Street Lawyer III

John Grisham's The Street Lawyer reflects many topics and issues concerning homelessness and poverty. The story follow's a man named Michael Brock, a successful lawyer in D.C who works at a firm named Drake and Sweeney. After a homeless man takes him and several others hostage at gun point in his firm, Mike sees the huge struggle of the homeless in his own city and ends up changing his ways to help the homeless.


Towards the end of the book, Michael shares the same views as the homeless man, named Mister, at the beginning of the book. They see that the rich, usually the white population including Mike himself, don't think twice in helping the poor and helpless in need. Veterans, such as Mister, don't even get the attention they deserve, even when they are homeless themselves. Mister and Michael share the same view that the differences of the classes hurt both alike and no-one is helping one another out.


Entering his new job to help the homeless in the Street Clinic he made with Mordecai, one of his first clients was a crack addicted woman named Rudy. Ruby represents the homeless in many ways. She is addicted to the drug cocaine, which like many of the homeless, is one of the many problems they face in their struggle to survive out on the streets. She comes to the street firm for help on her case, which many of the homeless do not take advantage of however.


With this in mind, homelessness and lower classes are well defined then the upper classes of D.C. Michael was included with the upper, white class that lived in the nicer parts of the city. People such as Mister (though white himself) lived in the lower side and more dangerous parts of D.C, usually the blacks and lower classes of people who did not have enough money to support basic living conditions. This is a huge problem in the dividing of the upper and lower classes of D.C, and can be the same with cities around the world. Men like Michael need to see and understand this problem and try everything in their power to change this.

End of the Street Lawyer

Many conclusions can be made by reading the end of the Street Lawyer. We follow a middle aged man named Michael who lives in Washington D.C. He was once a very successful lawyer for the firm Drake and Sweeney, made more than enough money, and had a everything set up with him. This all changed when a homeless man, named Mister, came into the firm and took Mike and several other lawyers hostage. After the whole ordeal, we see several changes in Michael. He takes for notice in the homeless in his community and sees the difference life quality between the homeless and himself. He then becomes involved with helping homeless in shelters with a public lawyer named Mordecai Green. This then leads him to quit his well paying job at his firm, divorcing his wife because their relation was not going well, and helping Mordecai step up a legal law firm that is assessable to everyone, including homeless clients.


Predictions can be made of how Michael's life will be after reading the story. Since he is determined to help people in need in legal cases, especially the homeless, he will continue to work at the new firm of 14th Street Clinic. Working there, he will become more and more like his companion Mordecai, more eager in cases and volunteering in shelters. Though his pay is lower than that of his old job working at Drake and Sweeney, his new life style is one of helping others no matter how expensive or hard it is.


Earlier in the story, Michael helps a woman addicted to crack named Ruby with her case. At the end of the story, Mike bonds with her by taking her and his new lover Megan on a vacation to reflect on their lives. Taking this into thought, with the help received from Michael and a well needed vacation, Ruby will recover from her addiction by the therapy classes Michael paid for. As of Megan, Michael will probably marry her because they are into helping the helpless and share many of the same goals, not like Brock's old marriage with Claire who did not care about what he did. He ends up running his own Street clinic with his friend Mordecai, finds a new lover with common interests, and helps countless others including Ruby in their cases.


John Grisham, author of the Street Lawyer, made a pretty clear message, or theme, to his story. The theme is: Do what is right, no matter the cost. Michael Brock not only quits a well paying job and his marriage with another successful person, but he leaves behind his old live all together to help people in need, in this case the homeless in legal cases. He has to change his lifestyle all together to accomplish this, but to him it is the right thing to do, which he starts to enjoy towards the end of the book. Even though he left his old life behind, a new life has begun for him.


Response: Homelessness is a problem that needs to be solved around the world, but until then, people need to help others in need in every way they can. Much like the fictional character John Grisham created to bring this problem to light, Brian Davis, a man who helps homeless in Cleveland, does the same thing. He helps the homeless the ability to sell newspapers and allowed them to have a chance to earn money. By giving this opportunity, he saved many lives by providing them money to buy food, clothes, and a chance to help themselves in a productive way.

Street Lawyer 2

This is blog two of The Street Lawyer, we are around half ways down with the book. Two these point, several key events have happened so far. One, Michael left his firm to work with Mordecai. This is grossly important because this represents Mike changing his life styles and leaving everything behind to represent and help the homeless. This is a big shock to his bosses, co-workers, and his wife, as they think he is going through a mid-life crisis and has no idea what he is doing. However, Mike knows exactly what he is doing, and decides to leave he now boring job. Another key event is the breaking up between Clare and Michael. Even though they both knew the divorce was coming, but it hit fast and quick when Clare announced it shortly after Mike leaving his firm for good. This holds many dilemmas for Mike, for now he is jobless and homeless, and even comments that he himself is now homeless. He is tied up with work with Mordecai, helping around with shelters, attending the funeral for a homeless family he cared about, and dealing secretly of how Drake and Sweeney may of been involved with the deaths of the homeless family. Michael's life has been very haptic and busy, but he does it to help people in need because of his talents in the firm. With everything that has been going on with Mike, he is now working with Mordecai in their new street firm, and though it is a less-paying job then his old job, he does it for the common good for people in need.     

Street Lawyer

In the beginning chapters of The Street Lawyer,  a homeless man takes eight lawyers, including the protagonist Mike, hostage in a law firm. During the hostage situation, Mike concludes that the Homeless man, called Mister by the captives, has no intent on killing anyone. After several hours police manage to take out Mister and rescue the hostages. Mike returns home to his wife, who they do not have the strongest of marriages between them. After rethinking of the actions he was in and the condition of the homeless in D.C., Mike leaves his firm to help represent the homeless. He does this because he feels that the homeless are helpless and need someone to help them in cases and problems. Mike almost feels like he is doing this not because he feels guilty for the luxurious life he has lived, but almost like it his responsibility to help the homeless.


Mike had changed after the hostage situation will change his life and career. He leaves a successful, well paid job (which he had admitted that he was not really fond of) and enters the life of helping homeless in their time of needs.  He takes his experience and talents from his previous lawyer career and takes it to the street. With Mordecai Green, another social worker who represents homeless, they take care of people in shelters and soup kitchens. Mordecai has been helping the homeless longer then Mike has, but gladly helps Mike with the swing of things.

The Samaritan

A Samaritan is someone who helps another under any circumstance, and goes out of his way to help someone in need. Samaritans are rare today, but there still are people who care enough to assist others.  In the stories "And of Clay Are We Created" and "A State Championship Versus Runner's Conscience", the main character brings aid to someone who is in trouble. These stories inspire us to become more and more like Samaritans so that we may have a chance to help someone in need. In "And of Clay Are We Created", news reporter Rolf Carle covers a volcano eruption that takes place in Columbia. When arriving at one of the many villages impacted by the natural disaster, he come across a girl stuck waist deep in clay, named Azucena. He tries to pull her free but she is too far deep. He assists her by giving her food and comfort by not leaving her alone for days. However, she becomes weaker and weaker and eventually they have to let go of her. Though Azucena dies, Rolf Carle provided care and comfort to her in her last days. This is one of the strongest examples of someone who is a good Samaritan.

In the real world, examples of people being good Samaritan happens almost everyday without being noticed by others, especially in the military. Men and women alike in service risk their lives on a daily basis to help defend their nation and their fellow comrades. In 2007, U.S. forces occupy a small farming village in Afghanistan. Corporal Steven Miles was a marine sniper stationed there. When his squad came under fire, Miles became wounded as a round hit his left shoulder. Though injured, Miles saw a 13 year old Afghan child receive shrapnel to his chest. Under fire and risking his own live, he crawled 50 yards to the child and gave immediate medical attention. After the firefight, Miles had saved the child's live. Though he did not receive any medals or promotion, Corporal Miles was the good Samaritan for a child in need that day.  

Common Themes

The stories "The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant" and "Catch the Moon" both shared common themes. In "The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant", the 14 year old narrator takes 17 year old Sheila Mant on a canoe to go to a concert. While doing this, she tells him about herself, and tells him that she thinks fishing is dumb. The narrator is a diehard bass fisher, but does not tell Sheila this. However, he forgets to reel in his line and bait from the boat and the biggest bass in the river decides to get hooked. Stuck between his dream girl and the biggest fish he has ever caught, he ends up letting the fish go. After the concert, Sheila ends up going home with another boy and the narrator loses not only the fish, but his girl. In "Catch the Moon", a young Hispanic boy named Luis works with his father on a junk yard under court order. He is a leader of a small gang who creates trouble in his neighborhood. One day at work, Luis sees a very beautiful girl who is looking for a new tire cap for her car. At the end of the story, Luis goes to the junk yard at night to find the tire cap, and returns it to the girl.

Both themes can be described as a changing in character by letting go of something. In "The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant", the narrator has to let the fish go because he can not reel it into the book with Sheila there. He gives up something he loves doing for someone he loves. In "Catch the Moon", Luis gives up his rebellious nature to find a purpose in helping others, such as his father at home and finding the tire cap for the girl. In both stories, the protagonists ends up changing their old ways to start a new beginning, even though Luis gets what he wants and the narrator from "The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant" does not end up with the girl.

Poe's Theme

      
           If we think of Edgar Allan Poe' works, we think of dramatic short stories and horrors. Though Edgar wrote more than just that, we remember his most important works such as "The Masque of the Red Death," "The Cask of Amontillado," and "The Fall of the House of Usher."   But what are the themes of his most favorite works?

           We can look at the themes for this stories and poems as a view of life, especially Edgar Poe's life. Poe's life is filled with sudden death and tragedy. Many of his family, including his wife, died of illness. Reflecting off of this, Poe used this life experience to most (if not) all of his stories. The stories and poems he created follow a simple theme, the narrator or main character suffers from the death of a love one, such as "Annabelle Lee" and "The Raven". However, some of his other known works, such as "A Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Cask of Amontillado" are known as murder stories, where the narrator kills off another one. This follows a more sinister theme that Poe had created, but also follows the common theme of life. Though the murders in both stories are completely different, the theme of both can be the sense of guilt or being able to continue everyday life, even though you may have done am illegal activity such as murder.

           In "The Fall of the House of Usher", Poe creates a story in which a man visits his dying friend in his crumbling estate. Many critics have dissected this story into different meanings. Some view it politically as the old hierarchy (the Usher's and their house) is 'falling' and is a dying way of life. However, it can be viewed in a simpler theme. Everything comes to an end. Since the Ushers were an old family loom, it was destined to die off, such as the condition of the house. This also follows the common theme that Poe uses in his other stories and poems. Life eventually comes to an end, and there is no way to stop or shape it.

Dr. Seuss The Sneetches

          Many of Doctor Seuss's stories have meaning behind them then just children stories. Some argue that they even use propaganda, or swaying the public's opinion on a subject. I have read "The Sneetches", where yellow bird like animals called Sneetches. They are split up to two groups, the popular and wanted star bellied Sneetches, and the outcast non-starred Sneetches. The un-starred Sneetches want to join the starred Sneetches, but cannot because they are frowned and look down upon.
          While I was reading this story, I thought it was just a lesson on accepting someone for who they are, and not how they are. However, as I finished the story (and a little help from a teacher) the story can relate to the problem of racism. The two 'different' Sneetches do not get along with each other because they are different. Seuss used the star on their stomach instead of the color of their skin or ethnic background. He does this to teach children this dilemma yet still bring the issue of racism. Doctor Seuss also did this with many if not all of his stories, making it very popular to point out hidden messages and true meanings of the story.  However, the Sneetches does stand out the most because of the two types of Sneetches disliking the other type.

         

The Metamorphosis

          One bright morning, Josh awoke to the horrific sight. Overnight, he had mysteriously transformed into a giant mosquito. He was laying on his back with his legs folded up above him. His wings were out stretched on either side of his bed. It was truly a sight to behold.

           Still maintaining his original height of 6 feet, he felt lighter, for his weight had decreased dramatically. It had felt that gravity had not such an impact on him anymore. As he tried to get up, each wing buzzed horrendously, which help create some lift. Before he had time to comprehend what had happened, Josh buzzed and was hovering over his bed. The tips of his wings were brushing on the ceiling of his confined room. "What is all the ruckus about?" yelled his mom from downstairs. Josh wanted to say "nothing, everything is fine", but instead thanks to his new needle like snout, came out as a long dying whistle. That became his first problem, though he was plagued by several other impairments. He could not use hands, for he had none and can only land and stand in a current position. Josh also could not walk, so every time he wanted to change positions he had to hover with his wings.

          Josh had also notice that he had worked up quite an appetite while discovering his new transformation. He looked around the room, but there was not a single ounce of food or drop of water. He looked outside the window. A cow was grazing on the grasses just next door to his house, for his neighbor was a cattle man. Josh buzzed and slammed against the window. Acting like he didn't notice hitting the glass with tremendous force, he kept bouncing off the plain. It wasn't until the thirty-fifth time that he decided that an "invisible force" was keeping him from escaping outside, not remembering that in fact there was a solid window in front of him.

          Just then a knock on his door sent Josh buzzing to the ceiling in almost a panic. It had been his mother, for it was nearly one hour after he would usually wake up and head downstairs for breakfast. "Josh, are you awake? Its time to wake up!" she yelled outside the door. In almost slow motion, the door handle slowly turned, following by the creaking of the door as it opened.

          The scream echoed over the hills of Josh's community. It was so loud, that Josh's tiny ears burst. His mom collapsed cold on the floor from total shock. Josh buzzed suspended in air, not knowing how to react to the situation he was in. Then he noticed the door was open, so he flew to it and using his head pushed it open until he was able to squeeze through. Josh and his mom did not own the largest house, so flying through the halls and into different rooms was quite a challenge. He was constantly bouncing and bumping of the sides of the walls. Passing by the kitchen window, he saw a glance of the cow that had been grazing earlier before. He fly to the window and pressed his whole body against it. The weight of his body pressing against the window shattered it, and Josh burst into the air like a freed bird.

          Josh had his attention locked onto the cow that was standing right in an open field. He soared as fast as a jet, until he was right on top of the cow as he lightly touched down on it's backside. Then, he jousted he's 3 foot long needle into the cow's body. The cow didn't react, but let out a sigh as it continued feeding on grass. Josh sucked until he could taste the irony blood. He withdrew a large amount of blood in the five minutes he fed. As he plucked he's needle out, a visible difference can be seen of how much weight the cow lost. It looked as if it hadn't eaten for several weeks.

          As Josh began to buzz toward the sky again, he heard a click of metal behind him. He didn't have enough time to turn around to see where the noise had come from when several shots of a buck round ripped through his wing and back. Blood shot out in all directions, some of his and some of the blood of the cow. He spiraled to the ground, with a thud indicating that he had made contact to the dirt below. His face was looking at the sky and couldn't move any part of his body. As his eyes began to shut, and the world around him became darker and darker, a glimpse of his neighbor stood over him, his shotgun pointing right towards him. "What in God's name are you, son?" said the farmer, as he heard another click as he pumped another shot in the barrel. Before he pulled the trigger, Josh thought to himself that he'd be better off like this, instead of living as a hideous monster. Then it became blank.

The Great Teacher Student War

MONDAY
          "Are you ready to get pummeled, Mr. Bowser?" Josh said to Mr. Bowser's face, both heavily breathing and panting. "Josh, you are the best player here, but it's our ball and the game winning point, so Mr. Less and I have to win." The game was at a tie, 199-199, and whoever made the next point won. Mr. Less had the ball at the three point line, with Eric guarding him intensively. In the paint, Mr. Bowser ran back and forth trying desperately to get open, but the monstrous 6 feet of pure basketball skill named Joshua was guarding Mr. Bowser. He's hands were upward and high enough to touch the sun. In a sudden flash, Mr. Bowser swooped behind Josh and became open. Mr. Less seeing their opportunity threw the ball for a pass. Like a bolt of immense lightning, Josh stole the ball, for nothing is allowed to get pass his domain while in the paint. "Wow Josh, you are so amazing and talented, you are truly the best!" yelled Mr. Bowser and Mr. Less as Josh dunked the ball one handed. As Eric went to Josh to congratulate him, Mr. Less and Mr. Bowser murmured and whispered to one another. "Josh's skill is unmatched, I am envious of him." snickered Mr. Bowser. "You are right, I am going to give him a F for the next Geometry test." giggled Mr. Less.

TUESDAY
          "What do you mean I failed? And an zero! How is that possible!" Josh argued with Mr. Less. "Sorry Josh, you missed every question on the test wrong." Mr. Less said with a smirk. "I studied for five hours last night, I don't understand!" Josh was puzzled, how could this have happened? As everyone went to the insight room for lunch, Josh did some investigative work. He searched through some papers on top of Mr. Less's desk and made a horrifying discovery. In Mr. Less's diary (which Josh found rather hilarious) was a note that said, "GIVE JOSH F ON NEXT TEST."

WEDSNDAY
          Josh was upset and puzzled. Did Mr. Less really give him a F just for beating him in basketball? Was Mr. Bowser somehow involved in this too? Josh thought it would be best to address this issue to Mrs. Cook and Mrs. Maiorca. During lunch, Josh went to them and told his story. "Well, Joshua," said Mrs. Maiorca, "if you failed the test, you failed the test!" Mrs. Cook added, "I have to agree with Mrs. Maiorca, Josh. I am sorry." This made Josh very furious and mad. He could not even trust the teachers and staff he depended on.

THURSDAY.
          The Great Geauga Academy War lasted only two days, but was some of the worst and disturbing conflict ever recorded in modern day history. The inventions of the eraser cannons and textbook grenades gave the teachers a tremendous advantage over their opposes, the students. However, the students were led by a determined, young leader named Joshua Bearce, whose courage and leadership was enough to secure the students' victory over the teachers during battle on Monday, that ended the great war.

Attack of the Clone

         I walk home, discovering that I have a identical clone in my living room. I stare in shock, as he does the same. Then I scream out "There can only be one!" in a deep Scottish accent, and a tackle him to the ground. We begin to slug it out, but at the end we are evenly matched so no one wins. Exhausted and both laying down on the floor. We begin to talk. How can such a thing have happened? How will our family and friends react? Most importantly, who is the real Joshua? Then it struck our minds like a freight train. There is two Joshua's now, which the same identical skills. We decide to team up, and conquer what we want. We head outside, and play two vs two games with friends and strangers alike, demolishing any competition. We go fish and catch twice as many fish then we (I) did before. We are unstoppable. We graduate high school, and go into politics. After many hard years of reaching to the top, the original Joshua becomes President of the United States, while the clone becomes the dictator of Russia. Together we conquer all the other nations and make the world under absolute control of the Josh Twins.

          At our death beds, we look at one another. It is like looking into a mirror that can change its figure whenever it wants. "What have we accomplished, my friend," I told the clone, "we rule the world with tyranny and fear. Is this really what we want?" My clone looks puzzled and confused. "Is this not what we wanted, comrade?" he says, with a slight Russian accent he had developed after living in Russia for many years. I look out the window. Snow falls lightly across the city of New Joshville, one of many new capitals we created together. "We created a nightmare, this is not what I...we truly wanted. We could of used our power to do go in this world, but instead we chased our own desires. We let greed control us. Is this how we will be remembered by history?" I look back at my clone, but his eyes are shut closed. I can tell by his chest that his last breathe was not to long ago. "I should of finished you when we first meant." I say this with tears in my eyes, then close them.

Terminator IRL

          "The Pedestrian" by Bradbury, is an interesting concept of how technology can take over people's lives in almost a zombie-like-state in the future. A man is arrested by police, who themselves are machines, just for walking outside. The man is a writer, which for the police is "no profession". The police take him to a psych asylum and admit him for regressive tendencies. In this world, it is abnormal to be not like everyone else, such as watching t.v. in the evening.

          If I found myself in Mr. Mead shoes when the police stopped him, I would try to rebel and try to make public publicity and awareness of how machines were taking control of our lives. Soon others would start the realizations of the horrors of what has become and join me to start public campaigns. Even though it may be a losing fight, I would express how I felt, which may be against the law during this new era.     

Blog:1 Death/Life

          Death teaches us much about life and what it is. Many novels and films can show the reader or viewer the significance of death. In the novel "All Quiet in the Western Front", by Erich Maria Remarque, a German soldier named Bäumer and others struggle to keep alive in the trenches of the Western front during WWI. Through the story, Bäumer overcomes many difficult obstacles, both physically and mentally, including the deaths of most of his friends. Tragically at the end, young Bäumer is hunkered down in a trench when a blue butterfly lands just feet away above the trench. Since he collects butterflies and is fascinated by this one, he slowly reaches out towards it, and in a blink of an eye, is shot and killed by an enemy sniper. Remarque shows us exactly how fast and unexpected life can end, especially during the horrors of world war one. Other novels use this technique to develop a deep connection to the character then having him erased from the story usually by the means of death. This teaches the reader all good things in life will not last, and that we may not appreciate life itself until something tragic happens.

          Many films can also show us the importance of death in life. A film that also shows us that death is a part of life is "Old Yeller", directed by Robert Stevenson. A boy has a strong friendship with a lab name Yeller. During a fight with a raccoon, Yeller contracts rabies. To put him out of misery, they have to shoot Yeller. Much like All Quiet on the Western Front, this shows us how fragile life can be. Though through dramatic changes in life, such as death, we must learn to deal and move on.