Connected Text Essay Example

and how prejudice can affect choices the characters make.This is shown through characters such as Bill Read, who expresses his views, through derogatory language and disrespect towards his dead brother’s wife, Pat Read, who is part Aboriginal. These views influence the likes of the local policeman Frank Lansing causing him to make a decision to kill Billy Read, Pat’s son, for having a hidden affair with his eldest daughter and impregnating her. This murder was covered by another story made up from the police, which accuse other aboriginals from the community of committing the crime.

Prejudice is revealed by a teacher at the local school who shows her lack of respect towards May Read, Pat’s daughter, by portraying a hierarchy between the other students and this one girl due to race, though it seems like little significance that the time before the race of May was known. All of these characters show different degrees of racism and how it is portrayed towards the society of a small community. This would make the reader of this novel experience the pain, loss and guilt caused by the racism and prejudice shown in a small town.Similarly, Kaye’s American History X which is a first person narration, uses this technique through a group of people formed especially to show their hatred and proud racism. This group is known as the skinhead neo-nazi.

In this particular text, this group was shown in a small community but was mentioned that there were other groups portraying the same views in other towns near by, giving the impression that the racist population was bigger than what was been shown. Also, Kaye uses the father

of the narrator, who is a local fireman, to show early signs of the impact of racism and prejudice when it is being influenced.This would make the viewer of this film experience pain, resentment and blame caused by racism and prejudice shown in a neo-nazi community. Both text’s use a father figure who is highly respected in the community through there job positions to show the possibly that racism can be influenced by anyone of any nature, not just a particular group.

Both texts use the voice of a young narrator to show the influence and impacts racism and prejudice can have on innocent minds. Bye Beautiful uses Sandy Lansing, a fourteen year old girl and the youngest daughter of Frank, the local policeman, as the narrator of the novel.Sandy is influenced by the views of the locals and their opinions of the Read family this is shown when she acknowledges the Aboriginal descent of the family and tries to depict the appearance and reactions to relate to the race. She also sees the result of her fathers’ abuse towards her older sister and getting away for being pregnant with the part aboriginal boy, Billy. American History X uses Danny Vinyard, a bright, charismatic teenager, who worships his highly racist older brother. Danny is majorly manipulated by his older brother, Derek, who is a white supremacist.

Derek’s actions and thoughts against the black community changes Danny’s perception of the difference between standing up for yourself and race related violence. This causes Danny to want to be involved with the white power movement along with his brother. Once Derek is out of jail, he also has a

major, positive influence on Danny’s life by acknowledging that people can still harm others, no matter what race you are. Both protagonists have strong interactions with their older siblings. Bye Beautiful shows the changing relationship between Sandy and Marianne as the novel unravels.Although in the beginning there is some jealously between the two, there is a strong bond when Marianne looks to Sandy for support and someone to confide in.

In American History X Danny and his older brother Derek have a very strong bond throughout the entirety of the film. Derek had almost been a father figure to Danny which could contribute to the strong bond noticed. American History X uses a different technique of the contrasting settings used compared to that of Bye Beautiful. American History X frequently moves between the narrative present and past events.This is to show the reasons behinds the character’s such as Danny and Derek Vinyard’s emotional and physical states.

When the film is the past, the film uses a technique of black and white visual design. This is to represent that it is in fact past times and also to contrast against the black/white racial prejudice. When the film turns back to colour, to represent narrative present, this is also to show a turning point of anti neo-nazism and the unimportance of a race hate group such as this. Kaye also applies the use of memory to recall a major change in Derek’s life while in prison.

Derek retells these events to Danny in hope to stop the racial prejudice that affects both of them. These techniques are also used to build depth while still maintaining focus on the

narrative present. Bye Beautiful uses a chronological narration but once the novel reached its climax, the events seem spread out and the last chapter skips almost a year. This is to show the effects of the decisions made by other characters, in this case Frank, when he moved his eldest daughter to an unmarried mothers’ home.

Characterisation is used in both Lawrinson’s Bye Beautiful and Kaye’s American History X.Bye Beautiful shows characterization through social status such as Marianne makes friends straight away where as Sandy can not seem to connect with anyone, the use of language is very proper and well spoken though a few words are abbreviated e. g. “copper”. Also the beliefs and values are shown through the family going to church every Sunday.

In American History X this is shown especially through the character’s appearances such as the shaved heads, the mannerisms such as derogatory language towards non-white races and clothes such as the combat-styled boots, jackets and jeans and tattoos representing a gang or containing racist content.Kaye also uses in American History X different camera angles and music to make certain scenes stand out and be acknowledged. One scene that stands out from the rest is the scene where Derek is arrested. A low camera angle shot makes a feeling of power and dominance of Derek. The distance taken for this shot was of medium length to see the facial expressions and movements.

This gives the impression of a Christ-like person with his arms out and palms facing forward.The music gives the scene an emotional response from the audience of pain, loss and power. The symbols represented in American History X

are that of a powerful, well known mark towards the Nazis. The swastika tattoo is the major symbol shown on Derek’s left side of his chest.

This is to represent an impression of intimidation and his passion for this neo-nazi group by having this symbol over the left side of his body, which is over his heart. Later in the film, this symbol does not get shown.This becomes a significant factor of the film, especially when Derek gets out of the shower and as he looks in the mirror, he covers the swastika symbol, because it is a result of Derek wanting nothing more to do with that type of group and how it becomes irrelevant to Danny and Derek’s life. There seem to be a silver lining in both texts, giving us hope that one positive influence in the lives of children can be enough to turn them from racism and to a better life and even if one person is killed another will flourish in there footsteps.