FREE ESSAY ON BOYZ N THE HOOD

BOYZ N THE HOOD

MOVING BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES: 
HOW THE USE OF MUSIC
DEVELOPS JOHN SINGLETON'S
BOYZ N THE HOOD
John Singleton's movie Boyz N The Hood is the story of three young men who are forced to
deal with the reality of life in South Central, Los Angeles. Singleton uses this setting
to illustrate the obstacles facing these young black men who unavoidably encounter
violence all around them. Singleton refrains from portraying his characters as inner-city
misfits but instead he characterizes them as average American teenagers who are caught in
a situation in which they have no control. Doughboy is an average American teenager but
his behavior is not that of an average teenager. It is a result of the influence from the
society he has experienced. The music used throughout the movie allows the film to move
beyond the boundaries of just telling a story. Through the use of music in the film
Singleton is able to accentuate significant situations and display the contrast between
characters. The use of music in Boyz N The Hood allows Singleton to thematically advance
the film. 
Singleton magnifies significant situations through the use of music. With each song, the
choice of instruments and lyrics creates an emotional response by the viewer which gives
the scene a new dimension. The main instrument in the movie is the wailing saxophone.
When the saxophone is played it allows for the intensity of the scene to build to its
climax. The saxophone is utilized in the scenes in which a person breaks into Furious's
house and when Ricky is shot. The saxophone is always present when violence is going to
take place. The other type of instrumental music that is used is a soft, slow sound which
creates a feeling of relaxation and tenderness. This type of music is used when Tre is
receiving a lesson from one of his parents. The soft music played during these moments
illustrates his parent's loving nature and the concern they both have about his future.
By utilizing this symbolic background music, Singleton expresses to the audience that the
parent's feelings are authentic. Many scenes are emphasized through the lyrics of the
music. When Tre is in the car with his father the lyrics Things are gonna get easier can
be heard in the background. These lyrics convey the message that things will get easier
for Tre now that he's living with his father and that his father has the opportunity to
teach Tre how to become a man, which is what Tre's mother anticipated. Singleton's
selective use of music enables him to empathize certain situations and add a new
dimension to them. 
The differences between characters is established through the diverse styles of music.
The differences between each character is regarding age, lifestyle, and future
aspirations. The music connected with Tre and his friends when they are young is soft
instrumental music and soul music. Soft instrumental music and soul music displays the
innocence of childhood and the potential for a child to be successful in life. Rap music
is introduced when Tre and his friends mature seven years. The rap music is a sharp
contrast to the music of their childhood. The lyrics of the rap music deal with drugs and
violence. This is associated with the harsh reality of living in South Central, Los
Angeles. The choice of lifestyle for the characters in Boyz N The Hood divides the
characters into two distinct groups: upper and lower class. An example of this class
distinction is demonstrated when Furious is on the phone with Tre's mother. The music
playing in the background for Furious is soul music, which is associated with
blue-collar, lower class society. Whereas Tre's mother has a piano playing in the
background, which displays her place in upper class society. These two distinct styles of
music illustrate how music separates the two different classes of people in Boyz N The
Hood. The future aspirations of the teenagers in the movie further divides the
characters. Tre and Ricky look to the future in search of a way to escape the violence in
the hood and a way to create a better life for themselves. At the other end of the
spectrum is Doughboy and his friends who live on the street and choose not to look to the
future. When Tre and Ricky are writing the S.A.T's, a soft instrumental is played which
affirms the positive choices they have made and the hope for their future. The antithesis
to this scene is later when Doughboy and his friends are on the porch drinking while in
the background rap music is being played. The lyrics of the rap music describe drugs and
violence. This demonstrates the path in life that these characters have chosen. Doughboy
and his friends have chosen to neglect the inevitability of the future and instead waste
their lives. They have been consumed by the violence and drugs of the society they live
in and they don't know how to escape this lifestyle. Singleton is able to present a
different perception of each character to the viewer through the diverse styles of music
that are used throughout the film. 
In Boyz N The Hood John Singleton uses music to accentuate significant situations and to
display the contrast present in each character. By using music in this context, Singleton
enables the music itself to work as a vehicle for the film. Through the use of music
Singleton is able to clearly develop each character and demonstrate apparent similarities
and contrasts between characters. He enables the film to illustrate the problems that
young black men face when they are surrounded by a society that doesn't allow for them to
live the life of the average teenager but instead confronts them with a life in which
violence is everywhere they turn.