Down Chapter Analysis (Essay Sample)

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Down these mean streets (But not for me, Chapter 10)
The novel Down these mean streets constitutes the life experiences of the author, Piri Thomas, who is also the main character in the book. The book begins when Thomas Piri is 12 years old and living with his family in Harlem. The book has 35 chapters that all explore the life experience of Piri Thomas in a society that is characterized by racial discrimination, gender violence and, cultural conflicts. This essay will provide a brief explanation of chapter ten of the novel Down these mean streets and illustrate topics that emerge from the chapter that are important in development and recovery of Piri Thomas.
The chapter begins with Thomas getting troubled with how he relates with his white age mates in the Long Island. This portrays the ill relationship that exists between the black boys and their fellow whites. It appears that, white guys do not associate with black guys. According to Thomas "No matter how much you busted your hump trying to be one of them, you’d never belong, they wouldn’t let you.’’ (94). The author tries to show us how much the whites tried to avoid blacks. The author uses this to show how racism was rampant in Long Island.
When Thomas and Betty are returning from New York, the two guys with whom they are in they are sharing car confront them. These guys appear to be worried by the relationship between the white girl, Betty, and Thomas. This incidence reflects how wide the racial gap between the whites and the blacks is. The respect for the other race is very limited. One of the white guys refers to Thomas as "nigger" and Thomas refers to them as "cats". When the one of the white guys is warned by his friend against gossiping about Thomas and Betty, he says "let him hear me, that black son of a bitch" (96). This confrontation portrays racial Hatred. Racial differences are so deep that they sometimes resort to violence.
Racism appears to apply everywhere in this society. Thomas got a job as a kitchen attendant at Pilgrim State Hospital in Brentwood. He hopes to use the money he is paid in buying a place for his mother and other kids in Harlem. Racism has made Thomas to develop a hatred for Long Island to a point that he so badly wants to leave the place. However, he complains that the amount of money he is paid is little. He says "The work at the hospital was shitty, and the pay was shitty..." (95). Racism could also be the reason he is paid less. The author also uses his first encounter with Betty in the hospital’s cafeteria to emphasize the notion of racism in this society. Everyone in the cafeteria was looking at them because it appeared abnormal for a white lady to have a good time with a black guy (95). This encounter also makes it clear that not all whites had the same perception concerning the blacks. When Thomas was making love with Betty, he did it while filled with hatred for whites, a reaction towards racism. He says ‘But inside me I kept saying, Damn it, I hate you-no, not you, just your damn color. My God, why am I in the middle?' (97). When he is making love to Betty, Betty understands the author’s situation, and she confirms that she will continue to love him irrespective what people say.
Just like blacks, women are not given much respect in this society. Women are treated as objects to satisfy the needs of men. At the beginning of the chapter, Thomas is informed by his mother that his father has another wife. He is not surprised by this information as if it is normal for men in this society to have other women besides their wives. Thomas appears to know this, but he pretends not to have any information for the sake of his mother’s wellbeing. It appears that this issue has bothered Thomas' mother to the point of coming to know the name of the other woman. She says, "No, hijo, I know. Her name is Ruthie" (94). This shows how women are being abused men in this society.
When Thomas and Betty are traveling from New York, the two guys who confront them appear to have noticed them because of the presence of a woman. One of the two guys said, "Will you look at that damn nigger with that white girl?" (96). When the man is cautioned by his friend against gossiping Thomas and Betty, he says, "Let him hear me, that black son of a bitch," (96). The way that guy refers to Thomas reflects how women are treated lowly in this society. In response to this, Thomas says "World full of shits!" and Motherfuckin’ supermen!" In this society, women are used in insults. This shows how women are disrespected in this society. Blacks and women are treated lowly in this society. The events that take place in this chapter would help the narrator’s development and recovery later in the novel.
In spite of Betty being genuinely in love with Piri Thomas, he is not serious about their relationship. According to Thomas, Betty is just a good time girl. Her position in Thomas' life is not beyond that of an object of pleasure. She is there for use and do away with her. Even after having made love to her, taken her to his people, Thomas cannot remember her other name. This shows how women are taken for granted in this society. Betty wanted to have a talk with Thomas, but he was not ready for one. He says "She wanted to talk about us, but that was crazy" (97). According to Thomas, having a talk with Betty about their life was crazy. This shows how insignificant she was to him yet she loved him genuinely. It is the culture of this society to treat women indifferently. The same case happens to the Thomas' mother. Thomas' father left his mother for another woman identified as Ruthie. Betty portrays weakness when she allows herself to fall in love with Thomas without taking a time to determine his seriousness in it. Betty remains in darkness until Thomas leaves her lastly. This could have partly fueled by the fact that she was white, and Thomas was bla...