Character Development in Green Book

The movie Green Book directed by Peter Farrelly is a biographical work with comedy and drama elements. The movie’s title is based on "The Negro Motorists’ Green Book" written by another African American Victor Hugo Green during the time of Jim Crow laws in order to guide African American travelers. The movie received lots of positive comments and awards, but, naturally, it also received negative criticism.

The film is set in 1962 and is based on the tour of an African American musician Don Shirley to the Deep South. The movie opens with Frank Vallelonga, also known as Tony Lip, being unemployed due to the closure of his workplace. He looks for jobs and is invited to a job interview with Don Shirley and gets hired. They are to come back to New York by Christmas eve. So, the journey begins.

The film is a road narrative that depicts character or characters' psychological and physical changes as they travel. One of the main aspects of a road narrative is the change as an outcome in the characters’ persona. One can clearly see that the two are completely different from each other in many ways. While Don is polite, meticulous, firm, lonely, and somewhat arrogant, Tony has a big family and is tough-minded, rude, dowdy, and racist.

The audience can clearly see his racism in many scenes. For instance, he despises black people so much that when he saw two black workers drink something from glasses, he threw them away. Also, he makes a stereotypical statement about Chinese Americans to Don Shirley. Moreover, he talks to his wife about Don Shirley in a funny way by mocking his clothes. Another example of his racism can be observed in his biased comments about a Russian-speaking member of the trio. Furthermore, in his letter, he makes a stereotypical statement about Don’s musical talent by suggesting that his talent is not fit for a black person. Another example of Tony’s racism can be seen in the scene where the two listen to black singers on the radio and he states that the black singers are Don’s people. However, Tony’s racism softens as they move on and the two start to create a bond. 

Characters’ influences on each other are some of the main features that shape their persona through the road. Don Shirley, who once chose his career over his family, starts to realize the importance of family through the relationship between Tony and Dolores.

Also, he gets to observe and experience the world from Tony’s perspective. By questioning his moral choices, Don tries to understand Tony deeply and this new perspective enables him to interpret things differently. Don is, naturally, biased against white people due to the racism he faces; but his general judgment starts to change as he further communicates with Tony and learns about him.

On the other hand, Tony is subject to change, too. He realizes the beauty of nature as they pass fields. His perception of the world expands from his neighborhood to the plains of America. Also, through Don’s forced questions Tony starts to question his acts as well. In a way, Don serves as a moral teacher for Tony. By expanding his perspective and through interracial communication Tony’s firm racism starts to break. The moment where we get to understand that Tony’s racist thoughts are completely gone is that when they are in town, Tony states the likeness between the white mannequin and Don. We can understand from his acts that he considers Don a friend.

He also talks with other members of the trio and dines with them. Not only Tony but also his romantic life benefits from Don. By getting help with his letters, Tony starts to understand romanticism and finally writes a romantic letter on his own. The two formed a strong bond eventually. We can understand it at the hotel when old contacts of Tony offered him a job, and Don, with the fear of losing Tony, made a better offer. However, Tony showed loyalty to their friendship and agreement. Moreover, we can understand that Don cares for Tony’s opinions when he asks him to decide whether he should play at a racist place and Tony does not want him to play in a place like that. Also, it can be understood from the scene where Tony is tired and Don drives the car to the last stop that the relationship between them is no longer a matter of work, but a matter of friendship.

As a result of this road experience, a once racist and rude person becomes caring for others and leaves his racist ideals behind for good. On the other hand, a high-nosed, lonely musician starts to understand the world from different perspectives and becomes purified from his arrogance. Also, he is now a part of a big Italian American family and is no longer lonely. Something more important than others is that now both Tony and Don have a trusted and beloved friends.