Boyz N the Hood

            In the movie “Boyz N the Hood” there were two characters that put on a tough guise including the main character, Tre, played by Cuba Gooding, Jr. and another character Doughboy, played by Ice Cube.  The movie is about a gang of boys growing up in a bad part of town who had to adapt to certain standards for living in that neighborhood. 

            Tre lived with his mother until he was ten.  She was concerned at problems he was having in school so she sent him to live with his father to hopefully learn some life lessons.  Throughout Tre’s time living with his father he saw things that bothered him.  Shootings and death seemed to be an everyday occurrence in this neighborhood.  It occasionally brought Tre to tears as he confessed to his girlfriend, Brandi, played by Nia Long, that he couldn’t stand it and didn’t want to be there.  However living in this neighborhood these were the things that caused him to have to act tough.  It was strictly for survival.  He wouldn’t be able to show his face with the other boys if he didn’t conform and go along with everything that was happening.  Tre struggled everyday with decisions that he knew could possibly change his future forever. 

            Unlike Tre, Doughboy found it easier to put on the tough guise.  He had grown up in this neighborhood his entire life.  He was more aware of shutting out emotion and putting up walls to seemingly not care.  He was well aware that this was his only way for survival.  There were small parts throughout the move that lead the viewer to believe that Doughboy wanted differently.  However, it was the end of the movie, after Doughboy killed three people in revenge for his half brother Ricky’s murder that you really know that Doughboy was putting on the tough guise.  He understood about decisions that Tre had made with regard to the retaliation.  He understood that his action would have consequences but feeling as though he had no brothers left he no longer cared. 

            One big difference between Tre and Doughboy was that Tre had a good male role model.  His father, Furious, played by Laurence Fishburne had often given him advise and tried to guide him in the right direction.  For both characters, I feel that putting on a tough guise was a detriment.  In Tre’s situation it was a detriment because he was never able to live up to his full potential.  He skipped a lot of school, he wasn’t able to just be himself, and he constantly had to make hard decisions on a daily basis.  This put a strain on him and his feelings and emotions were constantly bottled up inside him.  For Doughboy this life took away all his emotions and because of that he was cold and hard.  It took away his future and then took away his life.