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Essay / Analysis of the book "Always Running Back" by Luis Rodriguez
IntroductionThe book Always Running Back by Luis Rodriguez is about the hardships that the author himself had to endure growing up as an immigrant. The author, who is also the main character of the book, goes further by describing in detail how he was forced to join gangs growing up due to the difficulties he faced as an immigrant. This lifestyle eventually made him vulnerable to gangs because he was desperate. According to him, these gangs were the only source of security and belonging, so he had no possibility of joining them. Later in the book, Luis realizes that gang life offers him nothing good other than a path to death or prison. This led him to try to break free from that kind of life and the society because that life was attached to it and to follow a better path. The impacts of these gangs are so vast that his son is also drawn into the gangster life by joining the criminal life of Chicago. Additionally, the book introduces a number of noteworthy intercultural communication concepts, including racism and microcultures. These concepts have impacted society over time and the only way to improve things is through equal treatment for everyone. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayConcept of RacismRacism can be defined as a situation in which one racial group dominates another. In this type of society, the favored race can access better facilities and Rodriguez provided a number of examples where this concept could be observed. For example, while he was in school, other kids would bully him because he was Mexican. What's worse is that Luis grew up and had children, but things are still the same for his son because he is still being bullied. As can be seen in the novel and in real life, racism has always led to the creation of neighborhoods characterized by poverty and crime. For example, the author and his family lived in these kinds of neighborhoods. These areas are the source of crimes in the cities, thus leading to resentment of the inferior race towards the superior race, as the discriminated individuals always indulge in crimes and they are the ones who are the targets. If only society was accommodating enough to everyone, then society would be much better because there would be well-paying jobs, thereby reducing crime. The concept of micro-cultures Micro-cultures arise from resentment that exists between higher cultures. and the inferiors leading to the discriminated forming micro-cultures which are mostly criminal gangs like the Chicago gangs. These gangs have proven to pose a security threat in these areas. From the description given, it can be noted that micro-cultures refer to groups that can identify within a larger superior race and, as in the book "Always Running", these groups often appear as gangs. Taking Chicago as an example, gangs in this area have existed since the 1930s and the activities, mainly criminal, of these gangs are mentioned throughout the book. The author himself was not left out, he joined the Las Lamos gang, well known for the escalation of violence in the region. For immigrants, in this case Mexicans, gangs were a good thing because they provided an identity and help in coping with life in a country where racism was endemic. However, despite the idea of providing an identity, these gangs engage in criminal activities and the perpetrator, Luis,.