Oct 31, 20 violence was a huge recurring issue throughout geoffrey canadas book fist, stick, knife, gun. She would survive on no more than ten dollars a week. Fist stick knife gun summary and study guide supersummary. In a stunning pairing, acclaimed comics creator jamar nicholas presents canadas raw and riveting account, one of the most authentic and important true stories of urban violence. Analysis of the book fist stick knife gun by geoffrey. A new edition, including the story of the founding of the harlem childrens zone. Part memoir, part social treatise, a wholly sobering view of innercity violence and the codes surrounding it. In chapter 23 of fist, stick, knife, gun, canada outlines five proposals which he believes the government should adopt now. Dec 22, 2009 fist, stick, knife, gun jesse carrillo. Fist stick knife gun is an amazing book and it is an interesting read. Then the streets changed, and the stakes got even higher. A personal history of violence is the 1995 memoir by. Mar 18, 2012 fist stick knife gun uses an interesting narration style, which enables the artist to tell the story of a young man who makes his way while surrounded by violence. A mother and four boys, and with welfare and my mother working for slave wages thats all they paid even the most competent black women in 1958, she could barely keep a roof over our heads.
Students have two days to complete a homework assignment of writing an essay comparing the incidents in the first chapter of fist stick knife gun with the incidents in the street. Violence was a huge recurring issue throughout geoffrey canadas book fist, stick, knife, gun. The whole doc is available only for registered users open doc. Their father has recently left the family with no child support, no nothing 4. As a child growing up in the bronx, it was essential that canada knew how to fight. Implicitly, canada sees the possession of guns as detrimental to individual character.
The author geoffrey canada, explains in detail the progression of how kids go from innocent children to gun toting criminals, becoming members of. In this book he recounts true stories from his childhood in new york city. Fist stick knife gun chapter 10 summary freebooksummary. Fist stick knife gun discussion questions fist stick knife. Dive deep into geoffrey canadas fist, stick, knife, gun with extended analysis. More to the point, it also works as a warning, as he explores his feelings toward the various escalations and why he feels that is necessary to use the particular weapon at that time. Fist stick knife gun, a personal history of violence by. Students read the first chapter of fist stick knife gun in class. Many others as well have offered solutions to the problem of crime, some successful, some failures, and some controversial. Fist, stick, knife gunchapter 1 with annotation for timeline. He just nods the least bit, wipes his fingers on the plantain leaf, puts his hand behind his back, as if to help himself to rise from the ground, snatches his revolver from under his jacket and plugs a. A personal history of violence is a memoir by geoffrey canada, an american social activist who is the current president and chief executive officer of. Fist stick knife gun is the story of geoffrey canadas childhood world in the south bronx.
Tale of a book fist, stick, knife, gun by geoffrey canada the comments said that this book went to the deep cultural reasons of usa violence and not just whined but last chapter offered working answers. Geoffrey canada born january, 1952 is an african american social activist and educator. What are the connections between becoming hardened emotionally and committing crime. Fist, stick, knife, gun by geoffrey canada boston, mass beacon press, 2010. In chapter three geoff talks about some of the rules of the street regarding fist fights and tells about the fight he had with david. Fist, stick, knife, gun tone the tone of this book is mainly harsh and sorrowful. I will then read them the first chapter and model my thinking. Beacon press published the book on january 31, 1995. On the show, canada read a piece from his memoir, fist stick knife gun, which you can read below.
Chapter 1, page 3 with no dad in their lives, canada and his siblings must rely upon their mom for nourishment and safe house. Fist stick knife gun is a gamechanger, and brought geoffrey canada to national attention. The nature of the violent act has changed from the fist, stick, and knife to the gun. The book drew upon numerous incidents of violence encountered by geoffrey himself, his daughter, and his students. Fist, stick, knife, gun quizlet flashcards quizlet.
A personal history of violence in america, geoffrey canadas first published book, is the story of his childhood and youth in the south bronx. Long before president barack obama praised his work as an allencompassing, allhandsondeck antipoverty effort that is literally saving a generation of children, and first lady michelle obama called him one of my heroes, geoffrey canada was a small and scared boy growing up in the south bronx. His childhood world was one where sidewalk boys learned the codes of the block and were ranked through the rituals of fist, stick, knife, and, finally, gun. After reading fist stick knife gun a personal history of violence i have a huge respect for geoffrey canada. Rather be judged by twelve than carried by six he starts showing less emotion sorrowful. I mean to stick pretty close to you, sir, from this on, if you dont mind, says i. Canada tells us that their father was not a bad father. Long before the avalanche of praise for his work from oprah winfrey, from president bill clinton, from president barack obama long before he became known for his talk show appearances, members project spots, and documentaries like waiting for superman, geoffrey canada was a small boy growing up scared on. Effects of war and peacekeeping on canadian autonomy. What factors caused the children canada writes about to become hardened emotionally. In 1971, well before the explosion of handguns on the streets of new york city, i bought a handgun. I will then show the students how i use the sequence of a memoir chart, using the attached chart. Fist stick knife gun follows geoffrey canada through his life in the bronx and it shows the well developed system of unwritten laws in place. Students take home and read the street, an excerpt of richard wrights black boy.
Geoffrey canada through shattering storytelling, geoffrey canada recreates his childhood world, one in which the sidewalk boys learned the codes of the block from their elders and were ranked and to some degree. It is quite obvious he has lived this life, knows the. Fist stick knife gun chapter 3 summary freebooksummary. Canada shares his childhood experiences in the south bronx to support the theory that violence is learned and not genetically caused and biologically based. Related posts about fist stick knife gun chapter 3 summary.
A personal history of violence is a memoir by geoffrey canada, an american social activist who is the current president and chief executive officer of harlem childrens zone. Fist stick knife gun uses an interesting narration style, which enables the artist to tell the story of a young man who makes his way while surrounded by violence. I will show the students how i reread fist, stick, knife, gun by geoffrey canada and annotate the text. Canada relives a childhood in which violence stalked every street corner. Chapter 1 summary in this first chapter, we are introduced canada and his family. I will say, there is a really great book called fist, stick, knife gun by author geoffrey canada can show book cover if you have book, or a web picture. Canada lives in the bronx with his mother and his three brothers. Hes been praised by oprah winfrey, president clinton, and president obama. Students continue to read and take notes on chapters one through ten of fist stick knife gun. Canadas world was one where sidewalk boys learned the codes of the block and were ranked through the rituals of fist, stick, and knife. In my opinion when someone has lived this life, and try to help others in this life, they are successful because they have been. Long before the avalanche of praise for his work from oprah winfrey, from president bill clinton, from president barack obama long before he became known for his talk show appearances, members project spots, and documentaries like waiting for superman, geoffrey canada was a small boy growing up.
An excerpt from geoffrey canadas memoir, fist stick knife gun. A personal history of violence is the 1995 memoir by geoffrey canada that details his comingofage in the south bronx. Hes been praised by oprah winfrey, president clinton, and president obama for his work as a social activist and educator. A personal history of violence in america read more posted at 02. The book spoke about actual problems happening throughout the whole united states not just in new york city. Critique of fist stick knife gun the book fist stick knife gun by geoffrey canada is a biographical account of his childhood in the south bronx. In this first section, we are presented canada and his family. Getting real in upward bound article pdf available in the english journal march 2002 with 1,260 reads how we measure reads. Sample essaysgeoffrey canadas fist, stick, knife, gun.
Fist stick knife gun is a graphic novel but still portrays a powerful message. It follows canada from the age of four to young manhood and describes the different and increasingly lethal forms that violence takes in his life. Canada, head of the rheedlen center for children and families in new york city, moves smoothly back and forth between recollections of his youth in a tough south bronx neighborhood and ruminations on the changing nature of violence. This 35page guide for fist stick knife gun by geoffrey canada includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 10 chapters, as well as several more. Character flash cards learn with flashcards, games, and more for free. Though this version is a graphic novel, that is an advantage, for teenage reluctant readers in particular will be more apt to read it as a result. The memoir begins with canada living with his three older brothers and his.
Since 1990, canada has been president and ceo of the harlem childrens zone in harlem, new york, an organization which states its goal is to increase high school and. My new friend i tell people that we were the poorest welfare cheats that there ever was. Apr 21, 2002 critique of fist stick knife gun the book fist stick knife gun by geoffrey canada is a biographical account of his childhood in the south bronx. I bought the gun legally in maine, where i was in college. Much like the book our america, fist stick knife gun is a nonfiction story that both teens and adults find captivating.
He gives an analysis of the consequences of new york governor rockefellers drug laws in the 1960s, and draws a picture of 1995 realitydriveby shootings, the role of automatic weapons in drug running, and the marketing of guns to children. Fist stick knife gun summary and study guide supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. It is quite obvious he has lived this life, knows the terminology, knows the fear, knows how it all works. Fist stick knife gun is an excellent personal story and has a nice flowing narrative. They are additionally reliant on her for guidance about how to explore their neighborhood, and keeping in mind that she is a caring mother, she is likewise a mother who pushes them out into the world and urges them to. Through shattering storytelling, geoffrey canada recreates his childhood world, one in which the sidewalk boys learned the codes of the block from their elders and were ranked and to some degree protected through the rituals of fist, stick, and knife. He gives a cogent, chilling analysis of how, through an unforeseen chain of consequences set in motion in the 1960s by new york governor. A personal history of violence is a memoir by geoffrey canada. He and his 4 brothers were raised by only their mother.