The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member Essay Example

to depict the bad effects of crime including death, injuries and even alienation from family.

The information in the book is convincing and supports the theme of the narration considering the fact that it is coming from a person who has spent life in prison and was a gang member whose daily routine was violence and other criminal activities.
The book is comparable to the novel Monster by Walter Dean Myers that was published in 1999 by HarperCollins(Myers, 1999).The happenings in the novel that resonate around a main character in the novel, Steve Harmon are comparable to Sanyika’s stipulation although in Myers’s narration, the protagonist is accused of an action he dint commit. In both novels, the issue of crime and violence is tackled and the issue of imprisonment. In addition, both novels involve teenage boys associated with crime as Sanyika was initiated to gang group while a teenage and so is Steve.

In the novel, Sanyika utilizes a story telling in narrating his experiences as a criminal. The text takes a chronological structure. The book either transits from a third to a first person narration. Use of symbolism is also common in the book including use of metaphor. For example in one instance, the author likens America’s inner cities gang warfare to the scar on a beautiful woman’s belly (Sanyika, 1993). There is also use of irony in the novel for example America being taken a showpiece in the world while it has gang groups in its cities. Use of vocabularies in the sentences is also common. All these help the audience to feel the social, cultural, political perspectives of the author in addition to bringing out

the main message clearly.

The book is attractive to read as it explains events in a simple, storytelling narration. In addition, the information in the book needs to be read by young people especially the bad effects of violence and crime. Reading this book is therefore beneficial especially to young people and hence I recommend all my classmates to read the book.

References

1. Sanyika Shakur. 1993.Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member.Grove Atlantic Book. Print.
   Walter Dean Myers. 1999.Monster. Harpercollins. Print