The Beast

The Beast

The story is about a black highschool student who's name is only mentioned as Spoons. Through out the story he is forced to make decisions and rediscover who he once thought he was. He finds that his long time girlfriend's mother is extremely ill. A few days later one of his former best friends is stabbed and he must accompany him to the hospital. The following day Chanelle his new best friend from the academy kisses him throwing his emotions into a spin. To top off his girl problems Gabi's mom died and she started to use heroine. Soon after this happens her brother Ralf begins "using". Spoons begins to notice that every thing he once understood and knew is now totally different. He's three previous friends are either using, in a gang or dropped out. After his girlfriend willingly admits herself to rehabilitation he returns to the academy to finish out his year.

The Beast this is an extremely strong title that is deliberately left general to let the reader ponder on its meaning. The title of this book had different possible meanings to it. The meaning that is used in the book is the ever growing drug problem in the inner cities of the United States. Although I think that a much stronger and deeper meanings to it. One of these is the problems of world. Spoons puts the beast in a simile, he sais "And there it was in a dark corner staring me in the eyes, the beast". This is typical of the American society we simply ignore the things we don't want to see or hear and we put them in the dark of are minds were we don't have to deal with them. For example world hunger or the AIDS epidemic in Africa even though we know it's the worst epidemic in the world and millions of people are dying every year we do very little.

One of the best things in this book in my opinion is the number of characters. There were relatively few which made the book easy to read and understand. Of these characters I like spoon the narrator the best. He is unlike the characters in most of the other types of books I have read. Many other characters that I have shared a journey with help themselves or have to get out of a pickle. Spoons is different he shows that he will be there for anyone who need his help. He's very similar to chanelle who also help a friend or fellow person in need. He is a favorite not because he's like anyone I know but because it is rare