Introduction
Amazing Grace, written by Jonathan Kozol in 1995, describes the poorest neighborhood in New York – South Bronx. He introduces the harsh living conditions of children living in the South Bronx, overcrowded classrooms, run-down medical facilities, the spread of AIDS, drug-related violence, and poverty. Children there are in a difficult situation that they cannot take control over. The main problems are racism, poverty, segregation, discrimination, and lost hope.
The Struggles of Children of South Bronx
People from South Bronx and Other Neighborhoods
Many South Bronx residents set themselves apart from residents of other areas. Every neighborhood is unique in terms of its residents’ experiences, opportunities, and quality of life. This is the main distinction between residents of the ghetto and other neighborhoods. In a place where people are mostly people of color, children recognize racial separation. Children whom Kozol (1995) interviewed say there are not many white students in their class. Jeremiah, a 12-year-old boy, states that this trend is caused by the fact that the South Bronx is not a place where white people would choose to live. Furthermore, the South Bronx area was referred to as a “big housing project” for those whom the society wished to eliminate (Kozol, 1995, chap. 2). The teenagers also elaborated on the term “they” that people from the South Bronx used to refer to people outside. According to the adolescents, “they” are the decision-makers who are destroying the lives of people of the South Bronx (Kozol, 1995, chap. 2). For children and adolescents in the South Bronx, there are them and people living outside: in Riverdale, Connecticut, and elsewhere.
The same tendency is observed among white people living outside the South Bronx. For example, the host of a popular talk show in New York called people from the South Bronx “a different species” whom people should “segregate themselves” (Kozol, 1995, chap. 2). When Kozol (1995) asked a taxi driver from Queens about South Bronx, the driver spitted in the street and showed his despise to the neighborhood, which demonstrates the hatred and fear people outside experience. It is evident that there is a division between people from the South Bronx and everyone outside. Americans see people of the South Bronx as “other” species who should be separated from the population.
The Roles of Neo-liberal Ideology and Racism
Neo-liberalism means people are responsible for their own financial state. It suggests that poor people can become rich if they wish. Neo-liberalism is an ideology that promotes the idea that poor people have equal opportunities to the rich (Feldman, 2019). However, Kozol (1995) documented the statistics provided by the security director of Diego-Beekman Houses, who claims that only 12 percent of their residents have real jobs. According to the director, the biggest problem is employment: people come to them and ask for jobs, but they cannot offer one. This is a clear illustration of how people cannot find a job even if they want it desperately. Furthermore, it shows that neo-liberalism fails by suggesting that people in South Bronx have equal opportunities to people from other places.
Apart from the neo-liberalistic perspective, there is also a problem of racism. The adolescents interviewed by Kozol (1995) share their personal experiences of being discriminated against due to skin color and financial situation. A fifteen-year-old Maria describes how dress stores do not welcome poor people of color and demonstrate their disgust. Another example is given by a girl from Honduras whose mother was neglected by medical and social workers for “not speaking English,” which had a deeper racist meaning. Children do not believe in Martin Luther King, who is supposed to play a role of a hero for black people. They say, “he is mentioned too much” and “it isn’t true” (Kozol, 1995). For people from South Bronx, racism is a real struggle.
The Lost Hope in Future and Religion
Children from South Bronx seem to be mature for their age. It might be caused by harsh living conditions in there. Children have to observe things they should not: drug addiction, murders, and poverty. People in South Bronx have the tradition of making altars from candles for shot people. When Kozol (1995) asks what children feel when they see the altars, Jeremiah answers: “I pray that someone from my family will not die” (chap. 2). Children lost hope in the country and heroes like Martin Luther King. Sisters Maria and Isabel describe how they feel like a burden to American society. They claim everyone would have felt relief if the people of South Bronx suddenly disappeared. People from South Bronx feel like “nobodies” because of other people’s attitudes and lost hope in the future.
However, people from South Bronx strive to live despite hardships. Kozol (1995) points out how children he interviewed do not seek pity. Religion plays a significant role in making children feel like somebodies. For example, Jeremiah says he does not believe in heroes but looks up to himself, his mother, and God (Kozol, 1995, chap. 2). People in South Bronx often have miniature Bibles, which gives them strength, as Mrs. Washington states. Kozol (1995) mentions how children he met talked a lot about miracles in Bible. Moreover, people who commit crimes come to church to ask God for forgiveness (Kozol, 1995, chap. 6). Religion is an escape from reality for children and a hope for adults.
Conclusion
To sum up, people in the South Bronx experience hardships from childhood to adulthood. Children experience racial discrimination, live in poverty, and lack opportunities. All the discrepancies in the financial states of people in the South Bronx and outside cause a division in the society. Children in South Bronx feel like a burden to American society. However, in spite of all difficulties, children do not give up on their future and find strength in God.
Reference
Kozol, J. (1995). Amazing grace: the lives of children and the conscience of a nation. New York: Crown.