Welcome to your online discussion of American Street!
Together with members of your book group, you’ll be reading American Street by Ibi Zoboi over the next several weeks. Although you're not required to take notes while you read, it would be wise to keep track of important events and characters for your own clarification. You are, however, expected to participate regularly and thoughtfully in an online discussion of FOUR essential questions.
Here's how it works:
Divide your book roughly into thirds. You need to have read and blogged about each third by the due dates below.
There are two kinds of posts in this discussion: response and comment.
Response = direct response to the essential questions
Comment = comment on someone else’s posted response or comment
Post at least TWO responses for each third of your book (SIX overall).
You must respond at least once to each of the essential questions over the course of your reading. One of your six responses can be a “free-response" post.
Post at least TWO comments for each section of your book (SIX overall).
Due dates:
- Post your first set of responses and comments by Friday, May 17 (Red 3), and Monday, May 20 (Blue 1).
- Post your second set of responses and comments by Thursday, May 30 (Red 3), and Friday, May 31 (Blue 1).
- Post your third set of responses and comments by Friday, June 7 (Red 3), and Monday, June 10 (Blue 1).
- How does prejudice affect the lives of young people growing up?
- How and why are people prejudiced?
- How are justice & courage related?
- In what ways does this book refute the notion of the “single story”?
** Free-response option: Address another issue/episode/or passage in the book that you find significant for any reason.
Assessment:
To earn maximum credit, post thoughtful responses that are at least a few sentences in length—and carefully proofread! Do not misspell characters' or authors’ names! Also, be sure to include specific references to the text (either details or short quotations). Page numbers, too, are always helpful.
Hi, I'm Gabrielle
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ReplyDeleteQuestion 1- I think prejudice effects young people growing up because it gives people a label that's not necessarily good. Young people may be influenced by these opinions thinking they are exactly what people say or they try very hard to not be like that. I think a lot of characters in books like ones we're reading have problems facing prejudice against them. Like in the book American Street by Ibi Zoboi, the character Fabiola has experiences with it. When she first arrives at her new school in America students assume that she is exactly like her cousins. They call her cousins the Three Bees and say she will be the fourth. "Wait," She says, following behind me. "Everyone thinks you're the Fourth Bee."(pg 52)says a girl named Imani to Fabiola on her first day. This is an example of prejudice in the book. A large percentage of the school made an opinion on Fabiola based on no evidence or from never meeting her. They all assumed she was exactly like her cousins without even seeing her first, and when Fabiola discovers this she wants people to know that she isn't the Fourth Bee . "They're my cousins, but I am not a ...bee"(pg 52) This line proves that prejudice affected Fabiola by making her want to be the opposite of peoples opinions and affected her experience at the school.
ReplyDeleteYou're right to call this prejudice, Gabrielle. Fabiola is placed into a group because of who she associates with. She is stereotyped because of it, and disliked in some cases because of it.
DeleteHi, I'm Anthony
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm Kaylee
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2: People are prejudiced when others have stereotypical opinions on certain things. With the opinions they gathered off of single stories, people then have prejudice against others. Without ever meeting them they form opinions without really seeing who they are. This is how prejudice is formed, in simpler terms, it's basically opinions or assumptions people make without really knowing the truth. I have no way of definitely knowing why people are prejudiced but I assume it's because people like to form opinions on others. Maybe it's a natural human reaction to see one thing and make it into a whole story on someone/something. Overall I think one of the main reasons people are prejudiced is because people either have single stories or stereotypes on people and refuse to get to know them before judging.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on this. I also liked how you connected stereotypical opinion and single stories to people being prejudice.
Delete1- I believe that prejudice affects the lives of young people growing up badly. In the beginning of the book, when we didn't really know Kasim, I thought he was more like Dray. I thought he was a drug dealer and not a kind hearted type of person. In the book characters must perceive him like Dray. When him and Fabiola have dinner, he says “I’m nothing like Dray” (pg 103) because she kept asking him questions about the type of stuff she knew Dray did. It’s not only Kasim that has to deal with prejudice, Fabiola has to also. At her new school, she’s known as the “fourth bee”, because she's the Three Bees’ cousin. When talking to a girl at school she says “Me? The Fourth Bee? No way!” and “They’re my cousins, but I am not a… bee.” (pg 52) Everyone at the school expected her to be tough and like her cousins, but she is far from it. Prejudice affects the lives of young people growing up badly because they get an idea in their head about a person that isn't true. They get the idea because the people around them and their friends act and do things that the person wouldnt do, but because they hangout with them or are around them it's hard for people not to believe that they don’t and wouldn't do the things that they do.
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point about Kasim. Again, because of who he hangs out with, he gets placed into a category.
DeleteKaylee I think you did a really good job bringing up Kasim when it comes to prejudice. I never thought about him being prejudiced because I was so focused on Fabiola. I also really like your definition of what makes people prejudice others, you put in simple terms that made it easy to understand.
DeleteI love how you used your own perception as an example of prejudice, it really makes a good example. It's also really nice and helpful that you used evidence (the page numbers) and quotes for more examples, that's great. I totally agree with you.
Delete2- I think people are prejudiced because they get an idea in their head about a person that isn't true. They don’t mean to but when a person sees another person hanging out and being around a group of people that do certain things, it's easy to assume that they are like those people too. Even when the person doesn't do it and doesn't support it it's easy for someone to be like if they do it you do it. That's how stereotypes also factor in to someone being prejudiced because they hear things about a group of people and automatically think that everyone apart of that group does it. It’s also hard to back up and be like you don't do it but everyone else your around does, and accept it.
ReplyDeleteI think you made a really good point when you said people don't mean to judge others without getting to know them but it just happens. I agree with everything you said and I really like how you connected stereotypes to prejudice.
DeleteI totally see what you mean, and it's great that you related to real life. Not everybody can be so easily pulled in by the enticement of peer pressure, though it is a vast majority of people, and that vast majority becomes prejudiced, even if they don't realise.
DeleteFree Response Option: Something that I find important in the book is the conflict Fabiola is facing when it comes to her mother. At first she was just worrying over wether to turn Dray in or not and she was just concerned that it would threaten her relationship with Kasim. Now that she's found out her cousins are drug dealers it's like her whole world has been a lie. If she turns her cousins in it means them being arrested and she loses them. If she doesn't turn them in she never gets to see her mother again who she misses and tries daily to get her back. Either of the situations she loses and this is a huge problem for her that I think will help develop her character more. On page 209 Fabiola says, "Everything has changed and I will not be able to get my mother back. I cannot give Detective Stevens my cousins. I cannot get my manman home." When Fabiola is thinking this she realizes what getting her mother back means and she can't bring herself to turn her cousins in. This is a really big problem for her because it's a huge decision and the problem is really shaping the story.
ReplyDeleteI also find this an important conflict in the book. Fabiola has two options with two very different outcomes and I'm excited to see what one she goes with.
DeleteQuestion 3: I think justice and courage are related because in many cases in order to have one you need the other. If you think someone deserves justice that might mean you or someone else has to step up and be courageous to do what they are scared of. Like in American Street when Fabiola faces the decision of turning Dray in. She has to be courageous here and risk her relationship with Kasim to get justice for teens who are dying and her mothers freedom. She faces an even harder decision when she needs the courage to bring justice to these people when she finds out her cousins are the real dealers. In ways like this justice and courage are related because in order to bring justice to someone theres a pretty good chance you have to be courageous to do it.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with this, and I think your example from the book perfectly fits the leading statement. I think you can be courageous without having some form of justice as a result, but you can't do justice without being courageous.
DeleteI agree with this 100%. Fabiola is faced with the decision and in order to get the justice, she needs courage to do get the justice. I like your real world example with you and/or other people stepping up and being courageous.
DeleteQuestion One: I believe that yeah, of course prejudice affects the lives of children and teens. For most, if people stereotype you or think you're something you're not, it could really hurt you. For instance, earlier on in the book, Fabiola was heavily criticized when she first came to the school. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing though, as everyone stayed away from her (bully wise) because of her connection to her cousins. Though it upset her, because she didn't want to be known as the fourth bee. Fab wanted to go to this school and make her way on her own, not already have a title. And that's an issue, no one would want a predetermined title based on something they have no control over. Which is something that happens every day in life. Say, you graduate a grade and you have a new teacher, but this teacher already had your older sibling. Instead of meeting you with a blank slate, that teacher now has predetermined thoughts about you based on previous interactions with the other sibling. Overall, prejudice can be pretty upsetting for younger people.
ReplyDeleteAnthony, I think you did a great job describing how prejudice effects young people and I especially liked how you connected this subject to teachers and the prejudice they might have about you based on your siblings behaviors.
DeleteQuestion Two: Justice and courage are related because you can't have justice without courage. For instance, if someone was getting bullied and you jumped in, that would be justice. You would have to muster a lot of courage to do it though.
ReplyDeleteThat's a really good example of how justice and courage are related Anthony. To bring justice to someone who doesn't deserve to be bullied, you would have to have courage to stand up for them.
DeleteFree Response Option #2: Another significant thing I noticed in American Street is Fabiola's mind set on Kasim compared to her mother. When she finds out her cousins are drug dealers she thinks there is no more room for Kasim in her heart. Her focus goes back to her mother, and I noticed how often this happens throughout the book. Fabiola's main focus is usually her mother but sometimes she gets distracted by Kasim and he becomes the new priority. What I think is so awful is that as soon as Fab starts being truly happy with Kasim without feeling guilty about getting her mother back, she loses him. After her spending a night with him and feeling love so strong for him, losing him is beyond painful. Of course coming from this pain is her mother coming home. ICE releases her mother, but in the process of getting her back she loses someone she seemed to love just as much. That made me so sad to think about, after her struggle to get her mother back she must lose Kasim. What makes it even more sad to me is that we got to see their relationship develop and then end.
ReplyDeleteI agree, but I think it's also perfectly done by the author. Without this all happening, it would just be an average story. But since it did happen, we get a view into the exciting life of a Highschooler, full and true. It showcases just about everything the average person goes through, though in a different way: Love, loss, hope, anger, fright. All those emotions, put into words on a page, and it really turns it into a story.
DeleteQuestion 4: American Street refutes the notion of a single story in ways when they show Fab's willingness to date. There are of course a lot of notions of a single story throughout the book, but the when it came to Kasim and Fab's relationship things were different. You wouldn't expect a girl from Haiti to start dating immediately and especially a Catholic one. With stories you'd here about her you'd probably assume she'd be religious and a saint. Fabiola's fist fight also refuted the single story people may have of girls not being able to fight. Those girls threw some serious punches verses the pitiful slaps people imagine girls fights to be.
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ReplyDeleteQuestion 3: To sum up why people are prejudice, I believe it's simply because people need others to blame in their lives, someone to use as a punching bag if you will. You see, everyone is different. No two people are alike, and some people like to use that as an excuse against people. Say for instance, your skin color is different from someone else's. That person may judge you differently simply because you look different from them.
ReplyDeleteI like how you brought up how people need others to blame in their lives. I never thought of it that way. It made me think of prejudice in another light. I believe that now it is people needing to blame others as well as assuming.
DeleteI think your punching bag example was a really good way to show why people show prejudice. What you said about people being different really makes sense and I agree with your explanation of why humans do it. I also like how straightforward you put your answer, it makes it simple to understand why a lot of people prejudice.
DeleteQuestion 4: Actually, I disagree with the forth essential question. I think that American Street does a good job of showcasing a single story. If you look at Dray for example, we have no evidence that he's a drug dealer. The author places small hints here and there to make us think he is, but the author is really just trying to take our attention away from the real culprits: the cousins. Just because the detective is suspicious of Dray, and just because his car smells of weed, does not mean he's a drug dealer. Our minds just jump to that conclusion without knowing everything first, which makes it a single story.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good point, AJ. I think that we do tend to jump to conclusions rather than really examining the facts. Are there things about Fabiola's life that you would assume of someone who is new to an area? Have you been surprised by any aspects of their lives? It's like when Chimamanda Adichie in her TEDTalk talked about how her roommate wanted to hear her tribal music, but the roommate was surprised to learn that Adichie's "tribal music" was Mariah Carey.
Delete3- I think that justice and courage are related because in the book, Fabiola is faced with a choice. She can turn in Dray and get her mom back, or leave Dray on the streets and not get her mom back. With turning in Dray she can mess up so much with Kasim and her cousins. She also doesn't know that Dray is 100% responsible for the drugs or if he even sells them. To connect back to justice and courage, Fabiola needs the courage to get justice for the drugs that killed a young girl.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. Although like I mentioned in my post, I don't necessarily think you need one to get the other. You can do justice and not be courageous, and you can be courageous without doing justice. Your example is great though.
Delete4- The story showcases a single story because in the story, there a mini single stories. There is a single story about Kasim that Fabiola found out in the beginning about him. She found out that Kasim isn't like Dray and has big plans for the future. There is also a single story about Fabiola. People thought that she would be like her cousins when she came to Detroit. They thought she would be the Fourth Bee, but she is nothing like her cousins. She has their back and they have hers, but thats because they are family and thats what family does.
ReplyDeleteThe examples you used for single stories in the book are spot on in my opinion. Everything you said about the 3 bees,Kasim and Dray are all really good examples of single stories and one of the best ones in the book. I found it really hard to find things that refuted the notion of a single story, but found the kind of thing you're talking about
DeleteI slightly disagree, though you're right. People did think she'd be the forth bee, and that she was nothing like her cousins, but in the end she eventually became the forth bee and accepted that term. She did start out trying to deny she was anything like her cousins, but gave in in the end.
DeleteFree Response: (5) The book greatly shows how drugs can easily tear apart a family. In the book, Kasim gets killed because he was selling drugs and was shot because he was caught by the police. A bit earlier in the book, 'Q' easily controls Matant Jo and her family because he has them selling drugs for him. It all just wraps into the good old saying, 'Don't do drugs kids.'
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. Drugs can tear apart a family. They can also change people. I think that Dray changed with drugs. I don't think that he was always like that. Like i don't think that he would've beat Donna.
DeleteAnthony. The previous number 5 was me too.
ReplyDeleteFree Response: (6) American Street shows how some cops is some areas are corrupt. (Not all cops, notice how I said some). Detective Stevens is a perfect of example of a corruption, because she lures Fab in with her fake smiles and gets her to snitch on Dray because she's new and vulnerable because wants her mother back. The Detective does stay to her word and gets her mother back, but ends up killing Kasim in the process. Kasim was guilty, he sold drugs and ran from the police. I don't think shooting him was the right course of action though.
Free response option- I think something important that we should talk about it, is manipulation. In the book Detective Stevens manipulates Fabiola into telling her information about Dray. Detective Stevens knew that she doesn't have her mom and saw that she was vulnerable. She also probably knew that her cousin was also getting beat by him. She decided to go to Fabiola to try and get Dray off the streets. She manipulates Fabiola into killing her boyfriend. Even though she does get her mother back.
ReplyDelete