Robert Peace Character Analysis

Not many people live a double life, but if so, how hard is it to lead vastly different lifestyles? In the book, The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace, by Jeff Hobbs, nothing came easy for the main character, Robert Deshawn Peace. Rob came from a crime ridden neighborhood yet was able to achieve major accomplishments. He was perceived to have inhabited two vastly polarising and fierce insular worlds: the streets he’d come from and the honor roll student he characterized as. Just like his father, Skeet, Rob was a social butterfly and was very intellectual, which was refined by his two parents. Rob shown to be outstanding in both academics as well as athletics, which appoints him as the leader amongst his friends. The loss of his father …show more content…
While Jackie preferred Rob to be book smart and pushed for his education, Skeet thought otherwise. Skeet insisted for Rob to learn social skills so he could be a man, despite his acknowledgement of his son’s intellect. In order to teach Rob street smarts, his father bought him clothing and music in similar to their culture, whereas his mother bought him books to cultivate his natural talents. However, after his father was incarcerated, Jackie did her utmost best in order for Rob to obtain a proper education without the help of Skeet: “Mt.Carmel, kindergarten to eighth grade, cost $200 a month. [. . .] Jackie was paying tuition….sacrifice would mean something” (47). Jackie is extremely committed in giving her son the best education that she is willing to work twice as hard in order to make ends meet. As long as Rob gets a good education and was going far in life, the sacrifices she make are definitely worth it. In addition to not having a father by his side to guide him, he faces many economic and emotional hardships. As Robert grows up, he sees how hard his mother works to be able to pay for his education. He begins working on weekends to make extra money in order to help his mother and alleviate some of her troubles. Jackie commends her son for his efforts, she has always believed a helpful and loyal son was better than the toughness that Skeet instilled on Rob. But, Jackie …show more content…
Upon entering Yale University, Robert does not interact much to his colleagues. He does not like the students who he seemed to find as fake and frivolous. Robert experienced prejudice and discrimination along racial and class lines. The entitled students treated him as a worker rather than a student of their own level. Consequently, in order to make ends meet as well as to intermix with his new society, he decides to sell marijuana at Yale. He states, “These were four hours every day during which we were completely checked out from the campus...People called it the Weed Shack”(145). Robert becomes a drug dealer at Yale, partly to make money and partly as a sign of his “rebel street life” which is obtained from his father’s street smarts teachings. Robert’s time at the Weed Shack provides him with a culture of people who, like him, go to Yale, but are part of the minority. Although just like his father, Rob was a drug dealer on the side, his grades never dropped. When graduation arrived, Robert was able to say a speech in which he dedicated it to “my motivation and heart, my mother” (201). Rob recognizes the hard work and effort his mom did to send him to school, showing that he’s a good, loving son during the speech. His mother had taught him the importance of being well-educated, which is what helped him to achieve such a great success.