Childress, A. (1973). A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich.
New York: Speak.
Told in an unconventional way, this novel serves as a mini
documentary relating the story of Benjie, a teenage boy who is known to be a
drug addict and resorts to stealing to satisfy his addiction. The different
people that relate Benjie’s story, in a way justifying his actions, but not
condoning them, attribute this addiction to the poverty and living conditions
in which they are forced to live under. This is a story of a young man who does
not fight this battle alone, who despite his efforts to stop doing drugs,
continues to fall victim to temptation, and who we all know is not the only
individual who has ever encountered this problem. Perhaps a stronger support
group is necessary, but a definite second chance is awarded to him, whether he
takes advantage of it by making the best out of it is another story.
The thought of drugs and teenagers is terrifying. I have had my share of encounters with teenagers while under the influence and it saddens me deeply. I had a student once who came into my first period class thinking it was fourth period, which is when I had it. One who was taken out of her test taking site TAKS) because she came back from lunch heavily under the influence and couldln't even keep her pencil on the paper, another who couldnt' even talk to me when prompted and was drooling because he couldn't even close his mouth. One even confessed to me that during his sophomore and junior years he would be drunk in class. Where are the parents? Probably at home or work thinking their child is safe from this monster. I see my children as incapable of ever succumbing to drungs, but what if they are capable of it? What then? All these have been good kids, with perfectly normal lives...who is safe from this monster?
The thought of drugs and teenagers is terrifying. I have had my share of encounters with teenagers while under the influence and it saddens me deeply. I had a student once who came into my first period class thinking it was fourth period, which is when I had it. One who was taken out of her test taking site TAKS) because she came back from lunch heavily under the influence and couldln't even keep her pencil on the paper, another who couldnt' even talk to me when prompted and was drooling because he couldn't even close his mouth. One even confessed to me that during his sophomore and junior years he would be drunk in class. Where are the parents? Probably at home or work thinking their child is safe from this monster. I see my children as incapable of ever succumbing to drungs, but what if they are capable of it? What then? All these have been good kids, with perfectly normal lives...who is safe from this monster?
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