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Stylistic Elements of There Are No Children Here

In Kotlowitz's description of the harsh realities of the Chicago projects, three stylistic elements stand out: his precise narration, his bluntness, and his questionable objectivity. These three elements blend to form a unique style that is particularly well-suited for There Are No Children Here.

If there is one thing on which critics agree when discussing this book, it is that Kotlowitz is a brilliant narrator. He has a keen eye for the daily particulars of this dangerous neighborhood. Adding to this strength is the fact that he spent years in one particular Chicago project, earning the trust of his informants. What ensues is a story that is told masterfully.

Kotlowitz conveys not only the hardships that Lafeyette and Pharaoh face, but the effect of those hardships on the boys, as well. For example, after the two children dive under cover during a drive-by shooting, both are visibly affected. The younger brother, Pharaoh, laments, "I worry about dying, dying at a young age." The older of the two, Lafeyette, tells his mother, "Mama, I'm real tired. Anytime I go outside, I ain't guaranteed to come back" (Kotlowitz 157).

These two direct quotes increase the impact of the passage infinitely. Kotlowitz's narrative technique is extremely effective in giving the reader deeply affecting portraits of the two brothers (Siler 14). It is Kotlowitz's ability to recognize the details that are essential that makes his narration brilliant and memorable.

Kotlowitz's effectiveness as a narrator is strengthened by his bluntness. For example, when dealing with the clean-up of the basement, Kotlowitz spares no details in his description: "Some Chicago Housing Authority employees wearing moon suits and gas masks clean the basements at Henry Horner, removing the animal carcasses and rusted appliances" (Kotlowitz 303). None of the grim details are edited.

Furthermore, during the funeral of a friend of one of the boys, Kotlowitz goes to great lengths to describe the body: ". . .[his] head wound had been stuffed with cotton and sutured to prevent leakage. . ." (Kotlowitz 205). The grim details have an unsettling effect on the reader, bringing the horror to life. Kotlowitz's description makes vivid the terrors of growing up in the projects (Siler 12).

Kotlowitz's straightforwardness avoids preachy declarations in favor of a simple, almost childlike tone. Kotlowitz does not sanitize the language and culture of the Horner projects (Washington 12). Children call Horner the "graveyard." The children's mother's shopping list includes "hair grease." This straightforward account brings the projects to life.

One aspect of Kotlowitz's style can be looked at in two different lights: his questionable objectivity. The author openly discusses his attachment to the family, mentioning that he has even helped them financially. He also reiterates throughout the book his deep affection for the two children.

Many critics argue that this absence of objectivity clouds Kotlowitz's ability to look at the subject in a neutral, journalistic fashion. They wonder how the author's deep personal commitment can be replicated into vast public sympathy for the projects (Edsall 36).

However, others argue that the author's affection is simply a testimony of his compassion for the two boys. At worst, they maintain, Kotlowitz could be faulted for abandoning journalistic objectivity. But at least, unlike most of the world outside the projects, he hasn't abandoned the boys (Siler 14).

The strengths of Kotlowitz's style make There Are No Children Here a memorable work of nonfiction about contemporary American life. He has given America an extraordinary glimpse into the lives of the families confined to the projects.