Kozol Talking Points Take 2

Amazing Grace by Jonathon Kozol

1. "There are children in the poorest, most abandoned places who, despite the miseries and poisons that the world has pumped into their lives, seem, when you first meet them, to be cheerful anyway."

Kozol is referring to Cliffie the seven year old boy, who is showing him around St. Anne street and seems to find a little happiness in such a miserable place. I think it affects Kozol because all around him is sickness and evil and Cliffie still has to live there and be a little boy. Cliffie lives in a place where everything and everyone is working against him and there is really nothing to be happy about. He also uses the word "seem" in referring to Cliffie's happiness because he knows that underneath the smile their is a little boy in pain.

2."..they put a lot of things into our neighborhood that no one wants."

Cliffie's mom is talking to Kozol about the incinerator that the state of NY built in the neighborhood to burn medical waste. It had been previously scheduled to be built in another neighborhood but the parents in the nicer community were able to stop it for fear of cancer risks to their children. It wound up in their neighborhood along with 3000 relocated homeless families that the state had no where to put. She also says that people from nicer neighborhoods come to hers to throw away trash and discarded items in the street. In a sense the area has become a human landfill as well as a literal one.

3. "They ( drug dealers) look at you with this strange smile. It's not just hatred. It's as if they're laughing at their lives--and yours."

I think this closing sentence sums up the grim situation on St Anne. The conditions and the way of life have breed such a complete disregard for human life that living and dying are roughly the same.

Conclusion: I think that Kozol is trying to show you that there are people all around who are forgotten and need help. They are in situations too dire to get out of on their own and it is up to all of us to make their problems our own. We are all in this messed up world together and we should lend a hand instead of turning our backs.