Analysis of Code of the Street: Decency, Violence, and the Moral Life of the Inner City - Book Report/Review Example

School: Book Review: of the Street Decency Violence and The Moral Life of the Inner By Elijah Anderson Chapter 1: Decent and Street Families In this first chapter of the book, Anderson has unfolded the differences between the decent families and the street families living in the inner-city communities and neighborhoods. He has explained in detail that how these decent families struggle hard to attain standardized life style. Such groups are observed as hardworking and very much focused on their independence. In addition, decent families have been seen more cautious about their moral and ethical values as compare to street families. At the same time, they struggle hard to infuse the same moral and qualities in their children. These groups are more family-oriented and focused to achieve a better quality life style. Decent parents allow their children to be more focused in their studies and religion. Their children could be seen going to church and schools. They teach their children to be respectful and kind towards other people as well as they work hard on building positive social environment around them. This can be specifically termed as code of street. When any violence occurs, these parents teach their children how to adopt a defensive behavior against the enemy without getting weaker. On other hand, street families have parents who express lack for concerns for the people around them. They teach their children the code of streets in a negative manner. They express social disorganization with the environment and the people around them. As a result, it is evident to observe a destructive behavior in their children who are prone to drugs, violence, domestic abuse and quarrels. Chapter 2: Campaigning for Respect: In this chapter of the book, Anderson speaks about the term “respect’ and “values”. He explores that how children adopt the various attitudes and street-behavior when they are socializing on streets with other children. Streets bear the most realities of inner-city life. Street families teach their children differently on how to socialize with the other children on street when they are spending most of their time out side of the home. On the other hand, families with values and moral responsibilities teach their children how to be defensive against any harm and how to avoid any trouble outside of their homes. In some cases, children from such families are not allowed to remain outside for longer durations. When children from different family backgrounds socialize with each other, a kind of social shuffle happens. It depends on the children that which way he chooses to go. The writer explains that the campaigning for respect is a kind of a street code which helps the families living in inner-cities to survive on the streets. It helps the children to organize their life by adopting healthy behavior and by gaining respect for the people around them as well as it also teaches them how to be responsive with other people. Anderson calls this campaign a complex mechanism for the young people to survive and respect. Chapter 3: Drugs, Violence and Street Crime: In this chapter Anderson has explained that how the drug industry has become a threat for the survival of the black young people. This has merged as an impending threat to the code of the street. Due to racism, Black American young people have to face a lot of troubles at work and as a result, they have negative impression in the community and in the society, at large. Ultimately, this situation triggers the unfavorable conditions for them and allows them to become a part of such subculture where violence and drugs hold prominent positions. It helps to gain economic stability. Anderson has criticized the drug dealers and their psychological impact on the minds of young Americans who view them as role models due to their economic stability. They started viewing the business of drugs as a system to gain materials and valuable items from the addicts. They link the economic stability with respect and social status. As a result, Anderson has explained that it dismembers the traditional norms and ethical values as well as he has viewed this kind of behavior has a threat to code of the street. Anderson has clearly explained that how the young black Americans are being affected by such type of people in the community which are causing harm to the values and to the families. Chapter 4: The Mating Game: In this chapter, Anderson explains about the teenage pregnancy and the fast emerging one parent family structure which have been mentioned by him as an outcome of the immoral practices and poor family brought-up. The chapter explores that how mating game appears as a mode to satisfy one’s sexual desire by engaging into sexual activities at a very early age due to lack of respect for women and other practices adopted by the inner-city black American young boys. Anderson explains the role of decent and street families in this regard that how their teachings can influence such type of behavior in the minds of these young people and how these young people view the concept of getting into sexual relations and getting pregnant. Poor economic backgrounds and indulgence in bad activities are the major factors behind the adoption of such kind of involvement as they are not concerned about the long-term consequences of their behavior and they do not know that cultivating relationships with more than one woman and impregnating them could yield serious outcomes in their lives. Chapter 5: The Decent Daddy: In his fifth chapter which is known as “Decent Daddy”, Anderson explains about a man who is a decent father with all the necessary qualities to be called as man of principles and respect in the society. Anderson explains that this man represents all the traits of being a responsible father who works to support his family, rule the household, safeguards his daughter and put all his efforts in making his little son to be like him. He is the man who knows how to embrace the ethics at work; he follows the rules and regulations, receives the support from the church and enjoys the economic resources. But in recent days, his duties are responsibilities are challenged by various factors and he has failed to play his conventional role. And as a result, this decent daddy appears as a sensitive man now with limited economic resources and more responsibilities and when this man is challenged by his wife, turns into a violent person who does not hesitate to enforce domestic abuse on her. It has become highly important for the decent daddy to restrict himself with his traditional role in order to preserve the values and ethics in the community. In this chapter Anderson explains the incident of a decent daddy who turned bitter on the death of his son; who was killed by a group of gangsters. Anderson explains the agony of this man who lost all the decency and respect vital for the survival of his family and the people around him. Chapter 6: The Black Inner-City Grandmother in Transition: In the sixth chapter of the book, Elijah Anderson has explained about the role of Black Grandmothers in the up-bringing of their grandchildren. In this section of the book, the writer has tried to differentiate the role of a black grandmother with those of one in reality and the ones we hear about in folklore roles. He explains that such grandmothers are burdened to take care of their grandchildren who are either abandoned by their own parents or who are stuck in jails. Such grandmothers have to undergo many hard times in bringing up the kids. They are burdened with responsibilities. At this stage when we have the decent families and street families around us, it become highly important for the black grandmother to assert moral and ethical values on the outlines of decent families in the minds of their young grandchildren. In some cases, these grandmothers are challenged to rear the kids on their own. The writer explains that it appears as a challenge for the black grandmothers to infuse values in the kids and to convince them on to stay decent and respecting rightly would bring success to them. There are limited numbers of women who have social capital such as social networks and greater respect in the community that allows them to fulfill their role respectfully. Chapter 7: John Turner’s Story: The last chapter of the book revolves around the personal experience of Anderson. This chapter explains that how Anderson got personally associated with a young man known as John Turner. Anderson started taking keen interest and developed a special kind of curiosity for Mr. Turner. He helped on different occasion under different circumstances. Anderson’s special favors included such as providing Mr. Turner with legal counseling, keen assistance in employment search, and granting him with different financial aids for more than one time. John Turner was an overall a troubled person. At various occasions he was fired or faced with legal sentencing. Anderson was doing all that he could do make the person’s life easy and peaceful. Anderson had sincere intentions in helping Mr. Turner with all that he could do for him in his limited sphere. At one time, Anderson found John being involved in drug dealing which he gave up on their meeting. He told Anderson that he could be anything but cannot be a cold-hearted drug dealer. Anderson had to face a long history of misdemeanors led by John. From his story he concluded that it is important to have decency in life along with stable families. To achieve anything it is important to have a stable behavior along with decency and a respect for people and environment. Hard work is a key factor without which it is impossible to become anything like John who envisioned a prosperous life but failed to achieve that because of lack of values and hard work. Works Cited: Anderson, E. Code of the Street: Decency, Violence, and the Moral Life of the Inner City.W. W. Norton & Company; USA (Reprint edition), 2000 Read More