Essay on Amazing Grace

Jonathan Kozol’s Fire in the Ashes is an honest depiction of the hardships and triumphs of families in the South Bronx, New York. In this book, Kozol introduces us to several Hispanic and Black families that he originally met in the Mott Haven/Martinique Hotel in the 1980’s and allows us to view their trajectory in the proceeding 25 years. By allowing the reader a look into the lives of these families, he provides us with a realistic depiction of the disadvantages families living in poverty encounter despite interventions from charity organizations and philanthropic donors. Kozol identifies that without “systematic justice and systematic equity in public education” (Kozol, 2013, pg 304) students in these impoverished neighborhoods will continue to lack the same economic opportunities that may potentially lead them out of the welfare system. Kozol emphasizes lack of stable housing, and unequal educational opportunities, as primarily conditions to perpetuating poverty. Despite the challenges that the families endure, Kozol is able to show that they are resilient.

Following the civil rights acts in the late 1960s, Kozol has been an activist for equal education among children regardless of their racial or economic background. He has published many books portraying the declining levels of equality throughout the nation; his most praised being Amazing Grace. He travels to the Mott Haven division of the South Bronx, which happens to be one of the poorest nations in the country. While in Mott Haven, Kozol meets many people including children, parents, and ministers; and speaks with them about their living conditions and how they see the world around them.

It is scary when you don’t know anybody and have to try to make new friends. Many of your young childhood friends will stay with you for a lifetime. Today, I am still friends with many of my oldest friends. They have become like family. I want to say that this novel is a great way for people to see how somebody from a diverse population lives. It is a great book from the view of somebody living a completely different life than I have lived. I think it was very well written and is easy to read. This makes it a great teaching tool for children of younger age groups or college students as well. I read this entire book at one sitting because it kept my interest the entire time. I couldn’t wait to see what

Overall, the book gives an incredibly unique outlook on such an underserved community and exposes the harsh economical and social realities these people face under the ruse of “family” and “community.”

Many kids in south sudan struggle daily in a hard labor intense day. This book has very emotional content that makes us think that we all have a much better life then a lot of the world, so we should never take things for granted. The book has young kids living in constant struggle to find a meal and shelter. We must not take daily things for granted like school, a pencil, and even water. So, never take simple things for granted because you never know what other kids are struggling

My mother sees past the perceived barriers of poverty and crime, through to the real Detroit. When my mother started tutoring in Detroit, I was concerned. “Is the school you’re teaching at safe? What do you do when your students are disrespectful?” My mother was quick to respond. “When they are disrespectful? Maria, do you realize most of my students are just like you? They love to learn, listen to music, play games…” My mother started telling me stories about her students, showing me their feelings, beliefs, and dreams. Now, Detroit is more than just a city to me – it is a collection of stories, of children just like myself.

After a long day of moving boxes and bags into my brother’s new home in the Wall dorms, my parent’s and I filed into the truck and headed for the hotel, just a few blocks from campus. That evening was spent exploring the French Quarter and driving through the city in search of food. My father decided to take a detour down Claiborne Ave. Initially, I did not know what father was looking for, but as we got closer to our destination, I soon realized we were entering Lower Ninth Ward. “Why are going through here?” I asked confusingly. I received no response. I peered out of my window curiously, and immediately understood my father’s hidden agenda. It was clear that Ninth Ward had been deeply impacted by Katrina. Despite the fact that nearly three years had past, this area was still in terrible condition. We had heard about the damage when everyone sought refuge in Houston, but seeing the poverty first hand put the situation in perspective.

Have you ever felt there is no hope? In the book Peak by Roland Smith, Peak seems to have no hope when he is told he will have to serve jail time for climbing a skyscraper. But where there is no hope, there is hope, and hope comes along with Trouble and Grace. Doug, in Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt, is also troubled by his home life. Grace shows through this when Doug starts to find friends and gets to know more teachers at his school making him feel more comfortable. But where there is no hope, there is hope along with Trouble and Grace.

Today’s children can grow up with this same feeling of animosity. Because of the environment they are exposed to, mothers worry about the effects of poverty on their children. Parker predicts that because “your children won’t play with my boys, they will turn to other boys who steal to get what they want. I can already see them behind the bars of their prison instead of behind the bars of my poverty” (Source I). The goal of any parent, rich or poor, is to provide their children with a good life. And these parents are trying their best to provide their children will the best lives they can. But when you’re living in destitution, the odds are continuously stacked against you. Parker “once I saved for two months to buy a jar of vaseline for my hands and the baby’s diaper rash.” But when she went to buy it “the price had gone up two cents” Source (I). It's hard to provide for your family when injustice continues and spread. When families are troubled with poverty, the anger and animosity boils in their blood due to this rejection from most of society. Since they are rejected society due to their social

Jimmy A. Millikin define grace as undeserved acceptance and love received from another; undeserved favor granted by a superior to an inferior. In Old Testament the word “grace” is a Hebrew noun chen and the Hebrew verb chanan. Chanan is translated as “be favorable or merciful” in KJV and in New Testament “grace” in Greek means charis. Charis was originally referred to something beautiful or act which brought pleasure to others, but finally it came to be used in a sense of favor done freely without any claim or expectation of something in return (Bible Dictionary, 2003: 679).

Using the themes we have examined in this course discuss the situation of the children in Jonathan Kozol's Amazing Grace. Who defines them as 'other'? How? What makes them feel like 'nobodies'? What makes them feel like 'somebodies'? What is the role of religion in this daily struggle for human dignity?

The type of health hazards foreseen in this neighborhood surrounding Howard University Hospital ER are associated with physical threats, malnourish children, lack of quality grocery stores, lead poisoning, alcohol and substance abuse, mental health issues, housing discrimination causing stress, cardiovascular disease, organs failures, cancer, ADD/ADHD, domestic violence, stress, HIV/AIDS & STI/STD, teen pregnancy, and drug trafficking. These factors associate to poverty are the stem of health inequalities that puts all people’s lives at risk in these urban communities, especially children (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2008; Laureate Education, 2012b). In looking at the health of children, who is at great risk since they are the most vulnerable, the substandard housing in this neighborhood expose children to the possibility of poor quality of water, lead paint, mold, and pest infestation in their homes (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2008). Perhaps increases a child chance of becoming asthmatic and have a higher chance of mental and physical developmental delays

Being a first generation US citizen and the youngest of eight, poverty and its struggles played an intricate role in my life. Growing up I have witnessed the struggles of the “Ghetto” and its hardships to the people living in it. I have witnessed the product of the “ghetto” and its very low margin of success. I’ve experienced this first hand in my immediate family, being the youngest of a family of eight i have seen the positives and definitely its failures.

Willingly, Beatty admits her lack of knowledge in situations with the children of poorer backgrounds than she felt accustomed to, moreover, she makes a conscientious effort to reveal her previous ignorance of the poverty in her city as a whole. Beatty openly displays her honesty throughout her writing in small phrases, like “for what?”, and accordingly, this acknowledgement of her confusion attempts to reveal how she writes the entire account of her experience with an underprivileged school district, both positive and negative. Purposely, Beatty provides a simple inclusion of her thought train nevertheless, she records her personal experience with children who changed her perspective.

The reality that one faces on an everyday level does not coincide with the reality of everyday life another has to endure. The truth is we live our lives in a state of general awareness of others, however, we lack full awareness of their presence. “Every day there are poor people and comfortable people living in the same world, ignoring (or not seeing) each other and having wildly divergent experiences,” says an observing graduate student for the study. (Lareau, 2003: 354) These experiences differ for each individual as it pertains to them, which causes them to be ignorant of the experiences of those around them. Annette Lareau, the author of, “Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race and Family Life,” uses this book to show the many sides and experiences of children in different socio-economic stratums.