Summary

Amal asks his teacher why they should be bothered to learn if they will not be able to get a job after they leave the facility. Kadon and some of the other boys tell Amal that he is one of them, but he does not want to join any sort of gang or brotherhood. He feels “more corners boxing me in, boxing me in” (309). He realizes that he does need friends in order to stay safe. Their names are Amir, Smoke, and Rahmarley.

Amal is rewarded for good behavior and allowed to join Ms. Imani Dawson’s poetry class. She asks Amal what he feels like his truth is. She asks all of the boys to make a list of their misdeeds and misgivings. Amal leaves the room and is punished with two days of solitary confinement. Amal thinks about his mistakes and...