Review Of Walter Dean Myers 'Bad Boy'

Walter Dean Myers’ memoir Bad Boy is about how he traveled back to his past. This book that he wrote is, funny, and unforgettable. As a boy, Myers had a quick-temper, was physically strong, and was always ready for a fight. He also read voraciously, as he would check out books from the library and carry them home, hidden in brown paper bags in order to avoid other boys' teasing. He aspired to be a writer.

Bad Boy: A memoir by Walter Dean Myers is about racism, isolation,and value of education. Racism is a big part throughout this book because of how Walter acts and thinks. Isolation is a big role in this book because it reaches many of his family members. Value of education changes dramatically throughout his life.

“Unless you know who you are, you will always be vulnerable to what people say.” In this quote, American television personality, author, psychologist, and the host of the television show “Dr. Phil”, Dr. Phil McGraw explains, that if you are not true to yourself or if you are not aware of your own beliefs, you will always be susceptible to what people say of you and what people want you to think or believe. A similar theme is communicated through the novel “monster.” In the Novel “Monster”, what Walter Dean Myers suggests about the nature of stereotypes is that one must ignore the negative views of others and stay true to their own beliefs.

1. Monster is a novel written in a screenplay format with Steve’s journal entries mixed in throughout. Do you think this is an effective format for the book? Why or why not?

In the article “The Terrible Boy” written by Tom Junod Jonathan Miller was one of the world’s most terrible boys. In America’s eyes a terrible boy is cruel, hostile and merciless. In this article, Jonathan was painted by these descriptions. However, this wasn’t always the case. He wasn’t terrible when he moved to Georgia he just wanted to get kicked out of school, so he did whatever it took. Though in highschool he took on the description of a terrible boy. It all started on the bus when Jonathan threw a open ketchup packet at his rival Joshua Belluardo. They got off the bus and instead of a fight it was a crime scene.Jonathan murdered Joshua. Sadly, though Jonathan was a terrible he should have been shown mercy.

Parenting played a big role in shaping the two boys lives. Having a parental mentor is important because they assist and guide children to take the right decisions about their lives. The author had his two parents at the beginning of his life. Also, the author’s parents, especially his mother, tried to raise him in an effective way wanting him to know the right from wrong at an early age. “No mommy loves you, like I love you, she just wants you to do the right thing” (Moore 11). This quote was a live example of the author’s life with his parents. It reflected the different ways his parents used to teach him “the right thing.” Though his mother was upset from his action toward his sister, his father

In Wes Moore’s 2010 book “The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates,” two men with the same name, born blocks apart who are raised in an identical poverty and drug plagued neighborhood are examined. What author Wes Moore discovers in his conversations with inmate Wes Moore, is that their lives were remarkably similar growing up. Given their current situations in life, their paths to get there take shape through a series of interchangeable decisions and life events. One Wes through mentorship in decision-making ends up a Rhodes Scholar and decorated war veteran, while the other Wes minus the mentoring ends up in prison serving a life sentence. The age-old cry, “It takes a village,” resonates in Moore’s examination of his mirrored upbringing.

Myers was born in Martinsburg, West Virginia on a Thursday. At a very young age, of 2, his mom passed away and he was sent to live with his new family Florence and Herbert Dean. Florence was African- American and Herbert was German. They love Walter unconditionally hence he was influence by their love to change his name. Growing up Walter life centered on his community and church. Despite being involved in church Walter faced challenges such as not doing well in school and was quick to react whenever teased by his peers or others. Due to these issues Walter found serenity in books. Before his mom passed away she use to read books very often to him, while she read Walter would imagine the characters. At a very tender age Walter found out that through reading and writing he can be in different places during dark times, such as when his uncle was murdered and his family became dysfunctional.

“The chilling truth is that his story could have been mine, the tragedy is that my story could have been his.” (Moore xi) “The Other Wes Moore,” by Wes Moore, focusses on two boys by the name of Wes Moore that were born blocks apart, within the same year, in Baltimore during the 1980’s. Both grew up fatherless in similar neighborhoods; both ran into trouble. But one became a Rhodes Scholar, while the other was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Although he grew up in a rough neighborhood and was around violence and drugs, Wes had the ability to change his life around with the help and support his mother, family, and military school lieutenants were able to give him. Many people influenced Wes, the author, throughout his life, but the person whom I feel influenced him the most was his mother.

The story begins with two boys John Wheelwright and Owen Meany, who grow up together in a small town in New Hampshire. One day during a little league baseball game Owen accidentally hits a foul ball that kills John’s mother, Tabby. Devastated and upset about his mother’s death, John holds a temporary grudge against her for not telling him who his father is. However,

In The Color of Water by James McBride he faces plenty of obstacles in his life. One that I think was very important during his childhood is in chapter 14 where makes a few bad choices after his stepfather, Hunter Jordan, dies. Since James didn't get to know his biological father, Hunter was the closest he ever came to having one. He makes it clear that his family loved Hunter and when he died they were all devastated but none as much as their mother. It's safe to say she wasn't the same and that can be seen when McBride says "She sent us off to school and tried to maintain her crazy house as usual, ranting about this and that, but the fire was gone" (McBride, 137). I think his mother's behavior no doubt had some effect on the way he acted.

Monster is an example of what Patty Campbell would call a “landmark book.” Texts such as these “encourage readers to interact with the text and with one another by employing a variety of devices, among them ambiguity” (Campbell 1) Because it is told through the eyes of Steve himself, the plot can be difficult to decipher. It is ambiguous whether he is innocent or guilty of being involved with the crime. Steve learned to make things unpredictable from his film teacher Mr. Sawicki who teaches him, “If you make your film predictable, they’ll make up their minds about it long before it’s over” (19). Steve took his teacher’s advice and made this film script entirely unpredictable,

Walter Lee Younger is the son of Mama, the sister of Beneatha, the spouse of Ruth and the father of Travis. Because of poverty, Walter Lee lived a life of trying to get rich schemes, which led to losing his family’s money. However, in the end Walter realized family was the key to true success.

He is characterized as a very egotistical man that looks for his best interest and not his family’s. L.M. Domina, a professor at Hofstra University, giveas her criticism of Walter Lee Younger in an essay, in which she discusses his ravenousness. She states that Walter has become a very greedy man and Mama is upset that he could put money before family, especially when family meant everything to his father. After Walter found out about Ruth’s desire for an abortion, his motives were strictly financial, which was a huge disappointment for Mama, as she thought she raised him to think different than that (Domina 193). “Well- well-son, I’m waiting to hear you say something… I’m waiting to hear how you be your father’s son… you… you are a disgrace to your father’s

Walter begins to drink, stay away from home, and to constantly argue with his wife, Ruth. Walter's life is contrasted by the role of his recently widowed mother, who holds to more traditional values of acceptance of life's lot and of making the best of any situation. Walter Lee's "Mama" holds Walter's father up as an example of a man with pride and a man that, despite racial injustice in a dualistic society, worked hard to provide for his family. This adds to Walter's frustration. Walter now feels incapable and small in his mama's eyes.