movie review

Running head: MOVIE REVIEW 1

Crystal Norwood

Movie Review: School Daze

Loyola University Chicago

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Abstract

In this movie review paper I will analyze the movie School Daze by Spike Lee. Spike Lee’s

1988 movie ““School Daze”” addressed the issues of racism based on skin tones (colorism), and

bias actions based on hair texture. The subjection and submission of women to their male

counterparts became a moral dilemma at Mission College the finest Black serving institution

Atlanta, Georgia. Over Homecoming Weekend the students at Mission College faced moral and

intellectual decisions while balancing their salient identities. This paper assesses the characters

usefulness to illustrate college student development. I identify developmental characteristics of

the two main student characters as they journey throughout the film School Daze by Spike Lee.

Perry’s Intellectual and Ethical Development (1968) and Marcia’s Ego Identity Statuses (1966)

that would assist educators in working with these characters. This movie review outlines

practical application of each theory for these main characters.

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The goal of any film is to combine narrative and cinematic style to communicate

meanings and evoke emotions within its audience. In School Daze (1988), Spike Lee

successfully fulfills this goal by making the viewers believe as if they are getting a true glimpse

of the lives of the young African American college students presented. School Daze is a story

about fraternity and sorority members clashing with other students at a historically Black college

during homecoming weekend. The film depicts two major problems: the broader struggles

African American students face in U.S, society as a whole, and within their own campus and

social structures. It touches upon issues of real and perceived bias based on skin tone and hair

quality within the African-American community. Lee reveals these troubles, and thus the

ultimate concern of the film, through an intricate plot dealing with the relationships between the

characters and their surroundings.

Lee (1988) opened the film with a photo montage depicting the African American

struggle in the United States, starting with slave ships and moving through the civil rights

movement. Everyone in the film comes from a shared history. Many photos are of leaders who

spoke of unity, but unity is the last thing the characters in the film are striving to achieve. The

song played in the first three minutes of the film is “I’m building me a home.” Spike Lee shows

the growth of African Americans through this time. The song suggests how a college becomes a

‘home’ for college students. Viewers watching this film are reminded that much of the struggle

in this land has been about the rights to literacy and autonomy and further that the educational

institutions we have built are repositories for much of our history. This film also claims a

position for itself in that history. Mission College becomes one of the “homes” alluded to in the

spiritual “I’m Building Me a Home.” Characters in this film are longing for a sense of home and

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to be accepted. Dap and Jane are faced with many challenges that make them become members

of groups to allow for some comfort and acceptance

The main lens for this analysis is Cross (1971) Nigrescence theory which is the

framework in which Spike Lee lays out his film. The setting of a historically Black college

reflects the experience that Spike Lee had at a historically Black college and university (HBCU).

Within this framework there are two theories that stem from Cross (1971) due to

intersectionailty. As the characters develop their racial identity many additional factors intersect

such as cognitive development, moral development, and ethnic identity development. Perry’s

Intellectual and Ethical Development (1968) and Marcia’s (1970) Ego Identity Statues inform

one another.

Theories Review

Theories of student learning and development can help the characters Rachel and Dap

develop and reach their fullest potential. These theories are particularly important in student

affairs and higher education because they make prescriptions about how people can adopt

increasingly complex ways of being, knowing, and doing which are essential forms of

development. In outlining two theories to review within this movie review it is important to note

that there may not be a general consensus that any single theory can adequately address the

complex development of a person but they serve as frameworks through which we can see and

assist individuals in their developmental processes.

Cross’s theory of psychological Nigrescence is depicted in the film and sets the stage for

the film. Nigrescence refers to “the process of becoming black” (Cross, 1991, p. 22). Cross

developed a five phase developmental theory of acquisition of Black identification. The five

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sectors progressed as follows: pre-encounter, encounter, immersion-emersion, and

internalization, and internalization commitment. The theory begins with the pre-counter sector

which is described as a time in one’s life when he/she is unaware of his/her race or racial

implication. The theory continues to the encounter sector which refers to the first occurrence of

racial awareness. This sector typically takes place early in life among racial minorities. The

third sector is a time when a person takes on identifying elements of his/her race. In this sector

one would become involved in being a member of his/her group and embracing behaviors. The

fourth sector is the counterpart to the third sector. One comes out of the absolute immersion and

begins to demonstrate different behaviors and features he/she chooses to take from his/her race.

Another theory that is exemplified in School Daze is Perry Scheme of Intellectual and

Ethical Development. Perry’s Scheme of Intellectual and Ethical Development (1968), is

structured in four positions. The four positions include basic duality, multiplicity, relativism, and

commitment. Basic duality is when students believe there is a single right answer to all

questions. Students tend to see the world as discrete. In the multiplicity position students

believe that knowledge is just an opinion and students tend to rebel. The relativistic position

helps individuals know and understand that there are multiple answers and ways to view

situations and it fits them together. The last position of the theory is commitment (Evans et al,

2010). This position is when the individual makes a commitment to what they believe and has

trust in others. They are more vocal and are open to feedback.

Both of the theories can be seen throughout many characters of the movie “School Daze”

by Spike Lee. School Daze addressed these theories in many ways such as through the

characters actions and some of the racist situations they face through the scenes. It is shown and

demonstrated through racism. Good people are Black and all the bad people are White. School

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Daze does a great job at highlighting this problem. Even through the setting of the film being

that all the students are Black speaks a lot to the Director Spike Lee’s development. The setting

and environment contributes to an individual’s development. For example having the setting be

at a Historically Black College highlights the clashes that occur with racism and make one

believe that Spike Lee could be placed in Perry’s Basic Duality position.

Similarly, Marcia introduces Ego Identity Statuses (1975) into four statuses. The four

statuses are Foreclosure, Moratorium, Identity Achievement, and Diffusion. One’s sense of

identity is determined largely by the choices and commitments made regarding certain personal

and social traits (Marcia, 1966). In the foreclosure status individuals accept an identity that was

given to them by family. Following that status is moratorium, where the individual goes through

a crisis period but has not made a commitment. During this stage the individuals questions their

given identity. The third status identity achievement is when an individual has gone through a

crisis and has made a commitment to an identity and value system. The last status is diffusion,

where people are unable to or refuse to commit, and nothing has questioned their identity (Evans

et al.).

Main Character’s Developmental Characteristics

The two main characters that I touch on are Dap and Julian “Big Brother Almighty.” Dap

is a fourth year senior at Mission College, and identifies as an African American heterosexual

male. Dap belongs to a group called the “Da Fella,” and in relations with a woman in another

organization known as the “Da Naturals.” Dap was one of the pledges of Gamma Phi Gamma

Fraternity but unfortunately does not cross the finish line and become a member. Dap’s

experience with Greek organizations led him to believe that joining a Greek organization may

change people and he does not want that for his girlfriend. After thinking about the opinions of

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his friends and the opinion of his girlfriend Dap realized there were other solutions and opinions

other than his own. Dap was able to see and understand the value all opinions, and that they are

just opinions. Dap realizing his faults, and being wrong allow him to transition into Relativism.

He now sees the values in opinions, and is able to evaluate the validity in opinion and disagree

Rachel wants to join a Greek organization and tells Dap that she is interested in the

sisterhood and he discourages her. Spike Lee criticizes the fraternity by putting Dap as the most

central and sympathetic character. Since Dap is the protagonist of the movie. The film depicts

the fraternity as insane and inhumane. One of the first scenes when they enter the scene, their

necks are chained their acting like dogs, demonstrate the lack of humanity, dignity and self-

respect.

Jane Toussaint is a female who identifies as Black African American. Jane is the head

Gamma Ray, and girlfriend of Big Brother Almighty. She and the other Gamma Rays have been

feuding with Da Natural about being Wannabees, and the respect shown around campus. As

Miss Gamma Phi Gamma, and a heterosexual women she was faced with tough moral decisions.

Jane and Dap are challenged with racial identity development, cognitive development and moral

decision making.

Connection of main character’s to specific stages/statuses in theories

Since Jane is the leader of this sorority she is tasked with a mission to lead these females

and to keep the name of the organization above other thing in her life. Jane’s sisters disagreed to

clean the gamma house as well as to pay for the celebration gathering for the pledges. Jane

believes that there are loyalties and values to be obtained to the organization (22:24). According

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to Marcia’s (1970) theory Jane can been be going through the foreclosure stage and into the

Moratorium status.

Jane accepts the identity given to her and does not question authority or her peers but she

starts to begin to see a crisis ahead of her when the sisters disagree with the task. Marcia

explains that identity development needs a greater knowledge and time because the transition

process is stimulating from each stage (Kroger, 1966). Having someone tell you to prove your

love is hard as Jane expressed. . Jane’s reply when she was asked was “Yes, I love you”

(1:41:33). Her boyfriend decides to end their relationship because she did not do what was aked

of her, which puts Jane in stage two of the identity development model.

In School Daze, one of the opening scenes of the film portrays color-caste conflict using

hair as metonymy. In the musical number “Good and Bad Hair” the two opposing groups of

women, the Naturals, represented by brown-skinned sisters with natural hair styles and the Rays,

light-skinned sorority sisters with colored contact lenses and hair weaves, compete by

exchanging insults such as “jigaboos” and “wannabes.” In the dance between the “Jigaboos” and

the “Wannabes,” having light skin and long hair is still looked upon as more beautiful than dark

skin and kinky hair. The theory that can be seen here is Cross’s (1991) theory. The individuals

in this scene are in sector one because of the unaware racism that exists throughout this dance

and dialogue. The Wannabes were the pretty, light-skinned, long-haired, economically well-off

women; while the Jigaboos were the dark-skinned, militant, politically and socially conscious

women. The scene from “School Daze” is memorializing the tensions that exist within the Black

community: light vs. dark. “Colorism,” as it is called, is the practice of placing value on skin

color. The women, however, never enter into dialogue about the reasons or costs of this racist

practice. The Jigaboos and Wannabees are mobilized against one another while they ignore a

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common heritage. As African-Americans they suffer because their misguided focus allows the

perpetuation of social inequities. As women they suffer because they lack a unified and shared

understanding of their subdominant status. Through this it demonstrates how one internalizes

beauty through the White beauty standards.

Lee denies the women the opportunity to express a critical consciousness concerning

their beliefs. Da Naturals discuss how men are “dogs” and the Rays plan a party for the

fraternity brothers. Instead the organization spends their time supporting the myth that all Black

men are dogs and that Black women are merely Black men’s help mates. In this scene the

characters can be seen in the stage of Immersion – Emersion of Cross’s (1991) theory due to the

culture and the surrounding factors of the behaviors and actions around them. During this stage

individuals embrace behaviors and the characters in School Daze definitely embraced the

behaviors by doing a performance about hair. The characters are seen as individuals that

surround themselves with visible symbols of their racial identity. That visible symbol is their

hair, skin color, and eye color. Rachel and the other ladies say how their hair is “not real and

they don’t believe anyone could be born with blues eyes” (Lee, 1988, 24:20-26:45).

According to Perry’s Theory, basic duality is known to be good or bad and right or

wrong, Colorism was reintroduced as a subject in scenes between Rachel and Dap. Dap does not

support Rachel’s plan to pledge Delta. “They do good work in the community” she argues (Lee,

1988, 1:22:38). Dap demonstrate this stage because based on his experience he believes that

Greek organizations are bad. Dap has knowledge and it has informed the way he has

communicated it to Rachel. Dap, a campus organizer, is opposed to Greek life. Sororities are

bad as fraternities, he maintains, although he helped his cousin Half- Pint pledge. Daps

denunciations include charges of color prejudice. Rachel accuses Dap of being equally color

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struck, belligerent as he us about light skinned folks. She teases him too about his claims of

being pure African. “Having one of the darker sisters on campus as his girlfriend is good for

your all-the-way-Black nationalist image,” she says and exists (22:24). Dap in this scene has

transitioned to the Relativism stage. Dap starts to realize his faults and see the values in other’s

opinion, especially when he has his own thoughts about fraternities and sororities on campus.

Dap is able to see and realize that others like Rachel have opinions and not only his is valuable.

In the KFC scene, we can see that Dap is transitioning through the multiplicity stage

because he believes that no social class should determine the way one expresses themselves.

Dap realizes and thinks critically when he approached this situation. Dap and his socially

conscious, college educated friends leave campus and encounter first covert then openly

expressed hostility from the working class African American townspeople, led by none other

than Samuel L. Jackson. The working class people view the Mission College students as

privileged sell-outs, as an impassioned yet intellectual exchange ensues. The important line in

this scene is “WAKE UP” and Dap walks up to Samuel L. Jackson and simply says…“You’re not

NIGGAS” (6:45). During this scene and interaction Dap would be in the multiplicity stage and

is moving through this stage as he believes that a social class should not determine who one is.

Dap realized the perspective of what others think or believe is not always true. Dap does a lot of

questioning and is thinking critically when he approaches these situations.

Theories to Practice

In using this theory in Higher Education, it is important that professionals approach their

work as a continuing process. It is important to transition and move students through each stage

of development. Dap transitioned through Perry’s (1968) Scheme of Intellectual & Ethical

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Development and Cross’ (1991) Nigrescence model. Dap struggled to develop his passions and

beliefs but struggled with realizing the opinions of others. Dap was faced with crisis after

hearing that his girlfriend wanted to join a sorority. In order to transition Dap through Perry’s

Scheme of Intellectual and Ethical Development one would have to assist Dap in viewing

multiple solutions and not just his own. It would also be important to allow Dap the opportunity

to develop and defend his opinions while making meaning of why his opinion is right in certain

situations. Dap’s transition occurred with the development of his own beliefs and values. His

outlook and intersecting identities played a crucial role of his Black Identity and being a

heterosexual.

Jane Toussaint transitioned throughout the film School Daze as well as through Marcia’s

(1970) Ego Identity Statuses. Jane Toussaint was the head of Gamma Ray. She led the group in

identifying another group of being the Wannabees. Jane Toussaint was faced with moral decision

making and cognitive development. Transitioning Jane through Marcia’s (year) Ego identity

development would take Jane to realize that decision making is important as well commitment.

For example Jane was challenged to show her love for her big Brother, which is was huge for

Jane and caused tension and negative outlooks and solutions. It is important for Jane to build

upon commitments and allow Jane to question a sense of her identity and values. Helping Jane

transition from one status to another of Marcia Ego Identity Status model will take a push of

commitment to her well-defined identity which Jane struggles with especially being a part of a

group that is labeled because of their hair texture, and their eye color.

Conclusion

School Daze touches on many issues that college students face during their years on

campus. The film explores the privilege of light-skin people of color are privileged over dark-

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skin people of color within racial/ethnic groups. Lee dealt with issues of skin color and Black

identity on a college campus. Lee brings to light the hidden issue of “colorism” and sparked a

larger discussion on the topic. The film School Daze was able to demonstrate an understanding

that racism exists and attempts to understand the how it came about. This is a good illustration

for college student development because institutions are a diverse setting and house different

people. It is important that we bring these issues to the forefront and address them. Racism

plays an important role within the characters development throughout the film. This is seen by

the way they express themselves, internalized views of their own identity, and also who and what

they accept. Spike Lee presented the problem of racism well, but did not provide a solution

which I believe that was not his goal.

Overall the film dealt the inner conflicts that African- Americans were unwilling to deal with at

the time, and sadly I would say it is still going on today at some college campuses. School Daze

I would recommend as a tool for social justice work, it can demonstrate ways in which Spike Lee

missed or added to make the film a tool for social justice because of his misogynistic and

homophobic sensibility. Overall, however, Lee did give the viewers a fair insight into what life

might be like at a Black college. He managed to bring attention to the issues that have torn the

Black community apart for years, and made a clear plea for Blacks to throw aside their

differences and join together, united once and for all. Lee's message rang through every scene

and was spotlighted in the finale: it is time for Black Americans to "wake-up" to their problems

and together find new ways to solve them

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References

Evans, N.J., Forney, D.S.., Guido, F., Patton, L., & Renn, K. (2010). Student development in

college: Theory research, and practice (2nd

Edition). San Francisco, CA:Jossey-Bass

Lee, S. (Director). (1988). School Daze [DVD]. USA

Marcia, J. E., & Friedman, M. L. (1970). Ego identity status in college women. Journal of

Personality, 38(2), 249-263.

Perry, W. G. (1981). Cognitive and ethical growth: The making of meaning. In A. W.

Chickering, & Associates (Eds.), The modern American college (pp. 76-116). San

Francisco: Jossey-Bass.