Comparing Black Male Protagonists in Film

Evaluation Activity 2

Milo Fisher

Similarities and differences
between each character:

Role in Film

Stereotype

Kyron Fortune (Nameless Hero) John Boyega (Moses)
Archetype

Values & Beliefs

Appearance & Costume

Relationship with others

Role in film


Main character Main character
of film of film

Stereotype


Kyron breaks the typical stereotype of Moses follows the typical stereotype
Black teenagers being villains by being By robbing someone's phone at the
the leading hero in the movie. He goes Beginning of the film. But as the film
Against the view of them being drug dealers Continues he breaks from the stereotype
By carrying an undefined package, allowing By looking out for others and risking his life
The audience to decide if he is carrying drugs, To defend the person he recently stole from.
Or perhaps he is carrying documents and he He represents the majority of teenagers in
Is transporting them for the government. Council estates by being a young black male.
But stands out by being a thoughtful and
Secretly intelligent person.

Archetype


Kyron follows the archetype of the Moses follows the archetype of the hero, but
misunderstood hero, much like the character he is more of an Anti-Hero, as while the
Luther (played by Idris Elba). He is a man out to audience will want him to succeed, they
do good and protect others, and he is willing to question his morals as he does thing (such as
do what he needs to so he can get what he robbing someone) that a typical hero would
wants. He also has to face the problem in life not. But he still looks out for others and risks
that society looks down on him and judges him his life to save the world.
for being black. But in the end he will try and
save the day.

Values and Beliefs


Moses is seen to look only after himself
Kyron believes in helping others and
and is willing to hurt or insult others just
puts other people ahead of him. The
so he can have fun. But secretly he is very
only reason he takes on the mission of
caring of his family and friends, always looking
carrying the briefcase is to get his family
out for them and making sure they are ok.
out of debt. Kyron is a religious man, but
At one point he wants children to go inside
he often questions god and if he is real,
so they are safe, but he does it in a way that
as he feels no god would let a life stay
he doesn’t lose his status among his friends.
as bad as his life is.

Appearance
and
costume


Kyron has short hair and wears a Moses wears an outfit similar to Kyron’s.
black leather jacket in the outdoor He wears tracksuit trousers with a hoodie,
sequence, as if he were out somewhere much like a stereotypical teenager, this
far away that is a cold place. And in the represents his wealth and his class, as
Indoor scenes he is wearing a old and warn it is typical in the UK for working class teens
out tracksuit, he also has more hair and to wear tracksuit clothing. He, much like
facial hair, this represents how time has Kyron, has an angry face most of the time, and
passed as well as how he has been treated. His face gets damaged throughout the movie,
Representing his change in both looks and
Personality.

Relationships
with
others


Kyron care about others to the point
Moses appears to be very anti social at first.
he risks his life to help them. The only
But as the movie goes on, the audience comes
person who makes contact with him
to meet his family and friends, and it comes to
during the opening is a hooded man
light that Moses cares deeply for everyone he
who steals his briefcase, this could hint
knows, but he just has trouble showing it. He
that either the contents were valuable,
always tries his best to protect others and it
or that Kyron had angered someone enough
makes the audience question if all teenagers are
that they wanted to hurt him, and they stole
really bad, or if they are just miss understood,
the case as a way to punish him.
much like Moses.

Similarities


Both characters are young black males who break the stereotype by beginning the story as a
Cliché typical stereotype and slowly break away from it, by developing their character and
showing a side to the story people may not conceder. Both care about friends and family.
Both are inner city London boys. Both wear working class outfits / costumes. Both can be
seen as role models for other young black males.

Differences


While Moses comes across as an angry and unsocial person, Kyron is the opposite, being
openly friendly among society, but still carrying the angry look on his face. He does get serious
In times of danger or in emergencies. Moses likes to cause trouble and use violence. Kyron is
a pacifist with a fear of blood, the smallest sight of it makes him sick. Finally, Kyron is happy with
being who he is and where he is in life, he also likes being working class.
While Moses wants to escape his life desperately and become someone big, someone who
succeeds in life.

Comparing Black Male Protagonists in Film

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Comparing Black Male Protagonists in Film