Staples talks about the “male romance with the power to intimidate” as a way of explaining why boys grow up to be young thugs describe what alternatives existed to bravado and street death other than “remain a shadow- timid, but a survivor?

Although Pythagoras preceded William Shakespeare by 2,000 years, the philosophy of the Pythagoreans is mentioned in Shakespears The Merchant of Venice. Here is a quote from that play: Thou almost makst me waver in my faith, To hold opinion will Pythagoras, That souls of animals infuse themselves Into the trunks of men. Research the Pythagoreans. What were the main beliefs held by their society? What part of the philosophy of the Pythagoreans was Shakespeare referring to specifically with this quote? What present-day religions share a similar belief? Write a paragraph or two about your findings.