When A Heart Turns Rock Solid Summary

When A Heart Turns Rock Solid, written by Timothy Black, is a story about the lives of three Puerto Rican brothers who are living in a poor and gang related area in Springfield, Massachusetts. Black has met the Rivera brothers who are names Fausto, Sammy, and Julio in 1990 and have followed them for eighteen years for a study. During some parts of the book it is not all about the brothers in the reading but it is mostly about how the cultural and economic polices come about and relate to every one of the family. Black talked about the crime and the drug trade that was center of attention in western mass, went on between the family and he also told us the problems each individual of the family had. Julio’s run in with criminal activity happens because of events that are occurring in his daily life. His problem with the crime and his relationship with a gang can be analyzed through Merton’s five adaptations and …show more content…
Hirschi describes social bond theory as is, “Elements of social bonding include attachment to families, commitment to social norms and institutions, involvement in activities, and the belief that these things are important” (Burt). Julio had been involved in sports activities when he was in high school. What Julio didn’t have commitment to was college but he was committed to high school as he graduated at Commerce high school. He became a starter on the football team at commerce, because Julio knew the coach the coach watched him so his academics stayed at a good grade. Attachment of the family fits in perfectly with Julio, “but said that he did a little better academically in yonkers than his brother and hung out less on the streets with friends” (Black, 41). Saying that since Julio is with his brother he has a better feeling being with him then being with a random person or even random people in the