A summary of Amazing Grace by Jonathan Kozol
The story of Amazing Grace by Kozol takes its readers on a tour of South Bronx which is a large and poor area of New York which is hugely divided on a racial basis. The living conditions are extremely poor and are characterized by garbage dumps, a medical waste incinerator, children’s parks that are dotted with empty rustic containers and garbage dumps.
Kozol enables his readers to meet the impoverished individuals whose lives and voices are an excellent example of the kind of vicious stereotypes used by the to justify the of policies victims and punishes the poor. One of these people is Alice Washington who according to Kozol has survived three cancer operations. She lived in extremely oppressive conditions and was infected with HIV from her former husband. Alice has been cut off from welfare by the viciousness of substantial impersonal corrupt social policies that rob people of their self-respect.
However, Alice still has her dignity and nobility which is lacking in the wealthier class of people whose sole intention is to quarantine the poor as they continue to acquire more wealth greedily. Alice has a son named David who is forced to age before his time due to constant worry and taking care of his ailing mother and surprisingly he still completes his high school studies with impressive grades that earn him a college scholarship. As a survivor David full of wisdom obtained from being religious and after keen observation he concludes that the definition of evil is what the wealthy class has done to the poor in this part of New York.
Just like in other Kozol’s works, “Amazing Grace” is a story that focuses on children who are vulnerable youngsters who pay the sins of the American society. The children are not thugs nor are they prostitutes they are just children who wish to lead a healthy life with common aspirations. However, they feel condemned, buried, afraid and powerless. The children and their parents hate the terrible, dehumanizing stereotypes which are propelled by the talk show hosts and the wealthy officials.