There Are No Children Here - If I Grow Up Essay -- There are No Childr

in that location Are No Children Here - If I Grow Up If I grow up, Id like to be a bus driver. If -- non when. Sentiments like this peal hauntingly through the pages of Alex Kotlowitzs account of his two-year documentation of the lives of two brothers, Lafeyette and Pharoah Rivers. The boys are afforded little happiness and too much grief, trying to survive from daylight to day in their appartment at the crime-ridden Henry Horner Homes housing project on the outskirts of Chicago. When Kotlowitz approached the boys mother, LaJoe, about writing the book about her children, she agreed with him, but felt the pick up to set him straight. that you know, there are no chlidren here. Theyve seen too much to be children, LaJoe told Kotlowitz. Lajoe moved to Horner when she was a young girl with her family of thirteen. The family had been living in a flat supra a church that lacked adequate heating and frequently rang of organ music from the church below. Hearing of the newly finshed public housing projects for financi each(prenominal)y disadvantaged families, LaJoes parents jammed up the family and moved to one of the new buildings. When the family first arrived in their new home, they could not believe their eyes. It looked like a palace. Outside there were yellow flowers and lamp posts. The exterior of the building was made of sturdy, dark-red brick. Inside, the walls were a pristine white, with shiney linoleum floors. A new range and refrigerator awaited in the kitchen. It seemed like a dream to them -- until it all came crashing down. One of Lajoes sisters was found strangled in the familys bathtub. Then, upon hearing the news of his sisters death, one of Lajoes brothers had a heart attack and died. LaJoes parents packed up shortly ... ...sing the possibility of suing her keep up for child support with someone. As for the analysis of the book itself, although the author aims toward providing a chronicle of two years in the lives of the two brothers, he actually ends up writing more about their mother. He discusses LaJoes parents, how they met and married and why they moved to Horner. He depicts LaJoe as an extremely kind-hearted yet tough womanhood who will do anything to help not only her own family, but all the neighborhood children as well. LaJoe feeds and cares for many of the neighborhood children. For this, she is rare and special in an environment of cruddy mothers who are prostitutes and drug addicts. She sticks by her children when most mothers would be ashamed and disown them. I finished this book feeling a abundant deal of enjoy and admiration for LaJoe and everytihg she went through. There Are No Children Here - If I Grow Up Essay -- There are No ChildrThere Are No Children Here - If I Grow Up If I grow up, Id like to be a bus driver. If -- not when. Sentiments like this echo hauntingly through the pages of Alex Kotlowitzs account of his two-year documentation of the lives of two brothers, La feyette and Pharoah Rivers. The boys are afforded little happiness and too much grief, trying to survive from day to day in their appartment at the crime-ridden Henry Horner Homes housing project on the outskirts of Chicago. When Kotlowitz approached the boys mother, LaJoe, about writing the book about her children, she agreed with him, but felt the need to set him straight. But you know, there are no chlidren here. Theyve seen too much to be children, LaJoe told Kotlowitz. Lajoe moved to Horner when she was a young girl with her family of thirteen. The family had been living in a flat above a church that lacked adequate heating and frequently rang of organ music from the church below. Hearing of the newly finshed public housing projects for financially disadvantaged families, LaJoes parents packed up the family and moved to one of the new buildings. When the family first arrived in their new home, they could not believe their eyes. It looked like a palace. Outside there were yello w flowers and lamp posts. The exterior of the building was made of sturdy, dark-red brick. Inside, the walls were a pristine white, with shiney linoleum floors. A new range and refrigerator awaited in the kitchen. It seemed like a dream to them -- until it all came crashing down. One of Lajoes sisters was found strangled in the familys bathtub. Then, upon hearing the news of his sisters death, one of Lajoes brothers had a heart attack and died. LaJoes parents packed up soon ... ...sing the possibility of suing her husband for child support with someone. As for the analysis of the book itself, although the author aims toward providing a chronicle of two years in the lives of the two brothers, he actually ends up writing more about their mother. He discusses LaJoes parents, how they met and married and why they moved to Horner. He depicts LaJoe as an extremely kind-hearted yet tough woman who will do anything to help not only her own family, but all the neighborhood children as wel l. LaJoe feeds and cares for many of the neighborhood children. For this, she is rare and special in an environment of black mothers who are prostitutes and drug addicts. She sticks by her children when most mothers would be ashamed and disown them. I finished this book feeling a great deal of respect and admiration for LaJoe and everytihg she went through.