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This movie takes you through a couple of rough relationships for these women. First you learn that both are in very unhappy relationship and need an escape from their everyday lives because it has become too much for them to mentally handle. Bonnie is in an abusive relationship that has but her as a servant to her husband Roy, while Clyde never married she has become a slave to her job and the life that follows it. The two women go out on an adventure to get away from life, but it ends up very quickly into a race to get away from the authorities. Bonnie is attacked and Clyde shoots the man in cold blood to protect her. The two are now running from the law the rest of the movie. To make money they start robbing banks and kidnapping people. They are projecting the ultimate Wild West life style, one with no law. They have come outlays in the old west and are constantly on guard that they will be caught. Eventually the police find them and there is a big car case concluding in them getting conners on the cannon side. Instead of turning themselves in they decided to go out like the outlaws they are. With the car in drive they shoot towards the cliff and drive off. Concluding the movie. They saw no other choice then to kill themselves together, ending the trip the way they started, just the two girls. This movie was really interesting because it showed the two women acting like male figures the whole times while still acting like women to get their way.

In the reading, ‘Race, Wrongs, and Remedies’ written by Amy Wax, there is much controversy presented. Firstly, I would like to point out that Wax is making most of her original references in the text to Australia as opposed to the United States, but eventually focuses on the U.S. One of the key topics she touched on directly related to aboriginals. An aboriginal is an original inhabitant of a specific body of land. Aboriginal disadvantage and comprehending historical reasons due to disadvantage offers pointers to African Americans’ treatment of dilemma. I feel as though this topic is touchy and has a lot to do with outside variables as well. I believe, that blacks are at a disadvantage in some cases due to aboriginal advantage, but not in all.

In the film, ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ directed by Arthur Penn there is much action taking place. Bonnie and Clydeportray to the viewer a complex relationship between crime and celebrity. As soon as the movie begins, the “heroes” become media sensations. Many people get beaten down by the hard times and become angry at those in power, thus leading to the outlaw pair. Throughout all of this though, Bonnie and Clyde revel in all this attention. It makes them feel as though they are of significance because it means that they will be recalled in the history books, they represent a sense immortality. Lesser-known gang members have their own reactions to this, too. Buck seems envious that Bonnie and Clyde seem to get all the media attention. On the other hand, C.W. is more like a groupie, someone who’s happy just to be close to the celebrities.

            All of the main characters in Bonnie and Clyde have very strong family ties; despite this, these circumstances typically lead to disagreement. Upon running away with Clyde, Bonnie has a strong desire to see her mother. Throughout the film, characters use phrasing such as “baby brother”. For example, Buck goes against his idea to go straight in order to rob banks with his “baby brother.” When C.W. momentarily takes charge after both Bonnie and Clyde are wounded, his first instinct is to drive to his father’s house for help. The gang that these individuals are apart of represents a close-knit family. As Clyde tells Bonnie at one point, “I’m your family now.” Despite the fact that not all the characters are blood-related, they still consider themselves a family.

I think that the film is highly inaccurate in its portrayal of the sentiments of ordinary Americans. I recognize that the film takes place during a period of “hard times,” but I am not at all convinced that the American people would respond so enthusiastically to criminals in this way. 

The thief and the gangster and the outlaw and so on have always been common tropes in American popular media, oftentimes as the heroes. But those narratives are so compelling because, usually, they are the stories of these people reckoning with their lives of evil and, in some cases, choosing to leave the criminal life. Bonnie and Clyde distinctly do not fall into this category as they were excited about the prospects of committing crimes up until the moment it got them killed. 

I believe the authors got it wrong that average Americans would cheer Bonnie and Clyde, especially in the small town/rural setting of the time period the film takes place. The main characters kill a significant amount of police officers and some civilians as they go on their crime spree. These officers likely had wives, families, and were active in their church and their local communities. These are the kinds of men who provide an often life-saving public service and will be mourned by their entire community upon their death. 

While portrayed as heroic outlaws, Bonnie and Clyde are more akin to domestic terrorists. They kill innocents and law enforcement, along with causing economic loss and destruction wherever they go. I’m am skeptical that the American public truly felt as warmly about Bonnie and Clyde as the film portrayed them to. If you agree, disagree, or have the facts to either prove or disprove me, I’d be interested to hear your thoughts. 

Huntington discusses this at length, but with data that are now nearly 20 years old.  Here’s some more recent data, which show that the broad trend he describes is still the case.  What do you make of this fact?