Literary Analysis Essay on 'With No Direction Home'

Introduction

The book to review in this case is 'With No Direction Home: Homeless Youth on the Road and in the Streets by Marni Finkelstein.' The author has arranged the book well, and consequently, it is possible for the reader to comprehend the information presented. The author begins by explaining to the readers who the street children are (Finkelstein, 2004). After making the readers understand the definition of street children, there is the explanation of some of the reasons as to why these children leave their homes. The author later explains the process of socialization by these children to a point where they form peer networks.

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As one progresses with the reading of the book, there is an understanding of the manner through which these kids engage in the abuse of drugs, their victimization and how the ones that manage to get away from street life managed to make that achievement (Finkelstein, 2004). The study falls under the discipline of anthropology because this field involves an understanding of human behavior and organizations both in the past and the current environment which is exactly what life in the streets involves as reflected by the book.

The author used both an ethnographic and qualitative approach to understanding how homeless youth get to the streets and how they get to survive there. The research is carried out through observation and the interview of about 50 youth. By use of the data from this study, it is possible to get a comprehension of the priorities and the experiences of these youth. The research method is directly related to anthropology, and the reason for this is that there is a comprehension of the street lives of these people. As identified, anthropology involves the study of human behavior, and as presented through the research method incorporated. The author has reflected well the practice of these street children and the manner through which they associate with each other.

From the information presented in the book, it is possible to note that the author went through some problems when carrying out the research. One of the issues that the author faced was unresponsive street kids (Finkelstein, 2004). Some of the street kids that the author interviewed refused to offer information and most of them were the ones that had been in the streets for a long time. This group of kids would have managed to provide the author with a more detailed account of their street life. For the ones that offered information, not all of them were transparent about their lives, and this was very important for the research.

Before reading the book, I had my stereotypes regarding street kids. I initially thought that the reason as to why these kids lived in the streets was because they chose that life and had run away from home because they wanted independence. I thought that these kids were ignorant and naturally dangerous. However, after reading the book, I got to comprehend that most of these kids had landed on the streets owing to circumstances that they could not control. The given circumstances included the fact that their parents and guardians were abusive to them. Other reasons included the fact that their parents did not have the financial ability to support them and consequently the kids had to move to the streets and seek food for themselves.

I do believe that street kids are a subculture. The definition of a subculture is that it is a collection of people within a broader culture that differentiates from the broader culture and this is owing to their activities and the principles that they have. The norms and values of people in these subcultures are different from those of other people because they find themselves somewhat different. When relating to the street children, this is the same case, and the reason for stating this is that these street kids have their way of life that is different from that of an average person. One example that shows these kids are a sub-culture is their different etiquette from the rest of society. They look for food from the dumpsters a trait that is shunned upon by the rest of community.

From the book, I got to learn a lot about the street children. Some of the major concepts that I got to learn is regarding the fact that these children do not leave home at their discretion. Circumstances behind these children leaving home are often complicated and that a person can identify with (Finkelstein, 2004). I also learned the manner that these street children get to form families and the small social units that people often see them in. Most of the street families use drugs, and I initially did not understand why. However, after reviewing the interviews that the author had with these children, I got to comprehend that they engage in some of these activities because they are often looking for a way to escape the reality of their situation regardless of how long it would take them. From the book, I also got to learn the manner through which these children can get off the streets. The book was very insightful and the reason for stating this is that I got to learn that it is possible to have these children quitting the use of the abusive substances and the consequent of this is having their lives in order.

I think the group exists in society because of two significant factors. One of the reasons as to why the group exists is because of the poor state of the economy, and the second reason is poor parenting. The contemporary environment is one that has become rather tough, and this is because of the inability for people to get employment hence unable to take care of their children. There is also unplanned births which means people are not ready to take up the parenting role. Therefore, the young children born do not have anyone to take care of them effectively, and the consequent of this is having their parents letting them go or chasing them from their homes.

What surprised me most about the group is the fact that despite their poor lifestyle and their source of food, it was hard for them to fall ill. Sickness was not typical for these people, and I did not understand how this took place. I was also surprised at the size of families these street children had. One would expect that with these street children they would avoid engaging in reckless sexual activities that would see them getting pregnant at young ages. However, this was not the case in these street kids. Most of the street kids had children at the age of 20 already and this was already depressing for them. I found that this was rather astonishing for me. I also found it surprising to know that these kids looked to drugs as a source of their comfort. Drugs are never a solution but only worsened the situation. However, I understood that probably they did not have the necessary peer advice.

Conclusion

After going through the book, I became more informed, and consequently, my perception of the street children utterly changed. I initially did not have any trust in the street children, and I feared them. Honestly, I still fear them because they have the potential to rob a person with the intent of getting money to either purchase clothes or the drugs they so deem as comfort. The book is well developed with regard to the flow of ideas and this is very important in ensuring that a person comprehends the content well.

Reference

Finkelstein, M. (2004). With No Direction Home: Homeless Youth on the Road and in the Streets. CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co Inc.