Snow in August
Rose Faienza
9/2/13
Period.1
Summer Reading Essay
Snow In August by Pete Hamill
In the year 1947, the war veterans have come home, Jackie Robinson is about to become a dodger and in one closed minded neighborhood, an eleven year old Irish catholic boy named Michael Devlin has just made friends with a lonely rabbi from Prague. For Michael, the rabbi opens up a window to ancient learning and a new life style that he is not used to. For Judah, Michael helps educate the mysteries of America, including the language of baseball. But like their hero, Jackie Robinson, neither can escape the prejudices of their time. Pete Hamill expresses human nature through his novel by representing racism, pressure and friendship through his characters.
Snow in August deals with one of the main characters who is racist towards Jews. Frankie McCarthy was one of the older guys, at least seventeen, and the leader of the gang called the Falcons. While trying to persuade Michael into buying him cigarettes Mister G, the Jewish owner of the candy store tells him to leave the kid alone. As a result Frankie responds to Mister G by telling Michael, “I wanna show you how to deal with a Jew prick like this.”(Snow In August, 36). Therefore, Frankie starts beating Mister G to death to show Michael how to deal with Jews when they’re not cooperating. Readers can relate to this situation in the novel because in today’s society it is human nature to be racist towards others. Racism is everywhere and effects everybody even if it isn’t subjected directly to someone it can still hurt.
Pete Hamill expresses pressure through his story with an eleven year old American – Irish boy named Michael Devlin. Throughout the novel, Michael deals with the pressure of having a friendship with a lonely rabbi who is not easily accepted in the Brooklyn community. In addition, the all American-Irish boy has to deal with Frankie, the leader of the Falcons because he was the only witness to the hate crime he committed
9/2/13
Period.1
Summer Reading Essay
Snow In August by Pete Hamill
In the year 1947, the war veterans have come home, Jackie Robinson is about to become a dodger and in one closed minded neighborhood, an eleven year old Irish catholic boy named Michael Devlin has just made friends with a lonely rabbi from Prague. For Michael, the rabbi opens up a window to ancient learning and a new life style that he is not used to. For Judah, Michael helps educate the mysteries of America, including the language of baseball. But like their hero, Jackie Robinson, neither can escape the prejudices of their time. Pete Hamill expresses human nature through his novel by representing racism, pressure and friendship through his characters.
Snow in August deals with one of the main characters who is racist towards Jews. Frankie McCarthy was one of the older guys, at least seventeen, and the leader of the gang called the Falcons. While trying to persuade Michael into buying him cigarettes Mister G, the Jewish owner of the candy store tells him to leave the kid alone. As a result Frankie responds to Mister G by telling Michael, “I wanna show you how to deal with a Jew prick like this.”(Snow In August, 36). Therefore, Frankie starts beating Mister G to death to show Michael how to deal with Jews when they’re not cooperating. Readers can relate to this situation in the novel because in today’s society it is human nature to be racist towards others. Racism is everywhere and effects everybody even if it isn’t subjected directly to someone it can still hurt.
Pete Hamill expresses pressure through his story with an eleven year old American – Irish boy named Michael Devlin. Throughout the novel, Michael deals with the pressure of having a friendship with a lonely rabbi who is not easily accepted in the Brooklyn community. In addition, the all American-Irish boy has to deal with Frankie, the leader of the Falcons because he was the only witness to the hate crime he committed