Importance of Effective Interpersonal Communication

This paper explores the diversity and development of characters Vinz, Said, and Hubert from the film La Haine, particularly paying close attention to Vinz and Hubert and how their relationship differentiates from that of the relationship between Vinz and Said, to Hubert and Said. Examining each character and their relationship with one another, topics of interpersonal communication, such as recognizing and being conscious of the self and person, the flexibility of communication—expressive and rule-governed—along with the qualities and its layers are presented and talked about amongst how external forces and physical environment play a role in the quality of not just our life, but the quality and content of our communication.

We look at the diversity shown in La Haine, and how this affects characters Vinz and Hubert, along with the interpersonal interaction and communication being at play between these two and how the dynamic between Vinz and Hubert changes slowly, but drastically through social events and inner conflicts.

What does it mean to interact and communicate interpersonally? How does our experience of communicating change with specific people, through certain situations, given our environment and mental state? La Haine, a film set in France ’95 that follows the twenty-four-hour period of three friends as riots erupt in the outskirts of Paris for the injustice of a young Arab, does a splendid job in creating this presentation of what it truly means for humans to communicate, not just one-on-one, but individually on a larger scale. It shows how these external forces affect the communication, the entirety, of the boys’ relationship, closely paying attention to Vinz and Hubert.

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Before heading into analyzing the relationship between Vinz and Hubert, let’s take a moment to look back onto the basics of communication for a refreshment. Interpersonal communication is defined as an event that doesn’t often happen, but when it does, the event takes place between family and friends, a business meeting, or even checkout at the cashier (Stewart, Zediker, Witteborn, 2005). When humans interact interpersonally, they are communicating in a way that they are conscious of the other person as an actual person; there are qualities of communication that distinguish each event, and some of the qualities that interpersonal communication carries is that each conversation, or any communication that’s taking place, is unique, unmeasurable, reflective, responsive, addressable (Stewart et al., 2005). In other words, when humans interact interpersonally, they are taking part in this event in a way that emphasizes and recognizes the personal. This form of communication is based on the quality of the contact. Of course, this event of communication that takes place can be altered by external forces and physical environment, along with how the quality of an individual’s life affects the quality of their communication, and vice versa, (Stewart et al., 2005). Throughout La Haine, the audience sees the relationship between these three friends, and how each friendship is different from the other. External forces and physical environment play a huge role in their interaction with one another; with the violence erupting around Paris, the boys are tested in their relationships not just with each other, but those around them.

We start off by being introduced to three characters—Vinz, Said, and Hubert. As the film goes on, we get a real sense of who these characters are; they’re vivid, grounded, and relatable. One clear thing is that all three represent the diversity of France in La Haine; Vinz a Jew, Said an Arab, and Hubert a person of color. Though they don’t directly talk about their race and how each character feels about it, La Haine shows the relationship built upon the characters and how they interact with one another based on their background. One would think that with such a diverse background in characters could make them be conflicted with one another, that people would shy away from one another, but that’s not what happens in La Haine. The three seem to have a very grounded relationship, and the diversity in their race isn’t a conflict at all. Though, viewers of the film can tell the contrast between Vinz and Hubert. Hubert is a person of color—the audience can physically see that—and when we’re presented to him, he is boxing in an abandoned gym. There, he is portrayed as a strong and hardheaded character, but the audience gradually learns that he is the one amongst the group to be most grounded, that takes matters seriously, is more observant, and is the quietest. He notes later on in the movie that kids these days, “don’t want to punch just bags anymore,” stating that boxing isn’t enough of an outlet of frustration anymore, given the state of Paris. Vinz is a white man, whom is very out-spoken, will start a conflict of some kind, and doesn’t seem to be afraid to take risks. When you pair the two side by side, there’s a contrast that is pulled: a white and black man with opposite personalities. Though not stated, it’s clear that they are both conscious of these differences between them that differentiates the relationship between the three of the friends to the friendship between Vinz and Said.

A scene that really stood out to me, one that really made me think that it could definitely be somewhat of a climax in their friendship, and how they interact with and perceive one another, is when Hubert finds out Vinz didn’t leave his gun back at the trashed gym but had taken it with him. Despite understanding why Vinz has it in the first place, Hubert becomes angry and lashes out on his friend. He nearly attacks him, raising his voice and stating that he knows Vinz only took it to feel powerful, proceeding to say, “I’ll kick your ass,” while Vinz responds with, “oh yeah, how?” as if mocking him, because Vinz knows that he won’t, in fact, do it. Meanwhile, Said is in the middle, saying, “lets grab a sandwich,” trying to tone it down a bit. In this particular scene, as the two are having at it, though they are still communicating interpersonally, we narrow it down to the flexible stages of communication. They are, for one, expressing their thoughts and feelings. As for rule-governed flexibility, though they seem to be aware of the social conflicts going on around them, they deliberately choose to not fall into the norms of what society, especially the armed (police) forces want and expect. Rule-governed is stated to basically be when a person cooperates in playing a game by doing things they are obligated to do, governing to social rules (Stewart et al., 2005). Hubert seems to be the only one of the group to really understand the dangers and circumstances of what Vinz’s carrying around the gun could lead to. But Vinz only stands up for himself, as if carrying around the gun isn’t a big deal at all. Hubert knows that if they get caught with the gun, he will most likely be one to blame, since he is of color, while Vinz won’t. Hubert sees Vinz’s action(s) as irresponsible and careless, and eventually splits from the group there.

As the film goes on, we see a shift in their dynamic—Vinz tones it down a bit with wanting to feel in power, wanting to have the higher stake in situations, while Hubert becomes more open minded and some-what less grounded and serious. Which leads to one of the most important and critically viewed scenes in La Haine right at the end: Vinz gives his gun to Hubert. That simple act alone says so much about how their relationship and dynamic have changed. By this point in the film, the audience has been on a rollercoaster of emotions and changes in each relationship between the friends, and they acknowledge the change in dynamic, along with character development. Though it’s clear that they are still the same people, the same person with (most likely) the same outlook with their values and morals, Vinz and Hubert both have matured, and a new layer of trust, comfortability, and understanding has been built upon the many layers of their relationship. Vinz handing that gun to Hubert was a selfless act, in his world, one that the audience can understand and somewhat relate to. It shows that he was letting his guard down, that he doesn’t need to feel strong and superior with the gun in his possession, like he had felt in the first hospital scene as they went to visit their friend Abdel. The act shows a vulnerability, one that Hubert didn’t mock or look down upon, though rather simply accepted it, acknowledged it.

When someone says that external forces and physical environment have no effect, no impact at all, on the way an individual communicates with those around them, then they must not have had much experience in the real world. La Haine does a superb job in representing what it is like to maintain a deep level of communication with someone as physical environment changes. Interpersonal communication is one that emphasizes on the person, on a personal level, though it could be just everyday talk. But what matters in that is the content, the quality of the event. Our experiences give us a clearer perception of how to engage with those around us, making us aware of not just who we are in contact with, but how we contact them and how we change that contact, and most importantly how it changes us as a person. Vinz and Hubert represent that perfectly.

References

1. Rossignon, Christophe (Producer), & Kassovitz, Mathieu (Director). (1996). La Haine [Motion picture]. France: AmaFilms. (Available on https://usf.kanopy.com/video/la-haine)
2. Stewart, J., Zediker, K. E., & Witteborn, S. (2005). Together communicating interpersonally: A social construction approach. Los Angeles, CA: Roxbury Publishing Company.