Down These Mean Streets P. 239 – 337 Ramonita Garcia and Joseph Sokola

Piri’s Struggle to have “Heart” “The decision to cool myself made the next two years the hardest I had done because it meant being a smoothie and staying out of trouble, which in prison is difficult, for any of a thousand cons might start trouble with you for any real or fancied reason, and if you didn’t face up to the trouble, you ran the risk of being branded as having no heart. And heart was all I had left.” (Page 280)

Discussion Do you think Piri’s decision to try to stay out of trouble is a turning point for his maturity? Has he finally transitioned into manhood at this point? What does the fact that Piri did not participate in the riot at the prison mean for his “heart”? Do you think his definition of “having heart” changes at this point?

Education and Religious Education Through all of Piri’s rough life experience he is still finding himself- the time he spent in jail was a turning point in his life. High school diploma Three of four diplomas on some free courses Three diplomas on Bible studies Then he encountered believers and followers of the Muslim religion “Lotta black humans are Christians…That’s the worst mistake the black man made.” (page 292) “I became curious about everything human.” (Page 297)

Finally Finding Himself “For the first time I was aware that I didn’t know myself.” With Religion: I call on Christ instead of Allah. Guess I’ve been a Christian too long. “I’m short now I can taste the street, and it’s like I can’t believe here and the rules and regulations just aren’t meant for me anymore.” (page 304) I ain’t ever gona be the same. I’m changed all right. (page 306)

Discussion How do you think Piri’s time in prison positively affected him? How did it negatively affect him? How do you think Piri’s exposure to Bible study and members of the Muslim religion change his views on life, and different people and cultures?

Free at Last Piri is freed from jail and sent to New York Bronx County jail to deal with his warrants After being free for just 12 hours he giving a court date (2 weeks later) The Judge at the Bronx County court set him free with three years of probation After just a few weeks of being free he loses himself again to drugs and whoring The first year of freedom was not easy. He had to try hard to not be sucked into the Harlem streets Constant mentions of “God”

Discussion How does Piri’s newfound spirituality help him to resist going back to his old ways when he is released from prison? Do you think it really helped much at all?