Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence - Book Report/Review Example

Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence In his childhood, Geoffrey Canada recalls, the measuring yardstick for the youngster for delinquency was the street which the individual controlled through the rituals of fist, stick, and knife. Violence was the view of life and way of life for the combustible younger generation. Every street corner was challenged for the acts of violence and nothing was safe. Fighting was a routine affair in ghetto communities and boys were trained to fight and commit violent acts at the young age of 4 years. Success was recognized and those who did not want to fight were humiliated and they were at the receiving end from the stronger boys. Canada writes, “New boys who came on the block had to be placed in the pecking order. If they had no credentials, no one to vouch for their ability, they had to fight different people on the block until it could be ascertained exactly where they fit in. If you refused to fight, you move to the bottom of the order”. (p.22) Fighting abilities were thus ranked. Different theories lead to the understanding of juvenile delinquency. They fall under three categories: psychological, sociological and biological. Canada, with the backup of his own experience, articulates that violence is learned and not genetically caused and biologically based. Society is responsible to build or break an individual. Unless preventive measures are taken, suitable counseling is not done at the appropriate stages, the lessons of violence learned at the young age may shape an individual into a hard-boiled violent individual and committing crimes is the easiest of the options for such individuals. To support his sociological considerations for the eruption and sustenance of violence in the society, Canada requests for the scrutiny of world history and that of America, in relation to violence. With the improvement in the economic and sociological conditions and the level of education, the trend of violence in inner-city communities has changed substantially. The trend of using the weaponry has also changed but the emergence of the handgun generation cannot be termed as the welcome signs of societal reformation or for that matter can contribute to the reformation of the younger generation. The methods of executing violent acts have changed from crude to special. This social ill affects both the communities, though the scale tilts adversely in favor of the colored people. The problem, which was initially linked to a particular race, has changed its position. Materialistic civilization, aggrandizement for wealth, cravings to earn more and more money without taking to consideration the means employed, have contributed to the delinquent behavior amongst children and youth. Canada concedes that there is acute violence in communities heavily populated by people of color and he also points out that the middle class white neighborhoods and suburbs are also to equally to blame. They are part of this social ill. The trend of violence moves like the octopus that grows in all the directions. The children of most of the communities are at the receiving end. Parents have no time for children, and they are psychologically victimized, turn directionless and destination less. As such violence has become the national crisis and a host of factors in the overall system like economy, family, school, government, print and electronic media, entertainment industry, TV channels that beam the negativities through their ill-conceived programs, the system of education and altruistic adults, impact the psyche of children and goad them to the path of violence. The one, who knows what delinquent behavior is and has suffered on account of that, can devise ways and means to stall the process of children and youth taking to the path of violence. Canada has the requisite practical experience to initiate the reformation process in this area. His insight on the subject led him to establish and develop an ideal and unique educational institution, the Beacon School. Violence management and violence prevention are comprehensively taken care of in this institution. Though it is not specifically mentioned, in effect it is a spiritual educational institution. Adequate importance is given to character building, economic prosperity, and total education for children to mold their character and to evolve them as responsible citizens. It is now agreed upon by the top authorities that this type of education is the only viable option to check the epidemic of violence. Not one theory can explain the causes of violence in totality. Biological theory may have some bearing and genetic abnormalities within the chromosomes can lead to violent and criminal behavior, but this alone cannot predict or provide proof for criminal behavior. Canada stands by and supports social learning and psychological theories for violent behavior. In tandem with the concepts of these theories the establishment of Beacon School needs to be understood. What we need in the society are not only great projects but also great and noble individuals to launch and manage them. Individuals who conform to rules, laws and morals of the society shape as responsible citizens of the country. When the children interact with positive role models at home, school and community, such children will adopt positive ways to progress in life. If there is violence at home, abnormal conditions of groups and violence in the school, the children cope up with their frustration through violence. Canada’s life: What contributed to his delinquent behavior? Recalling his childhood memories Canada writes, “The lowest group was those children who could not leave the sidewalk, children too young to have any status at all. I belonged to this group and I hated it. The sidewalk, while it provided plenty of opportunity to play with other children, seemed to me to be the sidelines. The real action happened in the street”. (p.19)He was driven to delinquency not by choice, but by the compulsion of the societal circumstances. His inner world (psychology) was constantly attacked by the environmental and societal conditions in the South Bronx. It created deep unrest within him and he was too powerless to challenge the all-round hostile situation that engulfed him. Mother looked after the home but she was helpless about the atmosphere outside that was full of negativities as the codes of the street were rather inhuman. He had lost his father. Canada writes “Whatever pressure and stress his leaving put on my mother, having to raise four boys alone, she didn’t show to us. We thought everything was fine. But we were young, still living in a childhood period of innocence”. (p.4)Either participate in violence or get a severe thrashing to suffer humiliation. His peers taught him the negative aspects of life. He writes of his own initiation: "The first rules I learned on Union Avenue stayed with me for all of my youth. They were simple and straightforward. Don't cry. Don't act afraid. Don't tell your mother. Take it like a man. Don't let anyone take your manhood."(p.37) The emergence of the Harlem Children’s Zone is the indirect product of the heap of negativities that engulfed youth. Just as an intelligent miner extracts diamond from the dusty coalmine, the emergence of this institution, so to say, is the gift of the world of crimes. The Zone Project today covers 100 blocks and aims to serve over 10,000 children. Canada grew up in fear and as such he knew what it means to help others and make them fearless. Despite his appalling backdrops he was an achiever and he graduated from Bowdoin College (Bachelor of Arts) and took his master’s degree in education from the Harvard School of Education. Thus with his practical experience and theory education he is eminently suited to write a book on the captioned subject. Work Cited Canada, Geoffrey. Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence. Beacon Press; New York, 2010; Print Read More