How does one determine what the right thing is? Everyone has a different opinion of what the right and wrong things are, and everyone has their own opinion of how important it is to do the right thing. No one person will think the same thing about this. Some have religions or groups they are apart of that kind of shape their ideals, but even their opinions differ at least slightly.Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing tackles this issue of doing the right thing in certain situations. We are introduced to this line by the "Mayor" who tells Spike Lee's character, "Mookie", to always do the right thing. In the end of the film Mookie decides to throw a trash can through his employers window because he was part of the reason of the murder of one of Mookie's friends. There is much speculation as to if this was the right thing or not, and each of these people pose a good argument.
To me his decision was not the right thing. Sal, the owner of the pizza shop that Mookie works at, was just trying to close up his shop when the three boycotters came in and gave him hell. One of the three, Radio, was playing his boom box that he loves so much way too loud. This aggravates Sal and pushes him to the point of smashing the boom box with a bat. In retaliation Radio tries to strangle Sal to death and in turn gets the police called on the both of them. The police try to subdue Radio and end up strangling him to death with a nightstick. The crowd is stunned and yelling at Sal, saying it was his fault, this is when Mookie goes across the street, gets a trash can, empties it, and throws it through the window of the pizza shop.
To me Sal did nothing wrong. He had pictures of Italians up on his "Wall of Fame" because he himself is Italian. We clearly see throughout the movie that he has no problem with blacks or any other race for that matter. When Radio comes in for the second time blasting his boom box he deserved nothing more than to have it smashed to pieces. The fact that Radio attacks Sal makes me think that it was not Sal at fault for the police being called, Radio could have just walked away. If Mookie wanted to take his anger out on anyone it should have been the police because it wasn't Sal's fault that Radio died. Mookie should have just left the pizza shop alone.
It was interesting reading your point of view about the movie. I have to agree Mookie did not the right thing when he threw the trash can in the window of the pizzeria. But I understand, why he did it. He was forced by his community and his social status was threatened. He had to react. So in his point of view it was the right thing.
ReplyDeleteI think it is interesting that you are in favor of the Sal the owner of the Pizzeria. I totally understand your explanation. But I think he should put some pictures of other races on his wall, especially when he was asked to do it. We are all equal humans and I think it is a sign of respect. In my opinion he reacted in the wrong way. We all have to accept compromises to live in peace together.