Tattoos Essay

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.