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The Code Of The Street by Elijah Anderson depicts the peculiarities of life in the American inner-city, revealing the mainstreams and the code of such neighborhood. Anderson defines two major camps: decent and street people; and depicts the struggle of these two camps on different layers.
First of all, it is necessary to point out that Anderson notes that the main cause of emerging of the street code in inner-cities is the lack of well-paid jobs and, thus, threatening poverty. In such difficult conditions, when there is no confidence in the future and there are only problems and obstacles in the present, a lot of people make their choice and decide which camp to pertain. It is very promising that in such a grave situation a lot of people find strength and courage to fight against circumstances and environment and make success in life.
Anderson calls families which try to make success in the American society “decent families”, and those families which adhere to the street code “street families”. Anderson suggests that the street code is several behavior models which form an image of a strong person which can defend him/herself and his/her family.
The Code Of The Street reveals that this code applies both decent and street families since these two parties have to co-exist in the same neighborhood. Anderson points out that sometimes members of decent families should act to show their strength to defend themselves, and, vice versa, some members of street families show values which are common for the rest of the society.
Anderson also stresses the exclusive role of the family in forming a behavior model in youth. The Code Of The Street contains numerous example of such relationship from real life; moreover, Anderson inserts whole passages of interviews of different people living in the inner-city, who share their experience. Based on these interviews and his observations, Anderson concludes that parents of decent families working very hard to earn their living, take control of their children and teach them what is right and what is wrong.
In the majority of cases, children from decent families understand the negative consequences of the street life, which they see in their everyday life in their neighborhood, get inspired by the example of their parents or start cherishing their parents’ care, and work hard as their parents, and, finally, reach their goals.
On the contrary, parents in street families don’t pay a lot of attention to their children upbringing, instead they show bad examples of adhering to street code; moreover, they teach their children to adhere to the street code as well; they show violence or even put their children to violence, and, as a result, they bring up another generation of street people.
It is necessary to add that Anderson depicts cases, which are not rare when children from street families were inspired by school, church, or members of decent families and acquire new values and changed the camp.
In terms of this peculiar layer, i.e., family, Anderson defines the exclusive role of manhood in the inner-city life. He stresses that if a strong man evoking respect is in charge of a family, such a family will never be violated since everyone sees that the head of a family can defend his relatives.
This is a very significant postulate of the street code, and in the inner-city, men always have to display their strength and commitment to go to the end if necessary, so that others saw that it is dangerous to “mess with him.” Anderson provides several examples when men act like that in public, even if there is no necessity to reveal their commitment. Still, all the men act like this, and their sons inherit such model and form another generation of the family heads.
Nevertheless, Anderson also states that lately this manhood importance deviated a little, and at present such strong head of the family can be a female, mother or even grandmother, for instance. The main point is the great authority of the older people who can teach the youth, due to the experience of the former. Anderson defines such authorized people as “Old Heads”, and depicts their attempts to influence their children.
The Code Of The Street reveals a very interesting fact that, basically, “Old Heads” of both decent and street families license violence as self-defense. Of course, in decent families, the youth is taught that there exists another way of acting in conflict situations. Still, the majority admit the necessity of revealing physical strength as well. Anderson also depicts an opposite authorized force which influences the youth, i.e., “Young Boys.”
The authority of “Young Boys,” according to Anderson, originates close interaction among children. Anderson states that spending a lot of time among peers; children find authority among peers as well. This “Young Boy” is an example of strength and respect; the youth admits the authority of suck kind of boys and, of course, the majority seeks to be such “Young Boy”. Anderson notes that young people are likely to follow their young leader, rather than listen to the “Old Head”, since they want to be (or at least seem) cool in their young community.
In this respect, another interesting point is depicted in The Code Of The Street, namely girls’ behavior in terms of the street code and authority. Anderson points out that girls also want to be an authority among the peers, they also reveal the strength, but above all, they long to be with a “Good Man”, which is a proof of being one of the best. The “Good Man” must be strong and authorized; he should be senior among the others.
Anderson also mentions that no girl wants to be with “Nothing Man”, which will not contribute to her status but can only destroy it. “Nothing Man” according to Anderson is a boy who doesn’t represent the main principles of the street code, who is not strong enough not only to defeat others, but defend his friends and members of the family, or even defend himself.
Thus, one of the main components of the street code revealed by Anderson are strength and authority; and one of the values of The Code Of The Street is its comprehensive and insightful look on the issue.
In his book Anderson point out that the vast majority of the people, living in the inner-city, long to be a part of the whole American society rather than to pertain to the sub-layer; but in terms of economic difficulties and other social issues (racism, etc.) these people and especially young people regard adhering to the street code as the only way for them.
The book under consideration is very valuable since it provides analysis of the mainstreams of the American inner-city and reveals the main factors contributing to forming such a grave situation. Moreover, Anderson suggests possible solving of the problem, but above all his work’s exclusive value lies in the fact that it draws the public’s attention o the gravity of the situation.
The Code Of The Street stresses the necessity of interference in the inner-city problems; it reveals the importance of deleting the gap between the inner-city culture and the rest of American social development. Anderson reveals the idea of the possible threat which arises from the street code culture development, since increasing tension may reach its highest point and explode in some way.
He also points out that the growing tension is not only determined by the dissatisfaction of the inner-city people, but it is also caused by the rejection of the rest of society, since the middle class is very biased, when it concerns people of the inner-city. From this perspective, Anderson stresses the necessity to change the whole system of values, and make the two cultures, that of the street code and that of the middle class, merge into one.
Thus, The Code Of The Street depicts the main issues of life in the inner-city, providing quite detailed analysis of the code of the street, and thus, the book under consideration can be a very useful guideline for policymakers who understand the necessity of coping with inner-city problems and who are committed to delete the discrepancies between the inner-city and the rest of the American society.
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