Page 151 to 264

Jimmy was able to deal with the adversity in his life in multiple ways. He had got a letter from a man named Harry who was chosen to write to him and not being able to read it, Jimmy was inspired to learn so he could write back. “I was eager to communicate with someone to alleviate the boredom of the dungeon.” (183) He starts writing poetry to express himself. “Writing for me was a connection to the streets, to someone out there.” (186) I still felt sorry for him at the end because his father passes away and he can’t go to his funeral. (232-233) His mom comes back into his life and she ends up being shot by her husband because she wanted to leave him.  (262) And his brother was killed by some guy who smashed his skull in while he was drunk. (262-263) No matter how hard he tries something always seems to go wrong. When he gets a head one step, he gets taken back 2 more.
I'm glad I read the book because it made me realize that no matter how tough things get you can still turn your life around. He had the strength and determination to do it from the time he was a teen and managed to over come it in the end. He taught me that as long as you have the will power and set your mind to doing something then you can do it. No matter the odds or how many obstacles are thrown at you along the way.  In the end it makes you stronger and who you are.

Page 126 to 150

Jimmy had warn Rick, his former employee’s roommate, that the guy they sold weed for wanted him dead and that he needed to get out of the place he was staying in. (127) How he dealt with it was he confronted Rick warned him. A hit squad tried attacking him for warning Rick. (128-129) How he dealt with this was he grabbed a butcher knife the chef was using to chop vegetables and as the one guy was jumping toward him he slit his stomach open and killed him. (129) He was confronted by one of the Le eMe (gang members) who was trying to tear him down emotionally and make him lose all hope for tipping one Rick off. (129-132) When they were done messing with his thoughts they ganged up on him and threw him against the wall then grabbed him by the neck and threw him on the floor. (132) He didn’t really do anything to deal with that. He just let it go. One night he was lying in his cot revisiting his past like he had begun doing to pass time and he went back to when he overheard his mom and dad talking. His dad wanted to his mom to return to him and be with him but she was already remarried. (146-149) How he gets out of this one is a guard few guards wake him up because they thought something was wrong with him. How I feel about this is that he still has it hard. He’s still trying so hard to make things right and no matter where he turns things always seem to go bad for him.   

Page 51 to 125

“I was too proud to admit that any of it hurt; too proud to think that even for a second it could phase me.” (91) He lost his plumbing job. (52) He and his friend got thrown in jail because they were caught trying to ship weed to a friend so he could sell it. (53-54) They had to put their business on hold that they had started because they didn’t have a contractor’s license. (64) He and his friend were picked up by federal agents on their way out from seeing their marijuana dealer and taken to prison. (79-80) While he and his girlfriend were over at his his former employees house for dinner, they all were busted for selling to a undercover agent. (83-84) Jimmy took off and left the other 3 at the house to be arrested. (84-87) He called a lawyer to check on what the cops had and decided to turn himself in. (87) He called his sister to ask her for $50 so a lawyer would present him but she wouldn’t give it to him. (89) His girlfriend wrote him a letter in jail saying that she and his former employee had fallen in love and she was leaving him. (91) While in jail he was kicked and pistol whipped, then drug by several detectives into an office to be interrogated and then pummeled until he wouldn’t feel the blows or see out of his eyes. (92-93) They then flung him into a car and drove down a highway, opened the door and tried kicking him out so that the police car behind them could run him over. (93)  How he deals with his adversity is he would smoke weed and get drunk. Which wasnt very effective because half the time it just made him edgier. My response to what I read was I still feel sorry for him because no matter what he tries to do it always gets blown up in his face and he just can’t seem to get a hold on things. No matter how hard he tries he keeps failing.