Hole In My Life Analysis

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The American Dream is something everyone strives for, it's different for everyone. The only important part is how they achieve it, some people try to take the easy way out which can lead to them getting in more trouble than they bargained for. In the memoir Hole in my Life by Jack Gantos, it is about how he grew up striving to be a young writer then his life took a turn for the worst. When Jack was in high school he moved to an island called St. Croix for his father's job, it turned out to not be such a good deal, his family ended up struggling to pay for rent, food, and other basic necessities. He needed to find a way to get off this island and make money for his family and quick, like too many people he decided that he would take the easy …show more content…

Growing up Jack’s dad’s had a “keen eye for spotting criminals of all stripes was impressive” because he would always point out people that he thought were druggies, criminals, or ex-convicts. He would tell him as a kid that there is no coming back from certain things and being in jail was one of them (Gantos 7). “His eye “wasn’t perfect. He never pegged [Jack] for being one of them” (Gantos 7). Along with his dad trying to help his son not become a criminal his high school tried to help the community as well, In the town's high school there was a presentation where criminals came to share their stories and how they regret doing the things they did because doing the time and wasting their life was not worth it. Jack believed this to be useless, “What could they say that could possibly change my life? I was enjoying my life just fine. I wasn’t going to become a criminal. I was going to be a writer. And if not a writer, I wasn’t sure what I might do, but I certainly had no interests in becoming a criminal,” (Gantos 28). Little did he know that later in life he would become a prisoner …show more content…

He then found himself drifting away from being this typical American by getting into dirty work that was against the law. Most Americans do find themselves in a set back on their way to achieving their goal; but most do not encounter this set back as a penalty for breaking the law. Along with being a typical American at first Jack was very different and self-reliant, when he was 18 finishing up school he stayed behind while his family moved to St.Croix. He got a job and payed for rent, food, and gas for his car. Although he started providing for himself he did start to get involved in drugs and alcohol. He later moved to be with his family and got a new job down

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