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
match violence with violence. Canada wrote "What ever happened you had to take it like a man." (p.44) Their age of innocence ended at a very young age and they had to learn to survive in the "jungle they lived in."
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”.
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.
After hearing a brief description of the story you might think that there aren’t many good things about they story. However, this is false, there are many good things in this book that makes it a good read. First being that it is a very intriguing book. This is good for teenage readers because often times they don’t willingly want to read, and this story will force the teenage or any reader to continue the book and continue reading the series. Secondly, this is a “good” book because it has a good balance of violence. This is a good thing because it provides readers with an exciting read. We hear and even see violence in our everyday life and I believe that it is something teenagers should be exposed to. This book gives children an insig...
Violent Media is Good for Kids, by Gerard Jones, is an article which makes many claims to support the argument that a controlled amount of violence could be beneficial for a young, developing child. Even though the topic of this article can be controversial, the claims serve to support the argument in many noteworthy ways. It is written in such a way that it tells a story, starting when the author was a child and working its way to adulthood. In this case, the author uses, what I believe to be just the correct amount of rhetorical strategy, and fulfills his goal of writing the article. This argument is interesting and, at the same time, effective.
Guns do protect us, but they can also be very dangerous to us if used improperly, for instants when a teenage boy went to school and shot one of his classmates looking for revenge against a librarian. Books on the other hand aren’t as dangerous to us, but they can put thoughts in children’s heads if the book is very graphic. There is no need to h...
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.
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.
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
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 ...
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
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 ...
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.