“Amazing Grace” is an excerpt by Jonathan Kozol from his full book, Amazing Grace: The Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation. This excerpt is about Kozol himself, who tours a large and poor area called the South Bronx, a perilous area in New York that is busy with crime and poverty, with a lively seven year old boy named Cliffie. As he spends time communicating and walking with Cliffie, Kozol recognizes the severe difference between how the poor and rich people are served. Kozol, an activist, is trying to tell us that we should not take advantage of the poor and ignore them, because they are also human.
In the South Bronx, a fairly large percentage of the trash in the area is actually from other locations, dumped onto the streets where the citizens live. Later, Kozol asks Cliffie’s mother on how she feels about the people who are moving trash where kids live. “..you get used to the offense.”(pg. 11 l. 220-221). Cliffie’s mom explains how seeing things getting dumped right in their living area is not a surprise anymore, but just a part of daily life. “They put a lot of things ...that no one wants.” (pg.11 l.215-216). In the interview, she refers “they” to the government that only listens to the words of the wealthy. Prosperous people are constantly taking advantage of the people in lower economic statuses, which is a highly irresponsible action, as there shouldn’t be discrimination on the topic of how much money you own. …show more content…
11 l. 219). When Kozol asks this to Cliffie’s mother about the trash being put in the South Bronx, he, a bystander, is already assuming that it is extremely insulting to her. In the neutral eye, the unfairness is evident, so the wealthy should notice more than anyone that their actions towards the poor is
In the South Bronx, a fairly large percentage of the trash in the area is actually from other locations, dumped onto the streets where the citizens live. Later, Kozol asks Cliffie’s mother on how she feels about the people who are moving trash where kids live. “..you get used to the offense.”(pg. 11 l. 220-221). Cliffie’s mom explains how seeing things getting dumped right in their living area is not a surprise anymore, but just a part of daily life. “They put a lot of things ...that no one wants.” (pg.11 l.215-216). In the interview, she refers “they” to the government that only listens to the words of the wealthy. Prosperous people are constantly taking advantage of the people in lower economic statuses, which is a highly irresponsible action, as there shouldn’t be discrimination on the topic of how much money you own. …show more content…
11 l. 219). When Kozol asks this to Cliffie’s mother about the trash being put in the South Bronx, he, a bystander, is already assuming that it is extremely insulting to her. In the neutral eye, the unfairness is evident, so the wealthy should notice more than anyone that their actions towards the poor is