Down These Mean Streets Questions and Answers
Down These Mean Streets
What does the quote "If you ain't got heart, you ain't got nada" by Piri Thomas mean?
"If you ain't got heart, you ain't got nada" by Piri Thomas.
Down These Mean Streets
What is Piri Thomas's understanding of racial identity in "Brothers under the Skin", and how does it interact with...
In “Brothers under the Skin,” Piri and his brother José verbally and physically fight over racial identity. Piri asserts that he is “a Negro,” but José insists that Puerto Ricans are “different.”...
Down These Mean Streets
What are the themes of Down These Mean Streets by Piri Thomas?
The themes of Piri Thomas's memoir include racism, poverty, identity, and self-acceptance. Growing up in Spanish Harlem, Thomas faced systemic racism and poverty, which led to gang involvement and...
Down These Mean Streets
In Down These Mean Streets, how did prison help Piri change?
Piri's time in prison made him aware of his behavior and how it had brought him to prison. He learned about psychology and "got hold of some books on psychology." Piri began to think about what he...
Down These Mean Streets
Why does Ms. Washington call the principal "White man" in Juan Pedro Tomas' Down These Mean Streets?
Ms. Washington calls the principal "White man" to emphasize the racial dynamics and power imbalance in the situation. In Juan Pedro Tomas' autobiographical novel, race is a central theme,...