In his article, Crack in Spanish Harlem, Philippe Bourgois describes the accounts of a young Puerto Rican American man living in Spanish Harlem, New York. Bourgois’ anecdote gives insight into the “culture of poverty”. Through the young man’s experiences we learn about several instances that seem normative within the “culture of poverty” such as encounters with the police, tensions that arise between fellow inner-city youths, and the conflict that can arise due to involvement with drug youths involved with illegal drug distribution. Ultimately, what Bourgois is trying to depict is the way in which young adults attempt to find meaning in their lives while living in an inner-city environment. The excerpt he presents displays several of the
