What is the message behind Do the Right Thing?
June 30th marks the 30th anniversary of the release of Spike Lee’s 1989 masterpiece, “Do the Right Thing.” Controversial when it was first released (the media publicly speculated that it would ignite violence), the film explores how racial inequality drives conflict in a predominantly African-American community on the …
What does Tina represent in Do the Right Thing?
Tina represents Mookie’s responsibility as a father to his young son, and she’s also the sex appeal of the film. And that’s where her personality ends.
Did Mookie Do the Right Thing?
Still, the vehement condemnation by the film’s initial critics made it clear enough: Mookie had not done the right thing. The riot, in their opinion, resulted from the protagonist succumbing to “hate” in the ongoing battle with “love” that is poetically described by Radio Raheem earlier in the film.
Do the Right Thing means?
Doing the right thing generally means making decisions that are not based on your own personal needs, that don’t expand your popularity, or enforce your personal beliefs. It means doing what is best for the greater or common good. Some examples are: Maintaining your character when no one is watching.
Why is it important to Do the Right Thing?
1. Because it feels good to do the right thing. You will not feel good if you retaliate, bad mouth someone, or do anything otherwise negative. You WILL feel good if you do the right thing: stay positive, focus on something else, continue to be who you are, and treat people with kindness and compassion.
What does Jade represent in Do the Right Thing?
In the film Do The Right Thing, Jade, Mookie’s sister, seemed to be the voice of reason throughout the film. She was always instructing Mookie on what to do, and reminding him of his responsibilities. When Mookie would take advantage of Sal, and go off and do his own thing, Jade would remind him that he had work to do.
What or who does Da Mayor symbolize?
One character, Da Mayor, is a friendly and generally well-meaning old man, who struggles with alcoholism. He makes multiple attempts to gain the approval of Mother Sister by complimenting her, acting courteous and polite, and even buying her roses.
What was Spike Lee’s message in Do the Right Thing?
Over 30 years later, Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” remains more relevant than ever. Lee’s filmography is composed of mostly independent films that address crucial contemporary issues such as racism, economic exploitation, police brutality, and multiculturalism.
What do the quotes at the end of Do the Right Thing mean?
Spike Lee concludes Do the Right Thing with two scrolling quotations accompanied by soft jazz, one from Martin Luther King, Jr. advocating peaceful protest and the other from Malcolm X advocating violence as self-defense.
Who tries to stop violence at Sal’s?
Mookie tries to defuse the situation by taking Buggin’ Out outside and telling him to wait a week before coming back. Buggin’ Out attempts to start a boycott of Sal’s over the “Wall of Fame,” but no one will support his protest: all the people of the neighborhood have been eating at Sal’s all their lives.