Buck Summaries

Ian Huggins

Professor Ayafor

10-22-15

Buck Summaries

Chapter 16- This chapter all centers around Malo and Amir being jumped into a gang. It goes through very accurately the steps and process of being jumped into the gang.  They are being told the rules in which they are to live by and at the same time being physically abused. Malo is hit behind his head and told that he needs to fight back.  They learn the rules to the street, as well as the rules as to how they are to conduct their business in the streets. They are also told here that they are not to sling (sell) drugs to children, pregnant women, or in schools as this would ultimately be apart of the genocide.  This is all there first lessons in how the gang life works and how being apart of UPK is more than just having a title but also having a distinct set of rules to live by.  Asante is trying to paint a picture here of what it is like to join a gang, and how they are structure of the gang is. This chapter relates to my life and community in many ways. As far as my life I know many people that have fallen victims to the street, and are in jail or dead. My community is filled with gangs and many people tend to loose their way.

Chapter 17- Chapter 17 takes place with Malo at his girlfriend Nia’s house. She is questioning why he decided to join a gang and he is telling her that his main reason is because his friend Uzi is gone as well as maybe he just followed Amir or maybe he just wanted the protection. Nia is less than impressed with his explanation, things carry on and they end up in some other activities, and the chapter ends with him questioning her on whats the craziest thing she ever did, to which she replies falling in love with him.  The author in this chapter is showing how your decisions affect other people and how people may not always understand why it is you are doing something. I can relate to this to this because not everything I have done in my life do people understand.

Chapter 18- This chapter revolves around Malo, Ryan and there friend Dah. Dah is a the neighborhood tattoo artist who everyone goes to see, he frequently uses the N word to which no one has a problem with although he is not black.  Dah is a talented kid as he makes tattoo guns out of pens, electric tooth brushes and guitar strings. Malo decides he wants to get a tattoo of his name Malo on his arm in big bold English letters. I don’t think there was much the author was trying to convey from this chapter or at least not much that I took from it. This chapter does not really relate to my life per say, but this is a common occurrence in the neighborhood in Connecticut where I come from and something that is seen often.

Chapter 19- Chapter 19 starts with Malo running down the hallway from Roach, he describes as having a body like a sack of laundry.  He is then in chemistry class where his teach Helga is questioning where he has been and he does not want to give up any information. She sees the tattoo on his arm and tells the class that no one with those will make it far in life. He then hears his name being called and mispronounced and isn’t sure why the person is looking for him and he makes an escape out the back door, and down the hall and ducks into a random classroom to hide. Hes found in the room by a girl Crystal who he has a brief interaction with before heading to the bathroom where he finds his mixed friend Jesse. From here hes on the roof overlooking Philly. He is in this chapter conveying how everyone is trying to get him to do other things and he is on his own path. I can relate to this because in life we always want to go our own way and there are always people trying to help us go another way.