Sybolic Assailant- ENG393 definition paper

Essay by scottmarchantUniversity, Bachelor'sA+, August 2004

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Symbolic Assailant

Matt's father has just been laid off from his sales job which he has held for the last 18 years. With such a sudden drop in sales, the Happy Go Lucky Toy Company had no other choice. Matt, his mother and father live in middle class suburbia, where they have spent almost their entire lives. Matt is 15 years old, an only child with a good head on his shoulders who leads a quite and uneventful life in his happy town. His parents have always been hard workers, but are held back due to the lack of a college education. The impact of Matt's father loosing his job is severe. Matt's father can not find another job that will allow the family to continue living in middle class suburbia. After months of house hunting, the families only option is to move 65 miles north to an area where they can afford housing.

Within the first week, problems arise for Matt.

Unfortunately, their new apartment is in a high crime area and Matt is forced to walk a half-mile to his new high school. During this walk and at school, a Matt experiences danger unlike he has ever seen. Violence, drug dealing, and gangs are now part of his every day life. Matt must constantly watch his back and notice his surroundings for his own personal safety. On his walk to school Matt notices the type of people who use drugs, get into fights, and belong to gangs. Matt has seen violent fist fights through his third story apartment window, gang shootings in the school parking lot, and drug pushers on the corner of 5th and Atlanta located one block from his house. After a few weeks Matt begins to internalize his surroundings and avoid potential problems before they...