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Person vs Society

This book also demonstrated person vs society. A lot of people overlooked Smoke because of his past (his father), and his looks. He was accused of murdering his former teacher, Ms.Cruz. Smoke and Ms.Cruz were both at the wrong place at the wrong time, and the worst happened to both of them.

Quote:
"I turn back to Ms.Cruz, waiting for her to say something. The man must have knocked the wind out of her. Her breath comes short. It sounds all wrong. Wet somehow. I look down at her shirt, at the dark stain spreading over it."

"John [Smoke] was a party to a highly traumatic and  violent incident. When we met, he expressed a great deal of guilt and responsibility over what happened, specifically for the crime against his teacher-:"
"Guilt?" The prosecutor wastes no time mincing words."

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The National Bureau of Economic Research Article explained that child abuse is a large social issue that, in some cases causes children to grow up to become criminals. Scientists have also found that child abuse doubles the probability that the individual engages in many types of crime.

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There can be quite a few real life examples pertaining to the theme of this book, but I think the most general example of a real life example is how childhood abuse has dangerous results. The main character was not a criminal at heart but was framed for one of the murders that was committed. This article still relates to the book.

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Child maltreatment, which includes both child abuse and child neglect, is a major social problem. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, over a million children are victims of maltreatment annually. Over half a million children suffer serious injuries, and about 1500 children die, making child maltreatment the leading cause of deaths from injuries in children over a year old.

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John Conlan "Smoke" has the ability to leave his body and go anywhere he wants, but he has to have a picture of what that place looks like. His mysterious way of getting accurate information gave him the nickname Smoke.

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A theme that could be used for this book is that everyone has a purpose in life, and nobody can be truly defined by the actions they take.

This is shown in the beginning of the book when John kept to himself and always thought that he had no connections in the outside world. His father nearly beat him to the grave, and he had ugly scars on his face. He was also very guilty about his teacher that was murdered, and he took some responsibility for it. But in the end, Pink convinced him that he had a true purpose.

Quote:

“We’ve all got scars, John, no matter side of the bars we’re on. But we’re the products of our choices as much as our circumstances, and as long as we’re breathing, we’ve all got choices left to make.”

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The character is 17 years old and has many scars on his face from when his dad beat him in his childhood.

He is tough looking and his head is also slightly misshapen.

Quotes:

“She looks almost as old as me, around 17 years old”

“I follow the scar with my fingertips, from the distorted corner of my eye up over the side of my head, where the blond hair barely conceals the thick, raised ridges.”

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The character is very careful, calculating, and rational. He strikes many deals that benefit himself in exchange for information. He also thinks everything that he will do inside his head in order to plan things out carefully.
He is also very protective of his two friends that he made, Pink and Vivian.

Quote:
"This is usually the part when everything plays out in slow motion. He'll come at me with everything he has, every blow bouncing off me like an echo. I'll take hits..." -pg 5
In this quote, Smoke explains how he will get into segregation by starting a fight, so he will be able to travel outside his body safely.
"I want you to promise me you'll be careful." -pg 230

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Two characters, Pink and Vivian, like and trust the main character. They believe that he his truly innocent, and try to help him prove his case and discover vital information. He also establishes some good relationships with other inmates, and he constantly trades information for favors.

“I want to help you find the hooded man.” -pg 219

This shows that Vivian wants to help Smoke find out who the real killer of Mrs.Cruz was, and help Smoke clear his record.

"Take care of yourself, Ben."
"You too, Smoke."
Smoke grew close with his cellmate, Ben. Ben helped Smoke escape from the prison towards the end of the book.

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Quote (Protagonist's thoughts):
“Cages are safe. Safer than the yard. Safer than general population. Safer than outside. It’s the in-private art that’s bothering me.”

“Guilt and regret press in all around me until I can’t breathe.”

This character likes to be alone and has a lot of bad experiences. He also his somewhat guilty about some of the events that occurred in his life.

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Quote:
“But you held on. You came back. Why?

It’s a question I’ve asked myself over and over. But the answer makes me feel small and weak. I look away. “I don’t know. Maybe I came back for Mrs.Cruz.”

The character has some painful experiences that didn’t allow him to “pass away peacefully”. This character his very insecure because of his guilt with his teacher that was murdered, Mrs. Cruz, and his painful experiences as a child under his abusive father.

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Throughout the book, the unknown hooded man that murdered Smoke's teacher has haunted him. He has no idea who it is until the end of the book. Other than this figure, there is a prison inmate named Six that Smoke thinks has a connection to the murder.

Quote:
“The deal was to kill him…” Six said.

At the end of the book, Smoke finds out who the killer his - Officer Rickers.

Quote:
“Rickers looks at me with a twisted smile, probably wishing he’d gotten his hands dirty and killed me while he had the chance.”

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Person v Person

This book obviously involves the main character against another person. He gains a few enemies, including the murderer of his teacher, who is closer to him than he thinks. He develops a bad relationship with another inmate, Six, and a guard named Officer Monetti who seems to despise him the most for no certain reason.

Quote:

“You got a problem?” Six asks. It doesn’t feel like a question.

“I think of Monetti, chewing his gum while he strangles me.”

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Person vs Self

In a way, this book involves the main character against himself. He is always guilty and lonely because of the murder of his teacher. Also, when his father had originally “killed him”, he parted with his body and was about to die, but something held him back. That’s where he got his ability from, and he has always feared his ability but also utilized it.

Quote:

“It’s different for you because you’ve died already,” she says gently. “Maybe once that connection between body and soul’s been damaged, it’s easier to walk away and leave part of yourself behind.”

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The setting in this story is the “Y” - A youth rehabilitation center in Denver, Colorado.

Quote:
“There is no mirrors in the Greater Youth Offender Rehabilitation Center, known more commonly as the Y.”

The narrator says the exact location and name of the jail he is located in.

The setting is important because the main character has been accused of murdering his teacher (who was a maternal figure) and is stuck at the youth rehabilitation center.  He has many enemies there that he does not know of and also gains many friends. He uses information gained inside and outside of the prison and favors from other inmates (and Officer Rickers) to catch the real killer.

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This book was written in the point of view of the main character (First Person).

Quotes:
“I check out the scattered pockets of orange jumpsuits under the guard tower, listening as Six screws with the new kid.”

“I cross the yard..”

The narrator is saying words like I, me, and my in his thought process. This shows that the narrator is the main character. The book is written only in the point of view of the main character.

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The protagonist in this book is John Conlan.
(Also Referred to as Smoke)