The Hurricane Film Analysis

1. One of the most significant motifs in the film The Hurricane is justice. Rubin Carter was wrongfully accused and jailed because of a prejudiced jury and police force; they disregarded moral principles, oaths and the justice system for their own hatred. The movie shows Rubin Carter’s struggle to find justice among this hatred, with the help of some outsiders willing to lend a hand. The group had to overcome many obstacles in order to find the justice that should have been served over 20 years earlier. This motif shows the fight against racism and the consequences of such discrimination. It also begs the question, was justice really served? I would argue that justice wasn’t entirely served since the criminals got away and two innocent men lost over 20 years of their lives. However, those responsible for wrongfully locking the two men should have been found and sentenced accordingly.
2. The first symbol I noticed was the typewriter; it represented Rubin’s connection to the outside world. He used it to write his book, which led to the eventual interaction between the Canadians. This interaction was carried out by the use of letters, which were also written on the typewriter. Another symbol that can be noted is the use of the boxing jacket. It was a symbol of power and self-control, as well as a link to Rubin’s past accomplishments. He became a different person when he was wearing it – he turned from talking to himself in his jail cell, to flashing back to the proud person he once was. This symbol is also metaphoric. The jacket he was wearing at the start in the boxing match was white, whereas the one in his jail cell was black. The white jacket shows the power and freedom of white people and the black jacket shows the discrimination against African Americans. Another symbol is clothing. Rubin refused to wear prison attire because that would be the same as saying he committed a crime; he would have rather rot in the basement jail cells than put on the prison clothes.
3. Like Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird, Rubin Carter remained quite calm throughout the entire ordeal. He did not show the slightest bit of fear because he was confident that justice would prevail and that he would not go to jail for a crime he did not commit. He even remained calm throughout his time in jail, stating that he could only remain calm if he did not conform with the other inmates behavior and schedules that he was supposed to conform with. Similarly to Atticus who chose not to go with the ‘norm’ and instead chose to follow his own beliefs.
4. The most distinct parallel between To Kill A Mockingbird and The Hurricane is the topic of racism. As well, Rubin Carter and Tom Robinson were both wrongfully accused and were subjected to harsh racism and an unfair trial at the hand of white people. Although, both works show that not all white people are evil racists; TKM uses the Finch family to portray the good heartedness and courage of people who chose to stand up for what is right, and The Hurricane uses the Canadian’s to show that some people may help a stranger, simply because their cause is just. Either way, both works show the effects of racism and the courage of a few people who choose to fight it.