American History X (1998)
- Information at Internet Movie Database
- Hollywood Jesus visual review.
- Movie Parables review.
- Themes
- Baptism
- Derek in the shower toward the end of the movie remembering his brother as a child, and then covering his swastika tattoo with regret. Possibly also the earlier shower scene where Derek is raped in prison. Are baptisms always positive experiences?
- Brothers
- Derek's "conversion" compels him to seek to save his brother.
- Conversion
- Derek's conversion from being a skinhead figurehead.
- Courage
- Dereks' courage to confront Cameron (and the ghost of his father) and leave his former life. Danny's courage to make the change with Derek.
- Covenant
- between Derek and Sweeney, and between Derek and Danny. Negative covenant between Derek and Cameron.
- Father Types
- In a flashback scene, Derek realizes that his father had influenced his entry into the skinhead movement. (Evil passed on through generations.)
- Guilt/Regret
- Derek covers the swastika tattoo in regret for his former life.
- Reconciliation
- Reconciliation between Derek and Sweeney.
- Repentance
- Derek turns from being a skinhead - stands up to his former community and leader, despite his father/son relationship with Cameron, his standing in that community and the risk of turning from it.
- Baptism
