exists irrespective of social classes and professions. Crash portrays several characters of almost identical significance and reflects the mental reticence each of them demonstrates on the basis of this discrimination. The film comprises harshness, cold behavior, and hatred and yet manages to touch the audience, who can identify with the characters. Therefore, it provides a scope to the audience to learn from these interactions. The film also highlights the notion that all black people are criminals or anti-socials and it is hard to come out and liberate oneself from a stereotype. Certain abstract concepts like rap music being the music of the oppressor also come to the forefront. Sociological perspectives The film shows the way people deal with racial differences leading to stereotypes and the absence of dependency of racial stereotypes on social classes. Whether one belongs to the upper or the lower class, the colored people are always stereotyped. This is well revealed as Cameron and his wife undergoe shameful questioning. The most appropriate sociological theory which might help us understand the movie is symbolic interactionist theory. According to this theory, people attach meanings to certain symbols/aspects and this is reflected in their face to face interactions in daily life (Harman, 1994). In the movie, the symbolism is brought out via the concept of a traffic crash. The symbolic interaction results from a ‘crash’ amongst the lives of different people belonging to different social classes, racial backgrounds and professions. People assume certain notions beforehand about those they interact with based on their color and ethnicity. The scenes here bring out the common truth about the people, who derive their opinion about others on grounds of physical appearance. This is especially true when they do not know each other. In one of the scenes, two black men come out of a restaurant and protest that the waitress did not serve them properly because of their skin color and the expression “black people don’t tip”. The men further express their racial inferiority by saying, “If anybody needs to be scared around here, it’s us – surrounded by a bunch of over-caffeinated white people and the trigger-happy LAPD” (Haggis, 2005). One can find a second instance of racial conflict when Farhad and his daughter go to a shop to buy a gun. The clerk at the shop uses some harsh racist words. Indications are even made to the twin towers and planes, which reminds us of the 9/11 terrorists’ attack. After this incident the bias was against the Middle Eastern people. One thus finds people venting their anger against each other, following their prejudices. On the one hand, Sandra Bullock gives her stimulating performance; on the other hand, Dillon matures from his youthful typecast to a racist policeman. Dillon also reveals a shallow aspect of human thought as he perceives that a black woman with relatively light skin can be referred to as white. This remark is made towards Thandie Newton. Dillon gives a very powerful performance as he shows a certain aggravation over his incapability to prevent his father’s death. He commands a pullover to the black TV director, who was in an intimate position with his light skinned wife in the car. The woman faces insults as the policeman carries out a humiliating search of her body. Her companion cannot do anything because of the gun in Ryan’s hand. The irony lies in the fact that two policemen end up rescuing the couple from the scene of accident which follows. This is like an allegory where people would be taught through their activities. The message here is direct and apparent – certain things may never alter. He has to try and behave like a white man, and then again nothing can alter the racial origin, and, therefore, the prejudice is embedded among the people. Sandra Bullock refers to the Mexican locksmith as a ‘gang-banger’ owing to his shaved head and prison tattoos. However, everything has not turned out the way it looks, as this man was in reality a soft spoken, sensitive, and family-oriented person. Thus, quick judgment often reflects the individual’s selfishness and lack of understanding and compassion towards others. Such pre-assumptions are often originated from racial and class differences, and this leads to mistakes. Every vulnerable social class requires consideration. Conclusion It is essential for one to try to perceive beyond shallow opinions and abstain from evaluating a person without cautious surveillance and decision. The film portrays that when a person faces another person or their lives collide and they are brought to an interactive platform, reactions will be generated and such reactions are either positive or negative. This shows that the world is larger than people’s lives and the individuals themselves. The movie also brings out the diversity of ethnic backdrops existing in the American society, which makes it impossible to guess the nationality of an individual. The director finally tries to end the film with an encouraging idea; he indicates the necessity of the appropriate education. The message and the valuable lesson communicated to the society and the viewers is that the society needs to realize the roots of this bias and eliminate it altogether. Everyone needs to take the liability and get rid of these superstitions. References Baxamusa, B.N. (2011). Agents of socialization. Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/agents-of-socialization.html Haggis, P. (producer and director). (2005). Crash [Motion Picture]. USA: Lionsgate Harman, N.J. (1994). Symbolic interactionism. Rowman & Littlefield. Read More