QUOTES
"What is it like for children to grow up here? What do they think the world has done to them? Do they believe that they are being shunned or hidden by society? If so, do they think that they deserve this? What is it that enables some of them to pray? When they pray, what do they say to God?" (Kozol 5)
This quote asks multiple questions in regards to the younger generation living in the South Bronx in New York. These children see things that no person should have to see - never mind people their age. These questions in this quote can be asked throughout the course of this entire text. These don't have one specific answer, there are many individual answers. Personally it's sad and extremely hard for me to read about people actually living like this. A lot of times I get caught up in my own problems and have to stop and remind myself that I shouldn't complain about the things that I have when there are other people in this world that aren't doing as well.
"In humid summer weather, roaches crawl on virtually every surface of the houses in which many of the children live. Rats emerge from holes in bedroom walls, terrorizing infants in their cribs." (Kozol 5)
Kozol is explaining that how these people are living isn't clean and it's scary. A lot of people in this community are addicts and it's difficult for them to get on their feet with always having a need for the drugs and money at the same time. Since these people have such a low financial status, it makes more sense that they're living in such harsh conditions. But, that doesn't mean it's acceptable. Call me naive but I wish there was a possible way for me to help all of these people. I wouldn't be able to live like this so it breaks my heart to know that people actually have to.
"'I believe that we were put here for a purpose, but these people in the streets can't see a purpose. There's a whole world out there if you know it's there, if you can see it. But they're in a cage. They cannot see." (Kozol 24)
This quote is saying that there are many opportunities and things to be experienced but if you don't have the chance to embrace them, you can't even imagine them being legitimate. Kozol is saying that we're all put on this earth for a purpose but these people in the South Bronx area can't see their purpose in life. Throughout the beginning, Kozol is brought on a tour of the South Bronx neighborhood by a little boy named Cliffie. This boy introduces Kozol to different people and he was able to see how these people live. He shows him the "Children's Park" where the teddy bears were hanging from the trees, where addicts went for condoms and clean needles from volunteers. These people don't have that opportunity to see the world for what its worth, they're stuck in that "cage" that Kozol explains in this quote. They don't know that there is a whole world full of opportunities and chances.
I found this video on youtube! Its entitled "Amazing Grace by J. Kozol - UNF Community Nursing Project"
This video shows pictures and quotes of a few things that were discussed in the text that we read. I believe its a very interesting video and if you have a few minutes, you should watch it!
You picked some really fitting quotes from this article. The one about the rats struck me at the time as being particularly awful, but today it was driven home even more. Today in my class, State of the World’s Children, we watched a film called “Born Into Brothels”. The conditions were even worse (if that’s possible) than what was described here. One of the slightly older boys (about age twelve) who was interviewed was talking about dirty dishes being left next to dirty shoes. It was horrifying because you could see everything for yourself. Even more terrible was the fact that the children of women who work in the red light district cannot get into good schools where the movie was shot (in India). American cities shouldn’t be comparable to cities in the Third World. But I think it is important to remember that the conditions we are reading about aren’t unique to New York City or even America, a fact that is terribly sad.
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