Short Story Analysis: The Last Spin By Evan Hunter

Trino loves to run he is the fastest kid in his grade. He uses his his speed to get away from the school bully's. The town is poor and needs all the money they have. Trino, the school bully and his gang. He hats the school bully and there gang.

Prior to being assigned the reading of the memoir “Always Running”, by Luis Rodriguez, I had never given much thought on juveniles involved in gang life. Rodriguez achieved success as an award-winning poet; sure the streets would no longer haunt him - until his own son joined a gang. Rodriguez fought for his child by telling his own story in the vivid memoir, “Always Running.” “Always Running” is the compilation of events Luis experienced during his youth in San Gabriel. The theme of the book is to always strive for the best things in life and to always take a stand for what you believe. Lured by the seemingly invincible gang culture of East L.A., he witnessed countless shootings and beatings, as well as senseless acts of street crime against his friends and family members. As a Latino in a poor neighborhood, Luis struggled through criticism, stereotypes, and mistreatment. With the help of his mentor, Chente, Luis saw a way out through education and the power of word to successfully break free from years of violence and desperation.

Despite getting off on the wrong foot, Uno and Danny end up being close friends. When first arrived in National City, Danny was introduced to his cousin Sofia and her friends – one being Uno. There is one thing that he realizes, he is a lighter shade than everyone else. Sofia invited Danny to the home-run derby and this kid Uno wants him to bat. When Uno sees Danny, he immediately points at Danny.

Before the baseball incident, Danny and Reuven both thought lowly of the other’s religious, despite both worshipping the same thing. Soon, Reuven realizes that although Danny dresses like a Hasid, he doesn’t sound or act like on, leading to the development of Danny and Reuven’s friendship. Danny and Reuven began to treat each other fairly with respect and kindness. This in terms allows for both boys to be open about their lives and through this, Reuven learns about Danny’s harsh life. Additionally, Reuven even came to respect Hasidic Jews when he went to attend Reb Saunders’s service where Reuven was able “ to relax as [he]I continued to join the singing…, and [he] felt light and happy and completely at ease” (Potok 153).

At the beginning of the book danny is shown to be a loud, rude person. Like during the soccer game, when Danny kept roaring at holling to get in front of doug swieteck’s brother “Danny screamed again “IN FRONT!” even though holling is his friend, he keeps yelling at him “Imagine a sound with a whole lot of vowels, and i think you have it”. Even though Danny was scared too, and Doug swieteck’s brother was a bully, he probably should’ve encouraged holling instead.

Many people struggle tremendously with the exposure between violence and gang activities. For instance it can affect you in a negative way which can lose you in the long run but, eventually you’ll find your way back. Within the novel of Always Running, by Luis J. Rodriguez, the reader is exposed to how Luis was living a life full of gang activities, drugs and eventually becoming more influenced on activist movements. Within the essay I will be illustrating the three main reasons Grillo wants to life a better life which are Grillo having thoughts of suicide, Grillo’s mother drifting away from him, and Grillo going to jail. These reasons all have a major role in Grillo’s life, which as a result of him wanting to strive for success.

Throughout the novel Always Running by Luis J Rodriguez, Grillo the main character is trying to find a way out of the gang life, to find a better life for his family and himself. While Grillo was trying to find a way out the gang life he falls into drugs Grillo starts doing drugs to suppress his issues in life with his family, school, and himself. Grillo also faces the death of his friends, and participates in violent crimes with his friends. As a result of Grillo doing drugs, facing the death of his friends, and participating in violent crimes with his friends, his character changes a great deal within the novel.

(Pg 41). This quote symbolizes that grillo felt happy and a connection with gangs and he had that attention that he desired from his family

Imagine you're a seventeen years old boy and is on a watch for you state to help stop crimes. You get called on a mission to stop a riot but everything goes wrong. A rock flies and hits your mask and you pull the trigger. People now dead in your hands and everybody world wide hates you. That's what Danny in Divided We Fall goes through from Trent Reedy.

Determined to help his audience - people who stereotype against and do not understand gang life - find commonalities with gang members, Fr. Boyle shares his experiences with gangs in Los Angeles. At the beginning of the novel, Fr. Boyle articulates his thesis and expresses his purpose for sharing his experiences when he states, “Though this book does not concern itself with solving the gang problem, it does aspire to broaden the parameters of our kinship. It hopes not only to put a human face on the gang member, but to recognize our own wounds in the broken

Like Danny, Joaquin experiences a conflict with

“The Red Convertible” by Louise Erdrich is a short story about two Native American brothers, Lyman and Henry, and their growing bond as brothers. Symbolism is used rather heavily in this story. One of the main symbols of the story, as noted in the title, is the red convertible. The red convertible symbolizes the relationship status of the two brothers, and the struggles they face as Henry is drafted into the Vietnam War as well as when he returns home.

The main theme in the short story ‘The Last Spin’ by Evan Hunter is gang culture. The gangs in the story make the careless decision of putting one of their fellow member’s lives at danger. The boys didn’t seem to care that they were going to play this game at first, then as the game went on they realised what a bad mistake it was so they make a deal. They would have one last spin before they end this terrible game. Unfortunately this last spin was the one that ended Dave’s life.

Danny both became skinheads, what Derrick did to land himself in jail, what their family went

There are kids that one might consider a bad crowd, which are the wrong kids to become friends with. These kids are just beginning to start a life of crime, although some won’t grow up to be gang members others will and they will try there hardest to take you with them. It’s also very hard to stay away from these kids because the can be very deceivingly friendly and fun to be around but that’s just a mask to hide the evil underneath. It’s really sad to see some kids that never fit in become recruited by the bad kids because it will only be a matter of time before the kid that never fit in soon becomes the kid that sells drugs.