I just completed an incredible book entitled Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal Histroy of Violence, written by Geoffrey Canada and illustrated by Jamar Nicholos in 2010. This book describes what life was like for Canada and his three brothers in the poverty stricken streets of the South Bronx's in the 1950's and 1960's. His father was an alcoholic and not a strong presence in his life, so in many ways he was raised by his mother and the streets of New York. Canada uses wonderful illustrations which kept me interested in his story. His illustrations lead me to believe the target audience he is trying to reach are teenagers, though I am sure it would be good for any age. Unlike the teachigns of martin Luther King, Canada's parents told them to
I first read Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel in the Fall 2003 based on a recommendation from a friend. Many chapters of the book are truly fascinating, but I had criticisms of the book back then and hold even more now. Chief among these is the preponderance of analysis devoted to Papua New Guinea, as opposed to, say, an explanation of the greatly disparate levels of wealth and development among Eurasian nations. I will therefore attempt to confine this review on the "meat and potatoes" of his book: the dramatic Spanish conquest of the Incas; the impact of continental geography on food production; and finally, the origins of the Eurasian development of guns, germs, and steel. In terms of structure, I will first summarize the book's arguments, then critically assess the book's evidentiary base, and conclude with an analysis of how Guns, Germs, and Steel ultimately helps to address the wealth question.
Geoffrey Canada shares his story about growing up in an inner city neighborhood of the South Bronx in the 1950s and 1960s. Geoffrey Canada is one of four boys who live with his mother after their father left them. Geoffrey Canada talks about the struggles of growing up in the inner city and facing many challenges. As Geoffrey Canada grew up he witnessed a lot of violence which included young children getting their hands on firearms. The prevalence of firearms among children has changed the nature of violence in the United States. Violent acts have transformed from fists, sticks, and knifes to guns. Guns have undermined the street code of honor, the OGs back in the day were ruthless but not killers, this new generation has no developed courage and fighting skills but relied on guns for protection.
...ssibly help more than harm. Experience has taught me that when a child walks in fear of expressing their feelings they bottle up all of their emotions; simply because they’re afraid of the consequences. Teaching children to appropriately use and appreciate violent media will help them build confidence, “power, and selfhood.” (Jones 287) He successfully executes the use of rhetorical methods and offers solutions to the opposing viewpoint. Jones’ consistent use logical and emotional appeal entices the reader and effectively persuades; this clearly substantiates his deserving of the top persuasiveness prize.
The problem of youth violence is not an unsolvable one. Although fictional, American History X provides an accurate example of how youths can make the transition from violent behavior. We must work to seek out the blind and the lost boys to help them find their vision in a world that is so often covered in darkness.
Geoffrey Canada’s characters in Fist Stick Knife Gun use violence to increase their status and honor, and to make themselves stand out from the rest of their group as being more powerful. Canada’s violence is necessary to his characters as it is their only way to distinguish different people’s power. Canada’s characters also use violence to save their lives, as the adults in their life cannot protect the children. Canada writes: “status was a major issue for boys on the block” (Canada 18), a very blunt yet compelling statement that describes the importance of “status” for the boys on the block. “On the block,” respect and power means everything, as social order is decided by these qualities. Canada argues that in the South Bronx this “status” and social order could only be decided ...
Jones, Gerard. “Violent Media is Good for Kids.” Analytical Writing: A Guide to College Composition 1. M. Clay Hooper.,D. Marzette., Beth Wade. Cengage Learning, 2011. 285-88. Print.
Have you ever looked at someone and thought, I wonder what made him/her the way she is today?” When you do this, you often have to look back on a person’s childhood. How did certain events affect them? Over time violence has become dramatically evident is children’s lives. Parents do not seem to be careful with their children’s viewing habits. They are beginning to let them watch whatever is on TV. For example: Family guy, all those shows on Adult swim. These violent TV programs could cause so many problems for the children and parents later on in life. Parents should carefully monitor children’s viewing habits so they have limited exposure to violence, increase their physical activity, and decrease aggressive behavior.
The Book “Fist Stick Knife Gun” by Geoffrey Canada is a biographical account of his childhood in the south Bronx. He and his 4 brothers were raised by only their mother. She would survive on no more than ten dollars a week. He moved several times as a child until finally landing on union avenue, the place were many of his life lessons were learned and at times applied. He learned about the ranking process of kids on union Ave. and how the only way to improve your status was to use your fists to fight your way up the chain. Looking back Geoffrey Canada notices the major shift in attitudes concerning the rules of the streets. What once was harmless fist fighting has now turned over to guns. His opinions can be seen in his title “Fist Stick Knife Gun”.
In Firearms: A Global History to 1700, Kenneth Chase investigates why Europe perfected firearms when the Chinese invented them. Kenneth Chase is an attorney at law who received his PhD in East Asian Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University. He uses primary sources in the form of texts and paintings as well as secondary sources in this monograph to trace the origin and spread of firearms. He also uses these sources to characterize militaries and determine why they used or did not use firearms. Chase dismisses the notion that the discrepancy between Eastern and Western firearms development was the result of cultural aversion. If anything, he argues that Europeans were more averse to firearms due to its association to Satan and a general
Kinston, North Carolina, a small southern city, with approximately 21,000 residents, was once very bright and prosperous. Recently, named one of North Carolina's top 10 most dangerous cities, Kinston has become a hub for constant violence throughout schools and neighborhoods. Kinston’s violence primarily stems from the lack of opportunities the youth have been granted. Gun and gang violence, prevalent throughout Kinston's low income and impoverished neighborhoods, have created a fearful environment in which the youth cannot prosper nor improve their circumstantial backgrounds. Losing several friends and classmates to violence it has widely affected the youth in my community making them more susceptive to retaliation. Kinston’s negative persona
Currently with easy access to guns, gun violence occurs all too commonly on our streets, in our schools and workplaces. A child or teen is killed or injured by guns every 30 minutes. (3) Young children and teens have become insensitive to this gun culture, and in many neighborhoods, children expect to die violently, probably by being shot. Despite living in the world's richest, strongest, freest nation, children often do not have the freedom to believe one day they will ...
Young children are exposed to violence every day. In TV shows, books, games, cartoons, movies, and the internet, violence is a part of everyone’s lives, but especially those of young kids. For example, recently Paramount Pictures released Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, a weapon slinging twist on a classic fairy tale (McKay). In the movie they have people blow their own heads off with a shotgun. In retrospect this movie isn’t meant for children 13 and below, although kids would want to see a “fairy tale” like this. Young 10 year olds, today even ...
Known illustrator and comic artist, Toby Morris publishes his online short story, “The Pencilsword: On a Plate,” which introduces a sociological concept that gives meaning to how people approach their social economic status. Morris’s purpose is to expand the meaning of privilege and to convey the idea that people seem to differentiate others according to their economic upbringing. He presents his argument by using two main characters, Richard and Paula, each identified separately based on their financial stability of their family and the effects they receive from it. They each live in separate households with very distinct lifestyles. Richard lives a prosperous, easy, and stress free life with many open opportunities, while Paula lives a considerably
White, D. (1999 June). “Violence is not Child’s Play: Parents fight an uphill battle in teaching non-violence to their children. Christian Social Action 12, 30-32.
Kalin, Carla. Television, Violence, and Children. Media Literacy Review. University of Oregon College of Education, 10 May 2003. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.