"Down These Mean Streets"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the process of self-identification taken by Piri Thomas in the book about his personal difficult and painful path towards his ultimate goal of peace with himself. It examines how Piri's story is one of self-understanding, as he battles his desire to become a member of mainstream of society.

From the Paper:

"Piri's tale of self identification begins with his labeling of himself as "poor." His mother tells him, "Bueno hijo, you have people everywhere who, because they have more, don't remember those who have very little. But in Puerto Rico those around you share la pobreza with you and they love you, because only poor people can understand poor people." (Thomas 10). This is an important point within Down These Mean Streets because it illustrates the fact that poverty is a relative term: if everyone is poor, no one notices. Piri, on the other hand, knows that he is poor and feels that he will never have anything of his own unless he takes it. Basically, because Piri defines himself through the eyes of others he recognizes that he is the one who has very little; he is in opposition to those who have more."

More papers on "Down These Mean Streets":

• Book Review # 116549 : "Down These Mean Streets"
• Book Review # 117751 : "Piri Thomas' "Down These Mean Streets"
• Essay # 20158 : "The Culture of Suffering"

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