Chapter 4 and 5
by Jenny Esposito
1. Gloria coldly tells him that him crying won't bring their son back.
2. Gloria runs into an ex partner of hers, who openly cries when he hears of the death of his son, though Gloria tells the story to the narrator as if it is supposed to be funny.
2.1. Gloria cut ties with her son when she learned he was a drug trafficker.
2.1.1. She justifies her lack of emotions by saying that she had no tears left to cry over him
3. Pedro Paulo's dad becomes distraught over his death, though he had very little involvement in his life beyond conception.
4. The narrator accompanies the family to visit Pedro Paulo in prison before his death.
4.1. Procedure takes an extremely long time, mostly spent waiting in a crowded room full of other visitors, then they are strip searched and have to go through a journey to get to the prison.
5. Pedro Paulo is especially angry because his girlfriend back home is considering aborting his baby, and he says he will murder her when he gets out of prison if she goes through with it.
5.1. This sparks an argument among females in the room.
6. The narrator has to stay over night in the visiting area, and she feels who she assumes to be Pedro Paulo try to touch her after everyone goes to bed.
6.1. She commands he respect her and threatens to tell Gloria, which puts a stop to his unwarranted touching.
6.1.1. Finds out the next day it was a different prisoner.
7. The narrator eventually comes to realize that events aren't considered funny when they are happening, but more so they are reflected on later with humor.
8. Some, like Pedro Paulo, wouldn't opt for an "honest" job and life, instead choosing to live on the streets and participate in illegal activities because they feel as if they have been cheated
8.1. At an unfair disadvantage because of class and background.
8.1.1. Children who live on the streets using opt to do so early on after they experience their parents doing domestic work.
9. Shantytowns are often close to nicer areas, giving the children who live in them huge dreams that will rarely be fulfilled.
9.1. Middle/upper class move behind higher walls to protect themselves from the harsh reality of the lower classes.
10. Gangs will provide children with a sense of belonging
10.1. People who live in the shantytowns can potentially make a lot of money selling drugs and participating in illicit behavior.
10.2. When people know their place in society, they get desperate.
11. Young children are hired to do the dirty work of gangs
11.1. Their lives are thought to be less valuable, plus they are easy to take advantage of
12. The violent interactions that occur sometimes with the police and favela residents makes their presence more known to the wealthy
12.1. Otherwise the wealthy have a warped image of the favela, thinking drug lords rule the favelas and are dominated by crime
13. Gangs can be seen as less corrupt than police, and sometimes they take police matters into their own hands
13.1. Protect favelas from outside nuisances such as other gangs
14. FUNABEM is supposed to be a child correctional facility but it actually hurts the children
14.1. Most will still join gangs or end up hurt or killed
15. Many gang members end up dead
15.1. Boys are more likely to join gangs and be killed in gang violence or police altercations (among other reasons)
16. Gloria wants her kids to know that to survive they have to be adults and be strong, childhood cannot last long.
16.1. Wants to teach kids how to survive and be people
16.1.1. "Tough Love"