Please write a four to five-page, typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman font, size 12, and with one-inch margin paper. Now that you’ve received feedback on the first two pages of your paper from your

In modern society, the number of people that influence the community have been contributed by youths. Beginning from the age of thirteen to nineteen years, there are a lot of activities and challenges that are experienced with our youths. During these periods, they are trained and expected to struggle hard on surviving the next level they are stepping. Many youths undergo hard times that sometimes their parents or guardians do not know about. Many of them associate themselves with peers that either make them develop their future or damage them. These life events that are experienced during these periods associate one with risk factors that can be described as negative influence. Luckily for the youths that choose or make a good decision that helps them change lives.

According to Luis Rodriguez’s memoir, it has clearly shown and explained to us the harsh realities of his youth period. He experienced a lot of challenges and by bad luck, he chose to ride towards the bad and negative direction of life. Rodriguez used to live in a one-bedroom apartment in a three flat building around the Humboldt Park residence. Among the people who he lived with was his third wife Trini who gave birth to Ruben, his fifteen-year-old son Ramiro given birth by Camila and Andrea who was his daughter but lived with her mother. His association with the Puerto Rican community that had a lot of Mexicans immigrants made him known.

Earlier, Ramiro had received a suspension of ten days from Roberto Clemente High School that was known as the school with caring personnel and center of gangs. His suspension had been influenced by a fight between the Folks who are the Spanish Cobras and gangster disciples. Rodriguez took him out of that school and enrolled him in another one to protect his son from being beaten due to the contract that was issued to Ramiro. This change didn’t take longer than two weeks since he was kicked out. Ramiro was involved in gang and street gatherings and violence. Something that should be noted to all families, Rodriguez took responsibility in saving his son from what he had experienced at that age.

In the late 60’s and early 70’s, Rodriguez was involved in gang activities that included drugs, shootings, robbery and arrest. After the death of Tino, Rodriguez formed a five-member club. Miguel, who was made president of the club, was a quiet and age mate of every member. A group in the area called the Three Mystics attacked the school premises breaking the entrances, gate, and windows of the school and threatening people including the teachers and students. What interrupted and stopped them from further damages was the entrance of the police with their loud siren. These impersonations influenced Rodriguez's club to take action and since they needed protection (Luis Rodríguez, pg 60).

Many clubs and cliques started developing innocently. Some developed clubs from friendly football, others organized for trips which eventually brought up an organized gang. All these were memories and part of his junior high life hood. Rodriguez met Elena a year later. Elena is Rodriguez's lover. In our current lifestyle, the youths usually have a specific factor that influences them in joining these gangs and clubs. According to Rodriguez’s memoir, the major influence of youths in these situations is peer pressure. A lot of children out there usually want to feel accepted and have protection growing up in the streets or hoods.

Through these, they join clubs and gangs that help them in raising their standards also and surviving that periodic generation. Many developed gangs that have been operating for a long period of time usually have a well standard of living and power amongst the community. People should actually not admire their lifestyle and look up to these goons or gangsters. A lesson learnt is that in life, there are hard times that might need one to associate themselves in which it can be controlled by developing community work and parents taking good care of their children.

References

Luis Rodríguez, Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A. (East Haven, CT: Curbstone Press, 1993).

Feedback：

This is in general a very good paper. However, the thesis is not clearly stated, thus the points deduction. At times, your paper reads like a summary, rather than an analysis. Also, keep in mind that every paragraph, with the exception of the introduction and conclusion, should have one quotation or citation from the novel to support your argument. I am positive that this paper will be excellent once those issues have been taken care of. Good job!