An American Anger Story

An American Anger Story explores Stan, an 18 year old still growing up in the poor part of town, and the people that interact with him. Circumstance and a charitable interest both cause Mr. Jackson, an upper class man living just a few miles away, to befriend Stan. Suspense occurs initially regarding Mr. Jackson's intentions, a suspense that then spills into Stan's reactions. Their relationship slowly grows until Stan begins requiring and asking for help. Stan's perception of Mr. Jackson's rationale for refusing this help leads to an almost inevitable conclusion. Though logical, the events surrounding this conclusion are difficult to predict. There have been plenty of multicultural societies with diversity similar to the modern day United States. But An American Anger Story describes the explosive nature of what makes ours so unique. In Stan, a young mixed-race man from Missouri, we see promise and potential. In Mr. Jackson, his older wealthy "friend" we see how a similar version of the promise sometimes gets fulfilled. And in their unusual connection we observe why these relationships are so frustratingly impossible to achieve. "Why can't we be friends?" they ask. There is certainly this pervasive sense that of course they can't. But why? An American Anger Story offers a terrifying explanation with its implications for the tension, crime, and violence of modern America.