American History X is a controversial movie with many eye-opening events. The writers took it back to the very beginning where racism theoretically stems from, an individual’s upbringing. As a child, Derek Vineyard witnessed and experienced his father’s beliefs on other races and their lack of value. The father’s racism was open, and his boys were witness to it. When his father murdered by an African American man, Derek’s views on racial inequality went from just a thought to an action. He joined the white supremacy group, where he began to act out his racism.

Racism is not necessarily a learned feeling or emotion; the action is what is learned. Derek found his place with the skinheads. They created an environment where Derek felt welcome and belonged. They became his family. It was then that Derek’s racism grew from just a feeling to an action. Derek lost it, letting his feeling and actions be taken to an extreme when three African American men were trying to steal his father’s car. After killing the young black males, Derek was sentenced to three years for their murders. In prison, Derek planned to continue on with his same actions by seeking out the white supremacy group. However, when the white supremacist failed to accept him, he found friendship elsewhere. Derek’s cell mate, Lamont, became his only friend and offered Derek a certain amount of protection with the other black inmates. When the supremacists found out of Derek’s actions they jumped and raped him in the shower. I think this was the turning point for Derek to realize that it was not necessarily about race it was about the person. The change was clear as Derek evolved and realized how misguided his actions had been.

This movie also portrays how one persons influence and actions directed others in the same capacity. Derek’s father’s views, in theory, are what let Derek to feel the same way. Derek’s actions and views influenced his brother Danny to follow in his footsteps with the same types of beliefs. Once Derek realized that he was wrong in his actions, he was able to influence Danny to change his own actions. American X made it extremely clear that one person’s action can affect others. Even Lamont, Derek’s prison friend, was able to influence other prison mates to leave Derek, a former white supremacist, alone just by asking. Derek’s leadership towards Danny was too little too late, but I think he was finally able to see the results and the influences of his actions.

Derek Vineyard and the husband in “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver had highly similar actions on two remarkably different topics. The husband had no real reason, but just decided that he did not like blind people. Derek, too had no real reason, he just did not like African Americans, or any person different than him for that matter. Perhaps it was their lack of understanding, formulaic views, or past influences, but neither Derek nor the husband had a valid reason for their feelings. Derek and the husband both realized how extremely incorrect they were about their prior thoughts; they had met people who fell outside of their stereotypical guidelines. Meaning, the husband did not like blind people, until the blind person was able to make him see, it was at that point that the husband was able to accept and embrace the blind man. Derek, having been violated by “his own” was able to see the kindness and acceptance by what he once hated. For both of them, it took just one person to change their misperceptions.