In Chapter 2, the themes are role models, life choices, crime, and mentoring.
Life choices/Crime:
-"People who lived in Murphy Homes felt like prisoners, kept in check by roving bands of gun-strapped prisoners…This was where Tony chose to spend his days." (Page 27)
Wes's brother, Tony, lived with his father. Their residency was not an ideal one, as it could get violent there. The fact that so many of the teens there had guns shows that crime was not uncommon in that place. Violence could occur at any given moment. The fact that Tony chose to stay in that place falls under the theme of life choices because it influenced how he was brought up. He chose to be around violence, which meant that he would get into trouble when he was older.
-"Fear and apathy had become the new norm in what had once been a close-knit community."(Page 40)
After the author Wes and his family moved to New York, their grandparents told them about the problems that had surfaced for a while. Many people were getting killed in shootings around the neighborhood, putting everyone on edge. The increasing crime rates instilled fear in the community. This shows that anyone with a gun can cause the community to look out for each other in order to stay safe. The fear can bring everyone closer together.
Role models/Mentoring:
-"His brother…was the closest thing Wes had to a caretaker during the daylight hours and was fiercely protective of the little brother who idolized him." (Page 26)
Tony was the other Wes' role model and mentor. He called Wes to check on him numerous times. His desire to maintain contact with Wes shows that he wanted the best for him. Wes learned how to react in certain situations from him, which is a key responsibility of a mentor. Mentors are protective of their mentees, but at the same time, they give them advice, which is what Tony did.
-"Tony… was desperately trying to give his little brother information he thought he needed, the kind of information Tony never got." ( Page 27)
This quote is related to the one above. Tony was constantly advising Wes on how to act and stand up for himself. He wanted to make sure that Wes went down the right path. This shows that he cares about what type of person Wes would turn out to be. He wanted Wes to turn out to be a better man than he was. Tony never received advice on how to act, but he was trying to make sure Wes got that information so he would have a better life.
-"If [Wes] ever slackened, Tony would pull an exhausted Wes to the side… and say, 'Rule number one: If someone disrespects you, you send a message so fierce that they won't have the chance to do it again.' It was Murphy Homes law and Wes took it to heart." (Page 33)
Sometimes, Wes and his friend Woody would go to the Murphy Homes and practice fighting with some of the other boys while Tony supervised it. The fact that Tony said to send a message if someone disrespected him showed how much of a mentor he was. However, given how much Wes looked up to Tony, it might not have been the best thing to say. Wes took it to heart, and he would carry that piece of advice with him for the rest of his life. It led to him attempting to attack one of the neighborhood boys with a knife and getting arrested for that. That piece of advice shows that Wes learned that he had to retaliate if someone started a fight.
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