Boyz N The Hood

1. Film Trailer Analysis: BOYZ N
THE HOOD

2. Overall Story
"Surviving the Hood"
Universe
Overall Story Through line
Everyone in the hood is stuck in a bleak situation that appears
hopeless (e.g. violent crime, drugs, harassment by the police,
and so forth).
Future
Overall Story Concern
During his gentrification speech in Compton, Furious points out
to Tre, Rick, and the others they must start thinking about their
future; as parents, Furious and Reva are concerned for their
son’s future; Brandi is concerned with her future college
education; Rick is concerned about his future in college and
football; Tre is concerned with his future in college and a
future with Brandi; Brenda Baker is concerned for her son
Rick’s future, and believes her son Doughboy’s future is
hopeless.
Choice
Overall Story Issue
The story explores the choices that everyone in the hood
makes: does one “go to blows” over a wisecrack remark or
delay until cooled off; Tre and Brandi must choose to give in
to sexual desires or wait until marriage; Ricky must decide
whether to join the army for college funding now, or wait and
see if he is accepted to USC.
Delay
Overall Story Counterpoint
Overall Story Thematic Conflict
Choice vs. Delay

3. Main Character
Main Character Through line
Tre — Son
Physics
Main Character Through line
Tre endeavours to survive while trying to get out
of the hood.
Obtaining
Main Character Concern
Tre wants to obtain a college education;
achieve sexual intimacy with Brandi; keep his
friendships with the “Boyz” in the hood.
Morality
Main Character Issue
Tre doesn’t have sex because he is afraid of
becoming a father; at Brenda’s BBQ he
suggests “ladies first.”
Self-Interest
Main Character Counterpoint
Main Character Thematic Conflict
Morality vs. Self-Interest
Temptation
Main Character Problem
Tre is tempted to follow the ways of his friends,
regardless of the consequences.
Conscience
Main Character Solution
En route to avenging Rick’s death with
Doughboy, Dookey, and Monster, Tre gets out
of the car because he knows the immediate
benefit of vengeance may lead to the
consequence his own death (as it ultimately
did for Doughboy).

4. Influence Character
Furious — Tre's Father
Psychology
Influence Character Through line
Furious is able to manipulate his
ex-wife into relinquishing Tre to him
for his upbringing; his manner of
thinking influences Tre to follow a
path different from his friends and
garners respect from those who
listen to him.
Becoming
Influence Character Concern
Furious is concerned with
becoming a good father for his
son and a good role model for all
the “Boyz” in the hood.
Responsibility
Influence Character Issue
Furious believes he is best suited to
raising Tre, and is committed to
the community.
Commitment
Influence Character Counterpoint
Influence Character Thematic
Conflict
Responsibility vs. Commitment

5. Relationship Story
Raising a Man"
Mind
Relationship Story Through line
Tre and Furious come into conflict over
Furious’ strict guidelines for Tre’s upbringing.
Subconscious
Relationship Story Concern
Tre and Furious come into conflict over Tre
succumbing to his basic drives and desires,
such as sex without protection and seeking
revenge.
Dream
Relationship Story Issue
At times, Furious’ passionate dream of African
Americans taking control of their life makes
Tre uncomfortable.
Hope
Relationship Story Counterpoint
Relationship Story Thematic Conflict
Dream vs. Hope

6. Additional Points
Key Structural Appreciations
Future
Overall Story Goal
Everyone wants a better future, especially for Tre, in or out of the hood.
Subconscious
Overall Story Consequence
Tre and his friends will have to face the daily fear and violence in the hood if they don’t achieve their future goals.
Becoming
Overall Story Cost
Some “Boyz” become crippled (Chris) or dead (Rick). Ricky becomes a teen father; in trying to become a man,
Tre tells a lie to his father that he regrets; Reva becomes a part-time mother.
Obtaining
Overall Story Dividend
Tre’s job allows him to buy nice clothes; Ricky has a son he adores; Furious achieves a certain amount of pride for
raising Tre, a responsibility that many men would shun.
Past
Overall Story Requirements
To reach a goal in the future, the “Boyz” (and girls) in the hood need to listen to their parents and avoid the past
situations with which they had to grapple.
Memory
Overall Story Prerequisites
Kids in the hood need to recall specific events and situations in their and others’ past that they can use as
examples of what or what not to do for their future. For instance, they need to study to advance their education,
they need to avoid the temptations of the hood, and they need to listen to their parents and learn from their
experiences.
Conceptualizing
Overall Story Preconditions
The “Boyz” are reminded of what has happened in the past and told to visualize what needs to happen to
achieve their goal of the future: Ricky’s mother asks him to imagine the impact having another child will make on
his future, and makes it clear that SHE doesn’t want to raise another child of his; Furious must visualize how to raise
his son to be a man; and so forth.
Understanding
Overall Story Forewarnings
Reva wants her son to understand the reason she is allowing Furious to raise him is to avoid a future in jail, as a
drunk, or dead; Furious and Brandi understand that if Tre seeks retaliation for Ricky’s death, negative
consequences will occur; Doughboy understands his actions may very well lead to an early demise; a young
Doughboy and Chris don’t understand the consequences of stealing.

7. Plot Progression
Present
Overall Story Signpost 1
Everybody is concerned with how things stand in the hood;
what is taught in the inner city elementary schools is not
relevant to the world of inner city children; kids scoff at
Furious’ offer to pay $5 to rake his lawn, knowing that they
can make more money otherwise; life in the hood is volatile
and violent with a high crime and a slow police response rate.
Progress
Overall Story Signpost 2
From the time Tre and his friends are children until they are
teens, no progress toward a stable environment in the hood
has been made; Tre is concerned with his progress with
Brandi; Ricky is concerned with getting into college on a
football scholarship; and so forth.
Past
Overall Story Signpost 3
Brenda is sure Ricky will obtain a football scholarship, as he
never was without a football as a child; Brandi lets go of her
past resolution to wait until after marriage to have sex; Tre is
faced with the past when he is harassed by the same cop
who aggravated his father years ago; no one in the hood is
learning from the past, as the violence goes on day after day.
Future
Overall Story Signpost 4
Ricky is concerned with having a future, instead of living the
dead-end life his brother leads; Furious and Reva discuss their
son’s future; and so forth.