Bad Boy Summary & Character Analysis

Walter was in 6th grade and he thought it would be a good idea to hang on to the back bumper of a taxi.  The taxi accelerated fast and Walter let go but his shirt sleeve got stuck.  He was dragged down the Harlem streets until his jeans ripped.  Walter scraped his knees and had nicks all in his body he made his way back home.  Walter afraid if his parents found out he put iodine on his cuts and took his clothes off and put on clean clothes then went into his bed .   Walter's parents wanted him to go to the kitchen Walter said his legs hurt.  Walter went to the kitchen he undid his pants Walter's legs were covered in bruises, cuts, and dried blood.  When questioned on how it happened Walter said his mother beat him with a stick.


Florence Dean a half Native American and German was a kind but stern woman,  From what Walter says about her it seems like she really cares about her family and was selfless.  Florence and Walter had a special bond she would read to him, talk with him, and do things she normally wouldn't do with Walter's siblings.  She would hit her children but it wouldn't be on purpose she was disciplining them and teaching them whats right and wrong.   Florence was the kinda person who was a mom that everybody would want.  Mainly because she was kind and caring but also a person who would seem malevolent and cruel but is doing what's best for you.  

Bad Boy Summary & Tough Questions

I started reading Bad Boy by Walter Dean Meyers which is a memoir of Walter's childhood and adult life.  Walter lived in Harlem where he either read books or got in trouble Walter was a amazing reader and writer but his teachers didn't see that.  Walter struggled in school mostly because he was easily provoked Walter had a speech impediment he didn't notice it but everybody else did.  He was constantly in the principal's office and and had to have his mother come to school to conference with his teacher.  Even though he was doing terrible in school and being told by his teacher she hated him his teachers thought he was talented person.

In Bad Boy Walter is faced with many difficult questions but Walter overcomes most of them.  In one part of the book Walter is asked if he wants to fight Jewish children.  Walter ends up fighting them multiple times and he gets caught by the children's mothers or a adult.  Walter's parents find out and he gets beaten after that he didn't fight with the Jewish children.

Would We Be Killed?

Henry Pratt a Army captain thought taking the Indian children would help them and had this to say "Kill the Indian, save the man, was Pratt's saying."  White men had Indians kicked off their own property and killed them with their diseases "The US Army had forced most tribes off their lands, and "white man" diseases had devastated the native population".  The white men thought that they were helping the Native Americans but they really weren't "After all, Captain Pratt did intend to "kill" part of Ota Kte the Sioux part. In this way, Pratt thought, he would help Ota Kte survive.  

Luther Standing Bear and Shanice Britton are 2 different Native Americans who lived at 2 different time periods. Luther was given to the US Army and was made to forget his Indian culture Shanice got to stay with her family and learn more and more about her culture. Luther's tribe was at war with the US Army and many tribes went extinct. Shanice's tribe isn't at war with anybody and tribes are prospering and getting bigger. Shanice and Luther were 2 Native Americans who cherish their culture and they help their culture strive and prosper.

The Darkest Path Summary & Tough Questions

In my book The Darkest Path has made escaped and made it Wyoming.  He meets Wade a survivor with a child who has been hiding.  Cal asks Wade for help but Wade instead traps Cal inside a basement.  Cal is starved and dehydrated but Wade's child comes down into the basement and talks to Cal.  Wade tells Cal that he's going to turn him into the Path.  Cal begs Wade to let him go and eventually Cal holds Wade at gunpoints and escapes.  Cal drives Wade's truck and he gets out with Bear and keeps walking to New York.  Cal meets a group of teenagers armed with weapons and they take Cal hostage and tell him to help them.


The Darkest Path's characters are plagued with tough questions.  Cal's tough question is whether or not he should go to New York.  Many people think it's insane because of how far it is.  Cal thinks his family is still alive but he has to go great length just to make it over there.  No matter what people say Cal still wants to go to New York.