Do the Right Thing Quotes

Alyssa Pedi
English 1101
Professor Young
September 5 2017

In class we have been discussing Do the Right Thing. It is an eye opening script/movie that tells the story of Mookie, a 24 year old man living in Brooklyn, New York. Along the way we are introduced to the citizens of this town that come to affect the life of our protagonist. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "... Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love. It destroys a community and makes brotherhood impossible. It leaves society in a monologue rather than dialogue. Violence ends by defeating itself. It creates bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers." This powerful quote can be broken down and connected to our story. To begin the downward spiral, it starts off with defining violence with hatred and love. These are binary terms and can be found scattered throughout Do the Right Thing, and on the knuckles of Radio Raheem. The power that comes from both love and hate destroys the community not only with buildings or items, but with a life in the end. The idea of any type of, "brotherhood," gets demolished because of the tension created by characters Buggin' Out, Radio Raheem, Sal, Pino and Vito. Their arguing and disagreements obliterate any type of bond that could have been formed. Towards the end of our downward spiral, comes the explosion of emotions shown by Mookie and the community. In an act of savagery they loot and burn down Sal's Famous Pizzeria. The only way to end the violence building up within the people was by letting it defeat itself. As for the rest of the story, there was a, "bitter" taste left in the mouths of the survivors, Sal and his family. With their restaurant destroyed and an angry mob surrounding them they had nowhere to turn to except away from it all. The brutality now lies within the community, as a side of them came out they never knew existed. Do the Right Thing, is a true example of what happens when love and hate collide. Both will destroy anything in their paths.