"I'm gonna kill somebody today." Sal
BUGGIN' OUT. Sal, how come you ain't got no brothers up on the wall here?
SAL. You want brothers up on the Wall of Fame, you open up your own business, then you can do what you wanna do. You can put your brothers and uncles and nieces and nephews, your stepfather, your stepmother, whoever you want. My pizzeria, American Italians up on the wall.
BUGGIN' OUT. Sal, that might be fine, you own this, but rarely do I see any American Italians eating in here. All I've ever seen is Black folks. So since we spend much money here, we do have some say.
SAL. You looking for trouble? Are you a troublemaker, is that what you are?
OFFICER LONG. Keep this hydrant off. You want to swim, go to Coney Island.
CHARLIE. [Da Mayor's] leaving? What about me?
OFFICER PONTE. I suggest you get in your car quick, before these people start to strip it clean.
SAL. That guy's your friend, right. If I'm wrong tell me. He your friend?
MOOKIE. He's my friend.
SAL. If he don't behave, I don't want him in here anymore. He's out.
MOOKIE. I can't do nothin' with him.
PINO. You talk some brother talk to him.
MOOKIE. Brother talk? Look, people are free to do whahtever the hell they want.
SAL. Free? What the hell you talking about? Free? There's no free here. No freedom. I'm the boss. You want freedom? There's, that's free. Take an order, and take it out.
I've seen this film at least 12 times—I saw it when it came out in 1989—and so I can recite dialogue before the characters say it. I still find this an amazing work, more so considering Spike Lee was all of 32 when he made it. It's a movie that is so alive and vibrant, from the credit sequence with Rosie Perez literally in our face and Public Enemy's "Fight The Power" blasting, to the bright colors worn by the young people to the blood red wall behind the corner men. The movie just explodes off the screen (blu-ray was tailor made for this film). At the same time, we're not allowed to feel comfortable and settled: there's so much seething emotion in the characters, so much anger and hate and suspicion and distrust. If this is America as United Nations, it's a UN riven by discord. I know what's going to happen—and every time I see it, I find myself wishing it will end up differently.
So:
1. Reaction to what you saw today? Like? Dislike? Some other response? What scene or moment particularly jumped at you and why?
2. Spike Lee makes his characters complicated. Mookie is our "hero," so to speak, but arguably there is nothing heroic about him. Buggin' Out fancies himself a revolutionary—"boycott Sal's!"—but is what he wants going to affect any of the real issues facing this poor community? Which character did you either find yourself most drawn to—or must distanced or repulsed by? And why?
3. Do The Right Thing is about....
Finish the statement, and explain your answer.
Write a couple hundred words for these three questions. Follow grammatical conventions. Not a tweet, guys. Have this done by 8:30 tomorrow morning.
Here's the original trailer.
See you all tomorrow.
1. What's not to like? The movie incorporates vibrant characters, music, dramatic cinematography, and complex plot lines. So far, the scene where one of the three men sitting on the corner discusses the success of the Korean immigrants jumps out at me the most. The dialogue was just so raw and honest, and the interaction with the police that preceded the conversation offered a glimpse into the tension between the residents of the community and the local authority figures.
ReplyDelete2. The character who I felt most repulsed by was definitely the guy with the bike who owned the brownstone. He was clearly supposed to be the face of gentrification, which instantly made me dislike him. I suppose that's because over the course of the movie up until that point, I'd come to identify with the other residents of the street. This is definitely ironic, considering that, when I lived in Spanish Harlem in Manhattan, my family contributed to the gentrification of the neighborhood.
3. Do The Right Thing is about misdirected rage. This is exemplified in the actions of Buggin' Out, who directs his passion for social justice into a poorly-executed boycott of the pizzeria, which only showcases photos of Italian Americans. In choosing to fixate on this one element of a local business, he fails to take stock of the real issues facing the community, like poverty, unemployment, and discrimination. Another instance of misdirected anger occurs in the scene I previously mentioned with the men on the corner. After the man on the left makes his speech about the progress of the newly arrived Koreans versus the progress of the black community residents in starting a business, his friends take their frustration out on the Korean store owner instead of contemplating the reasons for this disparity.
1) I really like the movie. I find its dialogue to be some of the best I’ve heard with its edgy content as well as its pointed silences. The cinematography falls no short of artistry. The colors of the clothes, the walls, the cars…they all depict a clear representation of the vibrancy of the eighties as well as the constant collision of cultures within New York during this time. Both the superficial attraction these colors inspire as well as the air tight back and forth between each character and their surroundings are enough to seduce even the most sophisticated critic out there, but the real winning point of the movie so far, in my opinion, is the never ending competition between the discomfort of the easy flowing racial and classist controversy and the comedic relief that lasts only as long as it takes for us to be thrust back in the ringer with another prejudice heavy remark that comes as easy to their lips as beer to the Mayor’s. The nail biting, stress sweating looks that pass between Mookie and Sal, Sal and Buggin’ Out, and pretty much every other interaction that has happened so far is as important as the dialogue itself, and that’s where this movie really won me over.
ReplyDelete2) I think the fact that all these characters are so well done and simply real is making it hard for me to either like or dislike any of them. They are all so utterly human. None are without their faults, though I suppose Mookie is the one who I sympathize with the most. He’s caught between his family, those who raised him, and the prospect of a better life, of a future. He embodies the American spirit in that he is actively trying to raise his socio-economic standing, and I suppose in that respect, he seems the most accessible to me. His story is one I’ve heard all my life, and I think it’s that familiarity that draws me to him.
3) Do The Right Thing is about a neighborhood that fosters tension between the different racial and economic classes of people inhabiting it. It’s about those who try to rise when all they’ve grown up with is the stagnant state of those who came before them. It’s about the American dream colliding with something almost as infamous: racial contravercy.
1. I thoroughly enjoyed this first part of the movie. I like the quick and witty dialogue, and the bright colors. Even though the movie is just taking place in the space of one day, it moves very fast. Every scene is packed full of engaging clothes, conversations, and people. I also liked the soundtrack. The scene that jumped out at me was when Mookie tried to convince Vito to hit Pino. This stood out because Mookie's character was unclear to me up until that point. Although the fact that he had that idea doesn't define Mookie, it did help me see one side of him. It showed that he thought the best solution to Vito's problems was violence or lashing out.
ReplyDelete2. Buggin' Out at first had potential to be a heroic character, but then as the movie progressed he seemed to become sillier and less effective. Mookie is a useful main character to carry the story forward because he is always moving around the block, and he has connections to the white people at Sal's and the people who live on the block. However, so far he hasn't shown any heroic traits yet. The biggest impression he made on me was when he tried to convince the two brothers at Sal's to fight. I felt that fighting probably wasn't the best solution to their brotherly issues, and so that suggestion only made me think of Mookie as immature or careless. So far, Pino is the most repulsive character. He appears to be full of hatred and disdain for everybody that he encounters in the movie. He constantly belittles his brother and shows no respect for Mookie. He barely even listens to his own dad. He seems to be in a constantly depressed state, and that implies that he might lash out in the future.
3. Do The Right Thing is about people's relationships under pressure… so far. Obviously, the subject of the movie could change in the rest of the film, but right now that’s the focus. There is a lot of tension in the air on this particular day in New York. There is racial tension between blacks and whites, blacks and Latinos, and even blacks and Koreans. There is tension between those with power and those without it, as seen in the relationships between the people and the police, between Sal and his employees, and between whites and blacks. Of course, to top it all off, it's got to be the hottest day of the year. That can only make these extreme situations more tenuous. The movie has set up a lot of complex and somewhat unpredictable characters, and it has placed them in tense situations. That is sure to cause some of the characters to react in strange ways. "Doing the right thing" will likely prove to be more complicated than it sounds.
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ReplyDelete1. I like the movie, but I'm definitely not sold. I think one of the downsides to trying to introduce such a huge cast of characters like Spike Lee does is that for a viewer, a deeper understanding of the characters is difficult to attain. I feel like while I understand the characters superficially, I'm still somewhat detached emotionally. Yes, racism is a deplorable evil that you can root against but it's very abstract until you contextualize it to someone you care about.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I loved the movie's presentation. The bright colors and in your face music set a great tone for a film clearly out to make a point. But even as Do the Right Thing veritably explodes in your face, it still manages to be incredibly subtle and make fascinating observations about society. I loved the scene where the men on the corner talked about why the Koreans could succeed somehow where blacks couldn't. It demonstrates, without explicitly saying anything, how racism still manifests in our modern world.
2. I felt considerably repulsed by Pino. Not only does he think he's better than everyone around him, including his father and brother, he has an odd need to control those around him. He constantly bosses around his younger brother and Mookie, even using physical force and intimidation when they don't comply. The fact that Pino's hateful acts come from a hateful personality, not just racist ignorance, make him incredibly scary.
3. Do the Right Thing is about exactly what it sounds like: doing the right thing. The problem is no one knows what the right thing is. Mookie thinks the right thing is for Vito to hit Pino, but what if violence just leads to a shattered relationship that cannot heal? Bugging Out thinks the right thing is to boycott the pizza restaurant, but will that take down the economic barriers American blacks face? One of the men on the corner thinks they should heckle the Korean store owner to take out their anger against a rigged system. But will that let blacks start businesses? Is there even a "right" solution? I guess we'll have to watch the rest of the movie to find out.
1. The film has been really enjoyable so far. Like everyone else, the cinematography really pulled me in and I can't name many films that were executed in this manner without being too overwhelming or out of place. With that being said, I can't imagine the film being made any other way. The quick scenes and unconventional camera angles play hand in hand with the witty back-and-forth dialogue. One scene that stuck out to me was when the three men sitting across the street from the Korean owned store finally said what I think is part of the conflict of the story. Throughout the film (at least the beginning), it's clear that in a predominately black and Hispanic neighborhood, the businesses are owned by people of other races. The pizzeria is owned by an Italian American, the small grocery store is owned by Korean Americans, and recently a brownstone building was bought by a white man. While Buggin’ Out introduced this conflict in Sal’s pizzeria by demanding that he have famous/important black people on the wall, the three men say what's obviously bothering them and what's causing all the tension. They live in a place they call their neighborhood but the people who are most benefiting from it are of other races.
ReplyDelete2. Pino, though not nearly the worst racist out there is pretty clear about how he feels about the black customers of Sal’s pizzeria. I'm not totally repulsed by him but I am interested to see how his character develops. It seems like he's got all this anger that he doesn't know where to put or who to direct it at. It's obvious that he's not happy about working in the pizzeria –at least not when it's in that neighborhood- and he doesn't like that his brother and father are close to the black customers like Da Mayor as well as Mookie, an employee of the pizzeria.
3. Do The Right Thing is about racial tension that has culminated on this one block in Brooklyn. In a community that is becoming more and more diverse with new ethnic groups settling there, race relations is becoming more and more complicated. Each race have their own ideas -and most likely prejudices- about the other races, making this story more than a white and black conflict which adds more complexity to the plot. I have no doubt that as the film progresses, doing the right thing will prove to be harder with all the racial tension surrounding the people of this block.
1. I really like this movie. I like how Spike Lee offers perspectives from everyone on the block and exaggerates their day-to-day lives in a comical, musical, and colorful way. I enjoy how busy the movie is and how you're not in one scene for too long. I also like how he constantly switches what's going on because I think the cinematography reflects New York life how it is: fast paced. The scene I remember most vividly would probably be when Buggin' Out got his shoe scuffed by the white guy on the bike in the jersey. I thought it was hilarious when suddenly all the other people on the block showed up to instigate.
ReplyDelete2. Probably not. I feel like him making noise and stirring trouble was probably more effective at getting people's attention than his actual argument. Buggin' Out means well, but at the end of the day getting more black idols recognized would not have been achieved by putting their pictures on the wall of a pizzeria. As he mentioned, the clientele is primarily black, the neighborhood the restaurant is located in is primarily minorities, and nobody in that pizzeria was even paying attention to the photos on the wall so who was he trying to get the pictures on the wall for. Portraying black positive idols in the media is beneficial for many reasons but I don't think Buggin' Out would've achieved this while I do respect his efforts in raising awareness anyway he can. The character I'm most drawn to is the radio personality who we saw in the beginning and later being delivered pizza. He kinda acts as a narrator and sets the scene for the rest of the characters with his prediction of the weather and his music.
3. I think Do The Right Thing is a simplified version of America as a whole that portrays different views about the right thing to do to make it in the world, or in their case the neighborhood. For example, Mookie with his job at the pizzeria and the scene in the beginning where he's counting all the money he's saved, Sal when he's chastising his sons about complaining about the condition of his restaurant and asking if they thought they could do better, Buggin' Out with his revolutionary views and his attempts at raising awareness any way he could, and so on. The misguided anger, prejudice, and contrasting opinions offer an idea of the racism, everyday struggles, and turmoils Americans face daily.
1. So far this is a good movie. There’s so much going on. There are tons of characters, all of whom have connections, but each doing their own thing. It goes into enough detail to make this seem like a full block, where we know something about a lot of the people on it, while keeping everything tied together, especially through the racial tension that exists. It is a movie that shows the variation and hectic nature of a big city like New York and still stays grounded. It retains a cohesive feel despite scenes that, at this point, don't directly relate to the plot around the central characters. That's hard to do.
ReplyDelete2. Pino so far is the character that most drives me away. All the other characters, while having faults, are not defined by them. Pino's anger and hostility towards everyone around him make him unlikeable, while the faults in other characters make them more complicated and interesting. For example, Da Mayor is a friendly, likable man who seems to be genuinely worried about making those around him happy. He says to do the right thing, and sets his mind to getting Mother Sister to like him. At the same time, he's alcoholic, and gets overly angry when he has to change his beer. This is a curious combination, while Pino seems just about negativity.
3. Do the Right Thing is about one block that illustrates larger problems and conflicts of its city and country. Even in this one block, we see people of a variety of ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic statuses. The movie shows tensions that exist on that block. We see one day of life there to understand the issues that surround it.
The opening sequence drew me in with the image of Rosie Perez dancing in a sports bra and throwing punches with boxing gloves. Combined with the voice of Chuck D yelling “fight the powers that be,” it evoked a sense of atypical resistance; rarely do such images showcase a sexualized, strong, nonwhite woman. I knew I would like the movie from the start.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene from the movie so far is the one in which the men on the street corner are discussing the success of the Korean immigrant with his store. One of the men expresses his jealousy towards the Korean family, for it seems almost unfair how successful the Koreans have become in one year while the man presumably has had much less success. The man continues, stating that the Koreans’ success must be from their intelligence, or that his and his friends’ failures must be because of their own stupidity. His friend then pipes up, saying that the difference must be because they are black. On one hand one can almost sympathize with the second man, for his blackness has likely proved an impediment with his economic success; it could have stopped him from receiving a loan from a bank in order to start a business, for example. But on the other hand, he has fallen for a more generalized form of the “racial bribe,” he channels his rage towards the economic status quo towards racial subjects.
Buggin’ Out seems more concerned with being in the conflict than being part of a solution. In Sal’s, he makes a big deal about the all Italian-American “Wall of Fame.” Instead of explaining to Sal that his “Wall of Fame” wall exuded a tribalism that may make many African American customers feel unwelcome, which is likely what he intended to say, he glossed over the logic to claim that the African American majority of customers should have a say in what goes up on the wall. Sal responds angrily, and it escalates to the point where Buggin’ Out has to leave the pizzeria. While Buggin’ Out’s statement did not warrant Sal’s response, he certainly must have known there would be more tactful ways of making his point.
Do the Right Thing is about the necessity to bridge gaps between races and classes to reach allow everybody to live in a community. Already the movie has revealed various conflicts: the black community has to struggle with the police, deal with Korean and Italian business owners, and coexist with the Puerto Rican residents. It even feels like there is some allusion to the “Long hot summer,” with Da Mayor proclaiming at the beginning that “it’s gon’ be a scorcher.” Only through mutual understanding can everybody “stand the heat.”
1. I like it a lot so far. The cinematography, the acting, and the writing are all fantastic. I like how the scenes are short, so I was able to learn about the people and characters of the neighborhood. The movie is really focused on the moment. It doesn’t delve too deep into the past of any one character, so it seems like the movie isn’t about any individual character but more about the community as a whole which was interesting. The scene that jumped out at me the most was when the white guy on the bike scuffed Buggin’ Out’s shoe and a lot of the neighborhood showed up to help Buggin’ Out confront the guy. I thought the scene was funny but was also focused on the issue of gentrification in the neighborhood.
ReplyDelete2. I found myself most drawn to Radio Raheem. I was fascinated by him because we know very little about him, but he seems like an important character in the neighborhood. People in the neighborhood respect him because during the fire hydrant fun in the street they stopped the water to let him walk through with his boom box. He has hardly said a word, yet he seems like he will have an important role in this movie. I also found the scene when Radio Raheem played his music over the Puerto Ricans’ music strange and I’m unsure of the exact significance of it.
3. Do the Right Thing is about the people in the neighborhood making sense of the injustice they face and figuring out the best way to go about fighting against it. The scene that makes me think of this most is when the three men on the side of the street are trying to understand why the Korean store owners have already been able to start a successful small business after only being in the country for a year while they have lived in the country for much longer and have been unable to start a business themselves. They try to think of possible answers but don’t end up finding a definitive one. One of the men vents his frustration by harassing the store owners and it is obvious that this kind of action is not going to lead to positive change.
1. I definitely like Do the Right Thing. I’m intrigued by the topic the movie covers and how Spike Lee accomplishes this. I like the discordance between the characters and watching how certain people manage the tension between themselves. I relate to Moey in that I feel a bit detached from the characters. But this is not a huge obstacle for me and I love the dialogue between the characters (very familiar and expressive) and other cinematographic aspects of the movie. One scene that struck me most was when Sal threw Buggin’ Out from the pizzeria. I felt transported to the pizzeria with the bystanders, that I was actually watching this altercation play out in the flesh. That both scared me and moved me. I have never before thought about the photographs tacked up on restaurant walls, which just short of shocked me.
ReplyDelete2. I find myself most drawn to Mookie. There’s something very endearing about him and I love how Spike Lee portrays the character. Mookie is calm and collected when he speaks to people and I like how his overall demeanor embodies this part of his personality while still showing his passion. He has not visibly shown as much anger towards others as Pino and Sal have. I appreciate how friendly he is towards everybody and how he (appears to) flow between people, although I understand that this probably creates tension and inner turmoil for Mookie himself, as shown in the scene where Sal throws Buggin Out out of the pizzeria. I think that this type of internal struggle is relatable for many people, on many sorts of scales (something as small and seemingly trivial as friend groups at school to something as complicated as race).
3. Do the Right Thing is about the clash of cultures and races that are (quite literally) on top of each other. The movie is very clear and blatant about the topics it is discussing. Spike Lee explores tensions between characters but also provides different ‘perspectives’ in his portrayal of different races on the block. I think the film is about doing the right thing with regard to these tensions and problems, however difficult and ambiguous this may be.
1) Do the Right Thing has has struck all the right chords with me so far. The humor has been perfect so far. Nearly every jokes lands just right and rarely falls flat. Using humor in a movie with a touchy subject can go horribly wrong if not executed properly, but so far Do the Right Thing hasn't suffered that fate. This well-executed satire is best shown in my favorite scene so far, or collections of scenes rather, "The Corner Men." The last one specifically, where Cocunut Sid comments on the lack of black owned businesses in a predominantly black neighborhood, really stuck with me. I can't help but laugh at a character named "Sweet Dick Willy" comically say "You ain't gon' do a god damn thing," but I also can't help but flinch at the truth behind it. The rest of the movie so far has had that same conflicting effect on me.
ReplyDelete2) I wouldn't define Mookie as a hero, at least from what we've seen so far. He's out to make all the money he can the best way he can, no different than his coworkers or many other people on his block. The character I'm most repulsed by happens to be the one I'm also the most attracted to, my man Sweet Dick Willy. This just adds on to the conflicting effect the movie has had on me. He knows what problems exist, he knows what could help fix it, but at the end of the day, he "ain't gon' do a damn thing" about it. A far cry from doing the right thing, but exactly what a lot of people would do.
3) Do the Right Thing is about a neighborhood of people who have no idea what the "the right thing" even is and aren't aware that the things they do are even wrong or right. I draw this from the contrast of the corner scene where Cocunut Sid wishes for black owned businesses and the pizzeria scene where Buggin' Out wishes for black people in the hall of fame, only for Sal to tell him to get his own business. Buggin' Out doesn't care about who owns the buisness, or the benefits of creating his own, he just wants black people on the wall. That's it. Life is life for them, it is what it is. In the words of one of my favorite rappers, Noname Gypsy, "Everything is Everything." There are things you want, and there are things you have to do to get the things you want. The people do those things, right or wrong, because those things are all they have.
Side note - I'm sorry to be writing this at the last minute--I couldn't figure out how to get onto the blog last night (!)
ReplyDelete1.) I love this movie so far. I think that what draws me most to it is the fact that it is dealing with really tough concepts, mainly racial ones, yet it is somehow also humorous. Grappling with racism is something that can often come across in the wrong way and offend people. Adding humor to the mix can cause even more problems. However, this movie nails the sweet spot and manages to be both deep and funny.
2.) I found myself most drawn to Tina, even though we have only met her once. This is probably because she is one of the only female characters, but I think that her story (young single mom) is a very compelling one. I want her (and her adorable son) to make it in the crazy world.
3.) Do the Right Thing is about figuring out life in New York City and dealing with racist biases. Bugging' Out wants black people on the wall of the pizzeria--he wants his people to be represented, respected. He just wants to feel like he belongs and that he is important. The color of our skin can be such a barrier to human interaction and to overall happiness, and this movie eposes that struggle.
1. The movie is compelling, but not conventionally likable. The characters are real and emotional and their relationships with their world the people around them make them compelling - I actively want to know where everyone is going, how their goals will be reached and problems resolved. I can't find a unifying plot, but each character has their own story, and together their cumulative experiences are life happening. The film isn't prettied up; nothing is hidden as characters drip sweat and drink beer, speech peppered with swears. Do The Right Thing has an unromantic quality to it that strips away cliches in favor of the bare bones of a story that make them worthwhile in the first place. Reality is sweaty, loud and bleak in this film, and no attempt is made to hide this - it was for this reason that the opening scene really popped for me. The color was intense, the lyrics were aggressive and purposeful, and her movements accompanied them perfectly. Tina's dancing was full of punches and dodges, throwing her weight into her movement. Watching her, I began to notice how tired she was. She looked exhausted, but she wasn't stopping. This opening scene feels less like a dance and more like a fight; its compelling quality comes from this rawness, which is the perfect way to start the film. (part 1/2)
ReplyDelete(part 2/2)
ReplyDelete2. I am drawn to nearly all the characters in Do The Right Thing, for basically the same reason: they are all real people. They all have their own motivations and their own emotions; none of them are flat, or simply another factor in someone else's story. The more distanced we are from a character, the less they appeal to me. The man with the vintage car is just some stuck up stranger who drove through the fun that the people within the neighborhood were having, and the policemen were ignorant and unhelpful, demanding that they, "Go to Coney Island," if they wanted to swim. Pino has so far been an obstacle for Vito to overcome, and as such is actually a factor in finding Vito more interesting. Vito's an underdog. He's overshadowed by his louder and more violent family, and can't build enough resistance to do more than complain about his mistreatment. Mookie is neither aggressive nor controversial. He wants to keep his job, and carry on - but in this way, he becomes controversial - inaction is an action in itself. Mookie sees Vito being bullied by his brother, and wants him to stand up for himself, but tries to calm down Bugged Out when he becomes upset about lack of black representation in the pizzeria, and waves Smiley away when he tries to talk about rights. Mookie wants people to stand up for themselves, so long as it doesn't interfere with his life. He is not a hero, or an activist: he's just a person. He feels real - a real person with faults and hypocrisy - and that's what draws me to him.
3. Do The Right Thing is about looking into the lives of people struggling with prejudice. These characters are not grappling with racism in that they are actively "fighting the powers that be," but more in the sense that they are coping with their life situations. Everyone is moving through life, grabbing money and music where they can. Entertainment comes in the form of an opened fire hydrant, and even that is taken away the moment the police show up. Buggin' Out makes a lot of noise about smaller injustices, like someone stepping on his shoe, or not seeing black people on the walls in the pizzeria, and people regard him as a nuisance for it. Smiley takes a less aggressive approach, and tries to grab people's attention so he can speak about Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., but no one seems to take him seriously. Mookie opts for the path of least resistance. Anything that jeopardizes what he has isn't worth doing, and if anyone else's activities jeopardize his stability, he stops them. He stops Buggin' Out when he starts ranting, he walks away from Smiley, and yet he's eager to tell Vito to stand up for himself. Mookie doesn't support injustice, but he doesn't seem all that interested in standing up for himself. He's not fighting the powers that be, he's fighting to live his life. Really, that's what they're all doing; even Smiley and Buggin' Out are fighting the system just so they can live their lives. Do The Right Thing is about coping, and feeling the raw emotions of people living lives under prejudiced systems.