In the book Amazing Grace by Jonathan Kozol, I think the main point being conveyed is that the poor are often overlooked and severely mistreated. Rather than seeing these people as just ‘the poor’, this book allows the readers to learn about their stories and about them as human beings. Kozol shares the stories of many living in the poorest areas of New York and shows what their living conditions are like. He is trying to distinguish the stereotype that the poor are in the position they are in simply because of their own choices and that they are useless. Kozol shares stories of people who live in south Bronx so that we can hear their voices and listen to their side of things. The poor were taken and thrown in a city all together, and no outsiders seemed to care. Mrs. Washington goes on to say that “you took a place of death and added more death, and more danger, and this was intentional and it was spiteful and it was a conscious plan” ( Kozol 59). Kozol illustrates in the book how poor children are simply children who seek a normal life, but are powerless and afraid. The poor are in a constant cycle of mistreatment and their lifestyle is often a choice not made by themselves.

 

A story that impacted me the most was when Kozol mentioned the 18 year old who had just recently been awarded a scholarship for college, which was pretty rare for students in his area. Soon after, the cops had showed up to his house accusing him of being a drug dealer and he was shot dead. This is so crazy to me, because I am the same age as this young man was and most of my friends are 18 as well. He was about to begin a new chapter of his life and it was all taken away from him. I cannot begin to imagine what his family was feeling after this incident.  Violence and death is so common in these poor areas, that it becomes the norm. Those living in these violent areas are immune to hearing about death, It does not even seem to phase them. Also, it stood out me when Kozol mentioned the condition of the hospital in South Bronx. People needing immediate treatment have to wait hours, maybe days, to get helped. In the waiting rooms there are “sick children vomiting up their food. Men with gunshot wounds. People with AIDS…” (Kozol 17). Patients at the hospital would sometimes have to clean up their own rooms. Going to the hospital would often be worse for the patients, because they are forced to sit around other sick people for hours and hours. The poor have to deal with these horrible conditions and have to endure through their emotional and physical pain in their small, roach infested, non air conditioned homes.

 

Kozol’s construction of this book makes it very interesting for the reader. He includes several stories and accounts from different peoples lives, not just one. He talks to both children and older ones. I appreciate how Kozol interviewed many young ones. The young people who live in these poor areas are not afraid to say how they feel or explain the mistreatment they go through. A quote that stood out to me is when a young girl says that “Something’s always happening where the last and final vote was not the one we made” (Kozol 44). This quote is significant because it explains why the poor are in this constant cycle of struggle, all because their decisions are often made for them by others and the Government. It proves to show how these children feel so helpless and powerless. It is intriguing to me to hear these young ones who live such tough lives speak out about the challenges they are faced with everyday. It is easy to tell that these young individuals are very bright and have so much potential but will always have a deep rooted emotional pain. Listening to these children also helps to distinguish the stereotype that all young ones living in the poor urban neighborhoods are reckless and violent. Instead, they are tender and courageous.

 

Later in the book, it is mentioned that “The papers don’t ignore realities like these. They cover them, the same way that they cover things like the waste burner, but they do it in a way that tends to neutralize their dangers almost instantly” (Kozol 211). This quote also proves to be significant, as it relates to one of the main points of the book. The poor are often overlooked, and others don’t seem to think twice about them. This is partly because of the fabricated news we hear. The papers find a way to hide the real truth about the conditions of these poor areas, and Kozol is trying draw attention to it by writing this book. It is important that Kozol is allowing us to recognize the truth behind the stories we hear about the poor. It was saddening when Kozol went into depth about the school system. “At some schools in the South Bronx, in the same year, classes were taking place in settings like stair-landings, bathrooms and coat closets..”(Kozol 174). Children are not given a good education, and are often taught by teachers who are not certified. This stands out to me personally, since I value my education and knowledge so very much. It is so unfortunate to see children living in these conditions. Amazing Grace, by Jonathan Kozol shares the hard truth about the poor, and how and why they live how they do.