Alex Kotlowitz's There Are No Children Here

1329 Words6 Pages
Imagine being an eleven year old boy and waking up every morning with unsure feelings that you would live the next day. Imagine watching your family be slaughtered and raped but knowing that calling the police would only be unpromising and disappointing. In the devastating novel There are No Children Here by Alex Kotlowitz, families struggle with picturing their future much less planning their future. In the eyes of the Henry Horner residents each of these examples is something that does not come as a surprise, but rather expected and feared. Not only was envisioning their future hard for them, but even escaping their dangerous neighborhood to a less life-risking environment was beyond their reach. The families of Henry Horner were discouraged and had no hope to break out of their hazardous and poverty stricken lives. Extreme violence, bitter neglect, and inferior schooling strongly influenced their ideal dreams of living in a harmless environment. Leading to many bad outcomes,…show more content…
The past struggles for people in ghettos or even just plain struggle to succeed has developed the work ethic. In present day America, it is believed that you must work hard to achieve your dreams. Working hard to accomplish your dreams is the ideal way Americans wish to achieve their goals. There are No Children Here by Alex Kotlowitz illustrates the hunger young children had for an education and a life without violence. The children of 2006 many times don't recognize the privilege of a free education and safe environment. In reading this book I have grown a stronger understanding of true hopelessness. As a young child growing up I have always thought about my future, made plans, dreamed, scheduled, but never had I had the fear of "if I grow up", but rather certain that I was going to grow up, and there was no other
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