My roommate was confused about the purpose of the SDMB, so I bet him that the Millions could answer any question he had, be it factual, philosophical or anything else. His question was direct:
What is the symbolism of Mookie throwing the trash can through the window of Sal’s Pizzeria in Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing? Help me out here, all.
In a sense Mookie represents a certain type of young black person that Lee was/is not too happy about. Mookie only cares about getting paid. The death Radio Raheem awakens his rage. This can be seen as the young black man recognizing the injustice in America and deciding to react. The question is whether he is reacting in the right way. Is he doing the right thing? The movie is set up as dual between two positions - love/hate martin/malcom protest/riot. The film doesn’t answer the question but only asks does the situation facing blacks require a non-violent or violent reaction.
In a sense Mookie represents a certain type of young black person that Lee was/is not too happy about. Mookie only cares about getting paid. The death Radio Raheem awakens his rage. This can be seen as the young black man recognizing the injustice in America and deciding to react. The question is whether he is reacting in the right way. Is he doing the right thing? The movie is set up as dual between two positions - love/hate martin/malcom protest/riot. The film doesn’t answer the question but only asks does the situation facing blacks require a non-violent or violent reaction.
You have to look at eh next morning to get an answer. Lee it clear that the riot is not evil. It is small next to the death of Radio Raheem. But at the same time it did not accomplish anything (it is going to be even hotter and Mookie is still about the money and has not been changed).
The message is that something had better be done about race or it is going to explode. Blacks may to take a violent approach. But if the rage is just allowed to explode, the action that results, while being justified, will not accomplish anything except maybe a commission from the mayor.
So blacks (and whites) better solve this before the rage explodes, but how to do this is left open.
Yeah.
I should add that the race problem goes beyond blacks and whites. The movie kind of takes the position is you are not white you are black, but it does address the multi-racial issues involved.