La Haine characters Flashcards
(54 cards)
What is Said’s function in the film’s message?
Said represents the ordinary young men of the banlieue- caught between rebellion and helplessness.
He shows how racism and classism affect even those who aren’t aggressive proving that violence isn’t caused by personality but systematic conditions.
His journey from playful humour to haunted silence highlights how quickly innocence is lost in an environment of oppression and police brutality.
His transformation from comic observer to silent witness forces us to confront how desensitized we’ve got to the suffering of marginalized youth.
What quotes does Said have?
“Baise la police”- Defiant, rebellious but it’s empty rebellion not real resistance
“Tu veux un sandwich” his charma and humour undercut the severity of the worlds
“ils sont la police les keufs, ici?”- ironic observation showing how Said is aware of the power dynamics between police and youth
What is Said’s character arc?
Start:
he is carefree and comic- jokes, flirting, tagging, keeping things light.
he acts like a clown but underneath he wants recognition and respect.
he tried to mediate but he is often dismissed.
he is constantly disrespected by the police- in Paris he is brutalised whilst Hubert has to watch showing how powerless he is
Said’s playful attitude wears down and the city offers no escape.
He’s ridiculed, ignored, laughed at and harassed.
He’s constantly reminded that his identity closes doors
In the last scene he doesn’t speak which is a change from his usual self.
Said ends the film silent, traumatised and a witness to violence.
His arc shifts from noise to silence, from denial to harsh reality
reflects the inescapable dilemma.
What are Said’s personality traits?
Charismatic, playful, talkative, social, insecure, immature, mediator, survivor, humorous, peaceful, young
What is Said’s role in the narrative?
The every man
Witness to events
mediator to extremes
Symbol of normalised oppression
What does Said symbolise?
Graffiti (“Baise la police”) reflects his defiance of the community
Jokes as a shield: Said uses humour to cope with his reality it’s a defence mechanism that masks deeper feelings of fear and powerlessness
The lighter that doesn’t work
A small motif - it doesn’t have the power he hopes like many of his actions
What is the context of Said’s actions?
marginalised identity- he faces racism, islamophobia and stereotyping
Invisibility to authority- his attempts to assert himself are ignored or ridiculed
youth in limbo- he embodies the generation stuck between culture lacking opportunities
Symbol of the forgotten youth- His daily experiences show how the banlieue youth are criminalised for existing.
What is Vinz’s function in the film’s message?
Vinz embodies the destructive consequences of internalized rage, disempowerment, and societal neglect.
His death underscores the futility of hate and retaliation- the gun gave him no real protection
Hist story is a warning: if society keeps provoking young people in the banlieue more violence and more tragedy will inevitably follow
performative masculinity and the illusion of power lead to self-destruction and reinforce the systems of oppression.
What are some quotes that Vinz has?
“Tu veux être le prochain a rentrer a la morgue?” power and fear of vulnerability
“Avec un flingue t’es respecte” violence = respect
“J’ai la haine!” his emotional state and the titles significance
What is Vinz’s character arc?
Vinz begins the film full of rage and seeking revenge.
He escalates conflict, especially after acquiring the gun
A pivotal moment occurs when he is faced with the real possibility of killing someone and cannot do it
He gives the gun to Hubert, symbolically relinquishing his role as an aggressor
His arc ends tragically- his death is an act of senselessness, brutality, reinforcing the film’s critique of police violence ans systematic failure.
What are some of Vinz’s key characteristics?
impulsive, insecure, attention-seeking, macho, hyper-masculine, conflicted, violent, hot-headed, aggressive
What is Vinz’s role in the narrative?
Figure of tension
Anger and retaliation
Foil to Hubert
What does Vinz symbolise?
The gun- false power, bravado and the illusion of control
“If Abdel dies in going to kill a cop”- cycle of violence and death and delusion of empowerment
Taxi Driver- imitates fictional violence to create an identity- search for identity in media
What are the pieces of context for Vinz’s character and actions?
Banlieue identity- Vinz is white and Jewish but still si marginalized due to status and location. He shows the wider reach of systemic neglect by disrupting the racial binary.
Alienation- Vinz is abandoned by society, police and politics this creates his aggression
Cycle of hatred- He is a product and perpetuator of the cycle and his inability to escape this dynamic is central to the film
What is Hubert’s function in the film’s message?
Hubert serves as the embodiment of reason, nonviolence, and disillusionment-a tragic figure who understands the system and sees through its hypocrises
His character exposes the emotional and moral cost of trying to maintain dignity and peace in a world that punishes both
He represents the voice of unheard resistance, showing that even the most rational and peaceful individuals can be pushed to the edge in a system built on injustice.
What are some quotes that Hubert says?
“La haine attire la haine”- central motif for the film
“c’est l’histoire d’un homme qui tombe”- delivers the parable of the man falling from a building- societies slow decline and denial
“J’ais jamais vu les problèmes se résoudre par la violence”- his deep belief in pacifism even when violence surrounds him
What is Hubert’s character arc?
Hubert begins the film advocating peace
He tried to navigate calmly but is forced to confront the hostility of the police and despair from the estate
Despite his efforts, he is drawn into the violent climax after Vinz’s death
In the final scene, he is seen holding the gun, caught in a moral and emotional crisis- in the position he tried to avoid
Voice of reason- he distances himself from Vinz’s thirst for revenge.
What are Hubert’s personality traits?
thoughtful, calm, controlled, morally grounded, hopeful, leader, respectful, mature, observant, introspective.
What is Hubert’s role in the narrative?
The moral compass- Hubert represents wisdom, reflection, and pacifism. He provides a crucial counterpart to Vinz’s aggression
Voice of reality- he frequently reminds the others of the consequences of their actions and the harsh reality they face
mediator and tragic idealist
What does Hubert and his actions symbolise?
the gym- discipline, structure and a path out of the banlieue
The burnt gym- opportunities for escape and self-improvement are often crushed in marginalised communities.
What is the context of Hubert and his actions?
Systemic racism- Hubert is subjected to both overt and institutional racism
Economic exclusion- despite his intelligence and drive Hubert is stuck in the banlieue showing how poverty limits mobility
Silenced peacekeeper- his approach is silenced by society
Generation of lost potential- a generation of young people who are wasted to systemic neglect.
What is the character arc of Notre-Dame?
static character- doesn’t evolve emotionally or morally
His unchanging nature highlights the unchallengeable power of the system
his lack of reaction during the abuse scene demonstrates how violence is normalised within institutions
His only notable action is to release the boys, not because of injustice, but because they’re “not worth the paperwork”
What are some quotes from Notre-Dame?
“vous avez de la chance si cela ne tenait qu’a moi vous seriez toujours la”- cold, indifferent, mocking highlights the abuse of power (silence during the torture scene)
his silence speaks volumes it’s a passive complicity in the police violence.
What is Notre-Dame’s function in the film’s narrative?
He embodies the faceless, bureaucratic cruelty of the state
His presence reinforces one of the film’s key themes “le système est casse, mais d’une manière qui semble propre”
contrasts sharply with the more violent, impulsive police in the banlieue- showing that violence has many forms, and the institutional kind can be the most insidious
He adds to the sense of hopelessness- even when they boys escape, it’s not through justice, it’s through power dismissing them as irrelevant.
