"To Wes, Tony was a 'certified gangsta." (page 27)
- The theme I am tracking in this quote is role models. With Wes thinking that Tony was a "certified gangsta" had the impression that he looked up to him, as a gangsta, which obviously isn't a good thing. With him looking up to him in this way, has the assumption that he wants to be this way too.
"Mary shuddered every time she left the house and was plotting her escape from Cherry Hill almost as soon as she got there." (page 29)
- The theme I am tracking in this quote is the desire to be greater than where you came from. With Mary dreading being where she is from, shows that she desires more than what Cherry Hill, aka the hood, has to offer; so she yearns for something greater.
"Wes didn't act up in class, which kept him under the radar; his teachers spent 90 percent of their time dealing with the 5 percent of kids who did." (page 30)
- The theme I am tracking in this quote is the importance of education. With Wes's teachers focusing on a small amount of kids who misbehaved showed how off task they were during a child's education time which prevents them from learning. This effected Wes in the long run even though he was often bored in class because he was smarter he was still getting a cut down from education he could've been having.
"White Boy would just shrug and say, 'its not my fault. I was born this way." (page 31)
- The theme I am tracking in this quote is family and where he came from. With him being in a place surrounded by black people with no friends like himself he is considered black, which is a stereotype in this region that since he behaved in thuggish ways he was considered "black." This shows that where you live and where you come from can mold you into your surroundings.
"He could have fought back on the spot and settled it. But when Wes had looked into the other boy's eyes, he knew that he had to send a message." (page 32)
- The theme I am tracking in this quote is overcoming obstacles and life experiences that mold you into what makes you. With Wes running from the fight instead of boxing it out with the kid, it shows a step of maturity, for little boys would fight instead of a growing man. He shows that his own betterment is more important than his pride and his appearance to other people.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Monday, February 17, 2014
Chapter 1
"We sat there, just a few feet from each other, both silent, pondering an absence." (page 4)
- The theme I am tracking in this quote is the importance of the absence of a father. As both of the Wes's sit in silence, they ponder about the impact their fathers had on their lives. One of the Wes's state that their absences are different because one of the Wes's are mourning because their father died, and the other ones father wasn't there because he didn't want to be there.
"but with a gentle laugh, reminded her that cursing at a young boy wasn't the most effective way of making a point." (page 6)
- The theme I am tracking in this quote is learning from experiences. In this part of the book Wes's mother was livid about Wes hitting his sister Nikki, which from personal experiences she learned wasn't a path she wanted her son to go down. But while exclaiming that he is wrong for hitting him, she curses which contradicts the lesson she is trying to teach, for she is still teaching him something (cursing) that isn't a good trait to accommodate.
"'revenge will not be sought,'' ... "Watende sounded too big, too complicated for such a tiny baby. It wasn't until later in life that she understood why it was so important to my father that Watende be a part of me." (page 7)
- The theme I am tracking in this quote is the family. With Wes's family giving Wes a name with much meaning, it shows the morals that Wes's family carry throughout their family. With Wes growing up and better understanding his name and its meaning, he applies it to his life and wears it as a badge of his being.
"If you try that shit again, I will kill you" ... "My mom vowed to never let another man put his hands on her. She wouldn't tolerate it in others either." (page 10)
- The theme I am tracking in this quote is overcoming obstacles. In this quote Wes's mother overcame obstacles that will soon later be life lessons for her own children.
"You must defend them, not fight them." (page 11)
- The theme I am tracking in this quote is mentoring. With Wes's father being there to lend him advice when he was unsure of what he has done in his early years, made him a better person growing up and even though he wasn't there for a long time he was still a mentor to him being his father.
- The theme I am tracking in this quote is the importance of the absence of a father. As both of the Wes's sit in silence, they ponder about the impact their fathers had on their lives. One of the Wes's state that their absences are different because one of the Wes's are mourning because their father died, and the other ones father wasn't there because he didn't want to be there.
"but with a gentle laugh, reminded her that cursing at a young boy wasn't the most effective way of making a point." (page 6)
- The theme I am tracking in this quote is learning from experiences. In this part of the book Wes's mother was livid about Wes hitting his sister Nikki, which from personal experiences she learned wasn't a path she wanted her son to go down. But while exclaiming that he is wrong for hitting him, she curses which contradicts the lesson she is trying to teach, for she is still teaching him something (cursing) that isn't a good trait to accommodate.
"'revenge will not be sought,'' ... "Watende sounded too big, too complicated for such a tiny baby. It wasn't until later in life that she understood why it was so important to my father that Watende be a part of me." (page 7)
- The theme I am tracking in this quote is the family. With Wes's family giving Wes a name with much meaning, it shows the morals that Wes's family carry throughout their family. With Wes growing up and better understanding his name and its meaning, he applies it to his life and wears it as a badge of his being.
"If you try that shit again, I will kill you" ... "My mom vowed to never let another man put his hands on her. She wouldn't tolerate it in others either." (page 10)
- The theme I am tracking in this quote is overcoming obstacles. In this quote Wes's mother overcame obstacles that will soon later be life lessons for her own children.
"You must defend them, not fight them." (page 11)
- The theme I am tracking in this quote is mentoring. With Wes's father being there to lend him advice when he was unsure of what he has done in his early years, made him a better person growing up and even though he wasn't there for a long time he was still a mentor to him being his father.
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