Richard Singh
English 102
Mr.
DeWit
Thesis: We should accept those around us by not
being judgmental because we are ruining the experience of those being judged in
the home we all share, Earth. “The meaning of life is to help others find
theirs.” – Viktor Frankl
Father G had guided many gangbangers
into the path of righteousness by believing in each of them. Early on in the
book, Father G recounts a story about one his former employees, Luis. Luis was
one of the most notorious drug dealers within Father G’s community and always
declined Father G’s offer to change his life by coming to work for him. Not
long after the birth of his daughter, Luis decided to work for Father G’s
company Homeboy Industries as a baker. After working for Father G and being
promoted to a foreman, Luis was able to buy his own place his daughter and
himself with his “honestly earned, clean money” (15). Father G goes on to
congratulate Luis by saying, “You…did…this. You’ve never had a home in your
life-now you have one…You were the biggest drug dealer in town, and you stopped
and baked bread instead” (16). Father G tells Luis that it was through his own
effort that he was able to turn his own life around. This shows that Father was
able to help someone find meaning in their life by proving them with an
opportunity and the right support because if it was for Father G and his
business, Homeboy Industries, Luis would’ve still been a drug lord within the
community and most importantly, he would not have been able to find the
greatness in himself. Similarly to Luis’s incident, Father G also helped out
another young man who went by the street name Scrappy. Scrappy is a 20-year-old
gangbanger who just got out of prison and is seeking for change. Father G
explains that he and Scrappy had a very rocky relationship and that Scrappy
even once pulled a gun out on him once. Scrappy visits Father G at Homeboy
Industries in seek for a job and proper guidance in order to escape the
troubled lifestyle he had. Despite their past differences, Father G agrees to
help Scrappy by “[hiring] him that day” and placing him in the “graffiti
crew”(34). Father G was able to put his differences with Scrappy aside and help
him attain a more joyous life that he could be content about. Father G shows us
that you can always find good in those who are perceived to be as evil and that
we are all a reflection of God. Father F
was able to look into his soul and see that he still had possessed the will to
be good. Through his guidance, Father G was able to help out many homeboys live
a life of happiness and fulfillment instead of a life filled with regret.
Not only was Father G exceptional at
guiding the homeboys to live a more just life, he also showed that he truly
cared for these people who were often rejected by society. For instance, Father
G showed his caring for Lula, a slow minded 10-year-old boy at the time who did
not receive much attention from his family. One day, while Father G is in a
conference, Lula stands by Father G’s door with his report card. Father G tells
Lula to come over so that he could examine his report card. Father G says, “I
glance across the piece of paper…F, F, F, F, F, F. All Fs and nothing but damn
Fs…[until] I find it. Absences: 0” (49). Father G then goes on to say “Lula,
nice goin’, mijo, you didn’t miss a day” (50). Father G congratulates Lula for
not skipping out on school like most kids in the community. He praised many
people no matter how small their deeds were. Besides shaping Lula in becoming a
better student, Father G also showed his care for a homeboy named Sniper.
Sniper was a kid who went to confession and was asked by Father G his name.
After a few nicknames he finally opened up to Father G. Father G asked the kid
“What’s your mom call you?” (54). The kid finally opened up to Father G and says,
“when my mom is not mad at me…she calls me…Napito” (54). Father G goes on to
say that he saw the kid transform from “Sniper to Gonzalez to Cabron to
Napoleon to Napito” (54). Father G showed that he cared about this kid by
asking him for his real name, the name chosen for him by God and not his street
name. Father G truly cared for this kid because he wanted to know his actual
name and see his true identity, the child of God, and not his façade. Father G
showed love to those who lacked love by society.
