The Movie 'Tsotsi'
sOCIAL pROBLEMS sOCIAL pROBLEMS
COURSE: Social Problems
INSTRUCTOR: Ms. A. Moore
DATE: 12/03/2012
The dramatic film ‘Tsotsi’ instills a sense of hope that even the worst can change. Tsotsi is an awe-inspiring film about a teenager who struggles for survival. At a very early age he experienced the loss of his mother, an abusive father which eventually led him to take it to the streets. His upbringing on the streets transformed him into a heartless boy with no remorse. He led a gang that frequently assaulted the rich at gunpoint and stole their money. At one point, he turned on one of his own gang members for meddling in his personal life. His last murder victim was taken while trying to enter her electric gate. Tsotsi drove off in his victim’s expensive vehicle, only to discover that her baby was in the back seat. As a result, he became fearful, he crashed the car and tried running off. However, the baby dominated his thoughts. This baby touched his heart and he was forced to take the baby home. He began showing empathy by caring for the baby. He went as far as holding a young mother at gunpoint to nurse the baby. Subsequently, he learned how to look after the baby which humanized him. Despite the social defect, this young man was capable of starting anew.
Crime is any behavior that violates criminal law and is punishable by fine, jail or other negative sanction. Crime will be discussed in the following three perspectives; feminist, functionalist and conflict theorists. From a feminist perspective, Fred Adler believes that resentment in men and gender inequalities lead to crime. In the movie, Tsotsi’s mother had been a victim of crime, apart from dying slowly from Aids, Tsotsi’s father was extremely abusive. Seemingly, he resented her because of her terminal illness and it could have also been the reason for the excessive abuse. In Traditional societies, women were obligated to be submissive to men; as a result, many of them
COURSE: Social Problems
INSTRUCTOR: Ms. A. Moore
DATE: 12/03/2012
The dramatic film ‘Tsotsi’ instills a sense of hope that even the worst can change. Tsotsi is an awe-inspiring film about a teenager who struggles for survival. At a very early age he experienced the loss of his mother, an abusive father which eventually led him to take it to the streets. His upbringing on the streets transformed him into a heartless boy with no remorse. He led a gang that frequently assaulted the rich at gunpoint and stole their money. At one point, he turned on one of his own gang members for meddling in his personal life. His last murder victim was taken while trying to enter her electric gate. Tsotsi drove off in his victim’s expensive vehicle, only to discover that her baby was in the back seat. As a result, he became fearful, he crashed the car and tried running off. However, the baby dominated his thoughts. This baby touched his heart and he was forced to take the baby home. He began showing empathy by caring for the baby. He went as far as holding a young mother at gunpoint to nurse the baby. Subsequently, he learned how to look after the baby which humanized him. Despite the social defect, this young man was capable of starting anew.
Crime is any behavior that violates criminal law and is punishable by fine, jail or other negative sanction. Crime will be discussed in the following three perspectives; feminist, functionalist and conflict theorists. From a feminist perspective, Fred Adler believes that resentment in men and gender inequalities lead to crime. In the movie, Tsotsi’s mother had been a victim of crime, apart from dying slowly from Aids, Tsotsi’s father was extremely abusive. Seemingly, he resented her because of her terminal illness and it could have also been the reason for the excessive abuse. In Traditional societies, women were obligated to be submissive to men; as a result, many of them
Bibliography: * Rolly Pelovangu, (2010, March 5) retrieved from www.rolly-pelovangu.suite101.com/starain-theory-criminology-a209656 * Peter Lista, (2009, March 4) retrieved from www.peter-lista.suite101.com/robert-merton-and-deviant-behavior-a100266 * Mike O’Donnell, (1993, January) A New Introductory Reader in Sociology.