The novel “There Are No Children Here” by Alex Kotlowitz documents the lives of two young brothers residing in a community embedded in Chicago defined by its gangs and havoc. Lafayette of age 12 and Pharoah of age 9 constantly confront roaming death, shootouts, and peril living situations. They live in Chicago’s Henry Horner Homes, a public housing complex with their mother, LaJoe, and the youngest siblings, a set of toddler triplets. Their mother LaJoe moved into the complex with her own parents and thirteen siblings at the age of four in 1956. The newly built complex emanated hope and possibilities to improve their family’s future through a new beginning. In 1949 Congress intended to reduce the “postwar housing crisis” by funding construction for such sky high complexes nationwide. …show more content…
Officials in many states found, often ridiculous, ways to prevent the construction of places that fostered unwanted communities. The official’s refusal to cooperate with a potentially beneficial mission backlashed.“ Rather than providing alternatives to what had become decrepit living conditions, public housing became anchors for existing slums.” In effect the poorly planned and funded effort caused mayhem with hygiene, structural, safeness, and robbery and gang problems. Businesses and services moved as a majority of customers were driven off by surrounding conditions. “To LaJoe, the neighborhood had become a blackhole”. LaJoe raised all eight kids alone because their father was rarely present. She fought to lead the rest of her kids, Lafayette, Pharaoh, and the triplets, down a different path than her own and her first three