The Cocaine Kid
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The Cocaine Kid
Terry Williams, in his book, The Cocaine Kid, provides nan insight into the urban drug culture most of the 1980s. William uses the character Max, who enters the city and becomes the kingpin, controlling all the people he is under. It is a representation of what happens in the cities and the drug culture. He is very strict, even for incoming new members who join the gang. The drug families are organized into hierarchies.
The drug dealers mainly use teenagers, under the age of 18 because the law did not have jail terms for the age group when founding in possession of the drug. Mainly, African Americans and Latinos who are under the poverty line are used. In this Cocaine trade, the men are the dominant traders, with the women in their lives suffering the consequences. An example is the description of Suzanne, whose husband is in drugs and Kitty, whose boyfriend is in the drug trade too, and they have to spend long hours or even days in loneliness.
Willian also explains the life that follows most f these children after the Cocaine phase. Most are often promised riches I the trade, but as they grow, they realize there are other ways they can make money within the law and having no one following them. Most, like Max, leave the cocaine business and start life anew. For example, after the shooting of Chillie, Max realizes that the cocaine game was not stable and would not earn him the riches he for so long yearned.
The book also describes the causes of most of these kids getting into drugs. For a majority, it is their poverty, which is taken advantage of by the drug dealers. For example, Chillie loses both his parents and becomes the bodyguard of the Crew’s body. This position gave him a sense of strength and independence from his uncle, who was previously forbearing. It is interesting that Later he joins college out of the other eight kids.
The cocaine culture also denies most of these teenagers an opportunity to go to school, in a bid to search for money. In their discussion in the clubs that they would visit, their focus is on how to make more money. Max is often devastated by the fact that he is not learned while Chillie is. In as much as most of the teenagers are hooked into the cocaine culture, Williams presents hope for their transformation that comes with growth.