Yummy: A Bully Or A Victim?

Yummy: A Bully or A Victim? As said by Haniel Long, “A gang is the same as a wolfpack; gang members do not use their energies in friendship with one another, for they do not know what friendship is. If they are united, it is by the common bond of a desire to attack their world.”(doublequotes.net) Throughout the book Yummy, Robert “Yummy” Sandifer does not have any parental role models in his life and has nowhere left to go. He decides to join the Black Disciples, a gang. He refers to the Black Disciples as his family, but in the end they betray and kill him. Based on this, Yummy portrays a victim in the story. There are many points in the story where Yummy can be seen as a victim of the harsh environment that surrounds being a part
For example, research has been done stating that anyone can be part of a gang but nowadays children as young as elementary school are the ones being recruited. Most children join gangs so they can be a part of something and feel connected, sadly they don’t realize the main thing they are becoming a part of is violence. This example is saying that gangs no longer care about the innocence of children, they see everyone as equals and aren’t afraid to put them in harm's way. This connects to my topic sentence that says these kids are victims just like Yummy because they are exposed to the harsh environment of a gang and experience all the violence and terror that comes with it. No eight-year old should be learning how to steal or carrying a gun, yet many kids found in the US are. Another example about why kids feel the need to join a gang, is a quote from the National Crime Prevention Council talking about children and gangs saying, “ They also join when they feel unsafe; gangs offer a sense of protection to their members. Similarly, gangs will intimidate young people into joining, making them feel unsafe unless they join.” (ncpc.org) This quote is saying that most kids join a gang so they have a sense of family, and belonging. It usually comes from kids who don’t have a strong family foundation, much like Yummy who had both of his parents coming in and out of jail his whole life. This connects back to my topic sentence that kids are victims because they are the victims of neglect at home and then turn to the gangs and become a victim of those, exactly like Yummy. Yummy clearly did not have a strong family foundation and he always felt alone so he turned to crimes and gangs to find some comfort and belonging. No more kids should have to worry about their fate ending up like Yummy’s, but at this rate more and