There Are No Children Here

There Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other America is a 1992 biography by Alex Kotlowitz that describes the experiences of two brothers growing up in Chicago's Henry Horner Homes. The story presents a dark part of American society. The story mentions that children as young as thirteen years old are already engaged in violence, gang membership, and drug dealing. There are several points that are useful in understanding the social context of the urban youth in American society. First, the story explores the causes of domestic violence. Kotlowitz points out that the young people are robbed of their innocence by their dysfunctional social environments. Their attitudes are molded by the violence that they encounter day to day and the kind of life they are born into in the projects. Any fear of committing violent actions is replaced by their desire to maintain their own safety and fulfill their own needs. Secondly, the story presents the idea that the children could succeed if given a chance. Pharoah exemplifies this by excelling when given the chance to study. The story also reveals gross violations of human rights, depriving most of the youths of chances of successful futures. The city officials who are supposed to maintain peace and order as well as look after the welfare of the people in the project are the ones who corrupted the budget intended for the betterment of the building occupants. The Chicago Housing Authority personnel are depicted as largely responsible for the horrendous living conditions in the housing project, particularly in the Rivers' building.