Whatever pressure and stress his leaving put on my mother, having to raise four boys alone, she didnt show us. I will show the students how i reread fist, stick, knife, gun by geoffrey canada and annotate the text. Geoffrey canada was a small, scared boy growing up in the south bronx. More to the point, it also works as a warning, as he explores his feelings toward the various escalations and why he feels that is necessary to use the particular weapon at that time. Excerpt from fist stick knife gun february 16, 2010 at 11. Fist, stick, knife, gun by geoffrey canada quiz quizizz.
A personal history of violence is a memoir by geoffrey canada, an american social activist who is the current president and chief executive officer of harlem childrens zone. Codes of conduct a matter of time the best way we know how through shattering storytelling, geoffrey canada recreates his childhood world, one in which the sidewalk boys learned the codes of the block from their elders and were ranked and to some degree protected through the rituals of fist, stick, and knife. Canada relives a childhood in which violence stalked every street corner. Excerpt from woman hollering creek by sandra cisneros 3. Discussion questions for fist stick knife gun by geoffrey.
Fist stick knife gun follows geoffrey canada through his life in the bronx and it shows the well developed system of unwritten laws in place. Fist stick knife gun i fist stick knife gun is a fascinating personal graphic memoir of an extremely interesting person. This is a landmark book, chronicling a paradigm shift in how we address one of americas most shameful social problems. I bought the gun legally in maine, where i was in college. In a stunning pairing, acclaimed comics creator jamar nicholas presents canadas raw and riveting account, one of the most authentic and important true stories of urban violence. Fist, stick, knife, gun a personal history of violence graphic novel. Adolescents barely beyond their own childhoods are. Part memoir, part social treatise, a wholly sobering view of innercity violence and the codes surrounding it. History of violence 10minute audio excerpt from fist stick knife gun recorded for nprs this. The clerk only wanted to see some proof of residency, and my bowdoin college i. In a stunning pairing, acclaimed comics creator jamar nicholas transforms canadas raw and riveting memoir. After reading fist stick knife gun a personal history of violence i have a huge respect for geoffrey canada. It is quite obvious he has lived this life, knows the terminology, knows the fear, knows how it all works.
I loved reading, and my mother, who read voraciously too, allowed me to have her novels after she finished them. The nature of the violent act has changed from the fist, stick, and knife to the gun. Canadas world was one where sidewalk boys learned the codes of the block and were ranked through the rituals of fist, stick, and knife. He describes growing up in the south bronx and learning the intricate codes of violence starting at about age 7, with the slightly older kids on the block as morality teachers and fighting coaches. His acknowledgement that he would be forced to use a handgun if he had one is revealing on so many levels. Getting real in upward bound article pdf available in the english journal march 2002 with 1,260 reads how we measure reads. As a child growing up in the bronx, it was essential that canada knew how to fight. The book drew upon numerous incidents of violence encountered by geoffrey himself, his daughter, and his students. An excerpt from geoffrey canadas memoir, fist stick knife gun. It follows canada from the age of four to young manhood and describes the different and increasingly lethal forms that violence takes in his life. In 1971, well before the explosion of handguns on the streets of new york city, i bought a handgun. Reviewers praised canadas straightforward, descriptive prose and his passionate advocacy for personal. Fist stick knife gun a personal history of violence in. Fist, stick, knife gunchapter 1 with annotation for.
A personal history of violence in america read more posted at 02. In this book he recounts true stories from his childhood in new york city. Get the audible audio edition of fist stick knife gun. The las vegas nonfiction book group meets tomorrow to discuss fist stick knife gun a personal history of violence by geoffrey canada. A personal history of violence is the 1995 memoir by geoffrey canada that details his comingofage in the south bronx. Sample essaysgeoffrey canadas fist, stick, knife, gun. These are the questions i will use to keep the discussion going. Through shattering storytelling, geoffrey canada recreates his childhood world, one in which the sidewalk boys learned the codes of the block from their elders and were ranked and to some degree protected through the rituals of fist, stick, and knife.
Seventh grade lesson finding theme and authors point of. Oct 31, 20 violence was a huge recurring issue throughout geoffrey canadas book fist, stick, knife, gun. His childhood world was one where sidewalk boys learned the codes of the block and were ranked through the rituals of fist, stick, knife, and, finally, gun. Fist, stick, knife gunchapter 1 with annotation for timeline. As these excerpts from the poems and essays written by my eighth grade english students indicate, geoffrey canadas fist stick knife gun, a poignant account of his comingofage on the streets of new york citys south bronx, is the basis for one of the most vital and successful units i teach. Dec 22, 2009 fist, stick, knife, gun jesse carrillo. Much like the book our america, fist stick knife gun is a nonfiction story that both teens and adults find captivating. The importance of violence, status and street cred in the south bronx at even early elementary grades was saddening, but even more troubling was the transition from the street fights fists to the weapons of today. Telling it like it is in todays urban america by jim. Fist stick knife gun im almost through geoffrey canadas fist stick knife gun. This graphic adaptation of geoffrey canadas 1995 memoir.
I will say, i am now going to read the next two paragraphs and you will turn and talk to your partner. Aug 02, 2012 fist stick knife gun is an excellent personal story and has a nice flowing narrative. Students read the first chapter of fist stick knife gun in class. Then the streets changed, and the stakes got even higher. In an 1997 episode of this american life called guns, geoffrey canada discussed his childhood in the bronx, the violence he faced there, and the changes brought about when guns became more commonplace among young people in the city. Fist stick knife gun, a personal history of violence by. Long before president barack obama called his work an allencompassing, allhandsondeck antipoverty effort that is literally saving a generation of children, geoffrey canada was a small and scared boy growing up in the south bronx. Canada, geoffrey know that the cubs will scratch and bite, eventually even kill the fawn. I will say, there is a really great book called fist, stick, knife gun by author geoffrey canada can show book cover if you have book, or a web picture. Implicitly, canada sees the possession of guns as detrimental to individual character.
Beacon press published the book on january 31, 1995 publishers weekly praised the book, commenting that a more powerful depiction of the tragic life of urban children and a more compelling plea to. A personal history of violence in america from the. Seventh grade lesson finding theme and authors point of view. Mar 18, 2012 fist stick knife gun uses an interesting narration style, which enables the artist to tell the story of a young man who makes his way while surrounded by violence.
Fist stick knife gun summary and study guide supersummary. Canada, head of the rheedlen center for children and families in new york city, moves smoothly back and forth between recollections of his youth in a tough south bronx neighborhood and ruminations on the changing nature of violence. Coupling graphic memoir with the original text and audio using. For this reason, most critical reaction to fist, stick, knife, gun was highly favorable.
Fist, stick, knife gun chapter 1 with annotation for timeline. Click below to download the full study guide for fist stick knife gun. Rather be judged by twelve than carried by six he starts showing less emotion sorrowful. He gives a cogent, chilling analysis of how, through an unforeseen chain of consequences set in motion in the 1960s by new york. Read the fulltext online edition of fist, stick, knife, gun. Beacon press published the book on january 31, 1995. His memoir reveals not only important events that took place during his childhood but also his feelings about them. My new friend i tell people that we were the poorest welfare cheats that there ever was. On the show, canada read a piece from his memoir, fist stick knife gun, which you can read below. In this candid and riveting memoir, canada relives a childhood in which violence stalked every street corner. Fist stick knife gun uses an interesting narration style, which enables the artist to tell the story of a young man who makes his way while surrounded by violence. Fist stick knife gun is the story of geoffrey canadas childhood world in the south bronx. Students take home and read the street, an excerpt of richard wrights black boy.
I want you to hold these two questions in your head. Not to mention learning the demands of socially regarding displaying appropriate behavior when they are outside of the disorganized community. As these excerpts from the poems and essays written by my eighth grade english students indicate, geoffrey canadas fist stick knife gun, a poignant account. Fist stick knife gun a personal history of violence. A personal history of violence in america, is a memoir told by the american activist geoffrey canada who gives his own personal account of what is was like to grow up on the streets of harlem in the 1950s or 1960s. A new edition, including the story of the founding of the harlem childrens zone long before the avalanche of praise for his. On the show, canada read the following excerpt from his memoir, fist stick knife gun.
Long before president barack obama praised his work as an all. As these excerpts from the poems and essays written by my eighth grade english students indicate, geoffrey canadas fist stick knife gun, a poignant account of his comingofage on the streets of new york citys south bronx, is the basis for one of the most vital and successful units i. Fist stick knife gun a personal history of violence in america by g. Fist, stick, knife, gun tone the tone of this book is mainly harsh and sorrowful.
Why do you think canada begins his story with the description of the incident with the jacket when geoff says. The one proposal that i think is the most important is his idea of reducing the number and regulating the possession of handguns. Fist stick knife gun is a graphic novel but still portrays a powerful message. Canada shares his childhood experiences in the south bronx to support the theory that violence is learned and not genetically caused and biologically based. What can the reader infer based on this excerpt from paragraph 2. Students have two days to complete a homework assignment of writing an essay comparing the incidents in the first chapter of fist stick knife gun with the incidents in the street. The book spoke about actual problems happening throughout the whole united states not just in new york city. Character flash cards learn with flashcards, games, and more for free. Part memoir, part social reform advocacy, it contrasts the mean streets of the authors south bronx youth in the 1960s to the drugand gun culture afflicting todays urban youth. I will then show the students how i use the sequence of a memoir chart, using the attached chart. A mother and four boys, and with welfare and my mother working for slave wages thats all they paid even the most competent black women in 1958, she could barely keep a roof over our heads. They feel their job is to turn their child into a lion cub, to help that child learn to scratch and bite back.