Punching the air book cover5/24/2023 ![]() ![]() Moreover, they accurately depict the justice system as an engine fine-tuned to crush the urban poor and young Black men in particular. His experiences lend a visceral gravitas to Zoboi’s pen, and together they capture Amal’s emotional struggles as he grasps for hope despite his circumstances. Yusef himself was a victim of wrongful incarceration when he and four other young men were convicted of a crime they did not commit. Zoboi worked with prison reform activist Yusef Salaam to create Amal’s story in verse. ![]() Only Amal’s painting and poetry allow him to withstand the torture of physical beatings and solitary confinement. In prison, Amal gets a stark education on how unjust the justice system is as he witnesses guards abusing their power, administrators carelessly ignoring the welfare of the imprisoned as if their lives are disposable, and the avenues of “rehabilitation” proving to be decrepit and empty. All are sent to prison, while the white boys involved are not charged at all. Amal is found guilty of assault while his friends are given plea deals. A single punch leads to a fight between Amal and his friends-all Black-and a group of white boys from a gentrifying part of his neighborhood. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |