To Fight or Not to Fight

        In terms of finding hope and possibility in Do the Right Thing, the obvious place to look is the scene between Mooky and Sal the next day, after the flames of the riot had been put out. I do find this to be a credible source in terms of looking for salvation for this Harlem community. However, if we are to look a big deeper at the real dilemma of this specific community, it would seem that the first sign of hope is the riot itself. 

        While this may seem ridiculous because this is-- on the surface-- the peak of the hatred and violence of the movie, it is also the first time when we see the racial tensions diminishing. The act of the riot is simply a release of tension that had been sitting right beneath the surface for the whole movie. As I have stated previously, Mooky making the decision to finally take action and throw that garbage can through the window is the climax, the turning point, the new beginning. While these acts of violence may be seen as antagonism, I would venture to say that the most harsh antagonism was more symbolic. I would say that the antagonist was the high racial tensions I mentioned earlier. At the point of the riot, everything was out on the table. The black people had their opportunity to get out their anger and aggression that had been built up from being the target of terrible racism for too long. At the point of the riot, everything was in a strange way, at peace; the community had corrected itself. From then on, it was back to the normal, more comfortable way of living in this particular Harlem neighborhood. 

       

       Before this riot scene, it seemed that the community was in serious trouble, something needed to happen. A man had been killed, there was a potential boycott, and all the different races were bickering constantly about concepts based on a lack of tolerance. Something needed to be done. And unfortunately for this community, the people simply weren't ready to move forward and develop a multiracial, tolerant community. So, the only solution for the salvation of this community was a violent act, that lead eventually to peace, for the time being. Taylor summarized the final result very well: "The climax of the film involved hate, violence and fire. The burnt down pizzeria was destroyed and indeed miserable looking, but not full of flames. The flames themselves, along with the hate and violence, were gone. Again, leaving a perfect path for rehabilitation for the community." Since community is most likely to take hold when the people in it can unite under one common cause, it is least likely to take hold when everyone is in constant conflict. So, with the dying of the raging flames that were that conflict, a more stable and functional community was born.