Talking Point 9

Our Guys by: Bernard Lefkowitz
Premise:
· Anger
· Hatred
· Confusion
· Special need child
· Jocks
· Painful
· Disorder
· Trouble
· Police-arrest
· American communities
· Suburbs
· Fun- seems for the males participating
· Disturbing
· Uncalled for
· Embarrassment
· Appalling
· Greif and shame
· Adolescent years
· Social devastation = poverty of childhood
· Squeaky clean/manicured town
· Perfection
· Segregation of towns
· Financial/social class
· Privilege
· “tragedy”
· “character”
Author’s Argument:
Lefkowitz argues that being privileged and affluence could inflate the self-importance of otherwise unremarkable young men, not always with good results. Also that being privileged changes everything in society, character changes to tragedy in this story, meaning that vocabulary is different within the two towns being discussed; along with this the privileged receive more attention and to the society of Glen Ridge become the victims.
Evidence:
1. In the introduction on pages 5 and 6, he discusses how in Glen Ridge they (the society) says what a tragedy for so and so and their family; while in Newark they say character, that kid had such bad character. The focus more on problems or situations the child has been exposed too, in Newark. Glen Ridge is like a gated community, and they just feel sorry for the boys involved and forget completely about the victim and her family.
2. In the beginning of chapter one, Leslie says how she wishes she was popular and could be one of the girls who partied with the jock clique. She then continues to say that all the jocks ignored her, her entire life and she probably would never party on Kyle and Kevin deck. She was sent to a different school out of district because she had special needs, but one of the guys that she did associate with asked her to come to their party and she was a vulnerable girl so after she found out that her lover would be there she said yes. This is a perfect example of peer pressure, which does exist in many high schools especially among girls.
3. The silence. This example I feel is the strongest, because it just shows how “the heroes” of Glen Ridge always ended up on top and got away with everything they did because they were respected by all in the community for being the jocks. However their silence could be interpreted as being ashamed of what they did; Leslies silence is more grief and shame oriented, since she fell for Chris’ invitation. Being silent is the easiest way to move on and forget than deal with what happened.
Comments:
This reading was easy to comprehend, but disturbing at the same time. I liked how Lefkowitz uses concrete images to draw the picture in the readers mind. After reading just the first chapter and introduction I was disgusted with what the so called heroes had done to that innocent girl, and I did not like how the community only felt bad for the jocks and sort of made them the victims. I liked reading this and I actually want to go and purchase it so I can find out what happens between chapters one and twelve. I also see how is relates to Kozol, the society makes the difference in the society and Lefkowitz draws a clear picture of the community of privilege in relation to Newark (which reminded me of the town Kozol talked about) the poverty stricken town. I also noticed that Leslie was sent to a school where she was in a class with other special needs children, which is like segregating against her. Aren’t all children supposed to be taught in the same public institution in their local school district?