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How the effects of motherhood are present in Two Badges

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While living in her abusive home with Frank, Mona was left to tend to all the housework and child care on her own. She cared for everything in her life, but never herself. When the rate of domestic violence grew in her home, she held on to the hopes of things getting better, though they never did. She continued to stay in her home until the day Frank put baby Frankie in harm. Mona took no hesitation to call the woman's shelter to protect her sons, as she would, "...not lose my new baby for him." She went for her kids, but not at all for her well-being. The effect of motherhood put her highest value from herself to her kids, who became her life. The cover image of a mother and a baby is an example of the effects of motherhood. The quote, "...not lose my new baby for him," describes the protection Mona had for her children. This is an example of the effects of motherhood, as her and her children's bond was the strongest, like how it is in the picture.

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How the toll of drugs on relationships is present in Two Badges

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In the story, Mona met a man named Frank, who to Mona was like no other. Their relationship was happy and healthy at the start, although it didn't stay that way. Frank had started bringing friends to the apartment to slump back and shoot, snort, drink, and smoke their hearts out. At first glance, Mona saw this as Frank just hanging with his friends, but it led to much worse. The cycle got Frank hooked on abusing drugs, especially PCP and heroin. His addictions brought him heavy mood swings that made him aggressive and not himself. Mona was left to tend their home on her own, which separated their connection completely. Frank became destructive when he didn't have his, "...booze, drugs, and television." He grew to be abusive to Mona, physically and emotionally which tore their relationship apart completely. There was no love in their home anymore. The cover image of people trapped in pills corresponds with the theme of the toll of drugs on relationships. The quote used, "...booze, drugs, and television," shows how drugs can strip people's values, making them trapped in themselves. This is an example of the tolls of drugs on relationships, as it shows the cycle drug abusers are trapped in, and can't get out of, which negatively affects their partner.

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How character development is present in Two Badges

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Mona's persona developed since her childhood drastically. At the point when Mona was beginning her years in secondary school, she started to become involved with the association in gangs, fights in school, and started doing many troublesome things. As she became older she was still trapped in this cycle of making, "...decisions that you'll pay for later," which prompted difficult situations later. However, Mona defeated all of this and changed for the better which was caused by joining the police force. Mona had experienced an unpleasant past and was heavily maltreated by her abusive ex, however, she overcame it. She is heavily proud of the tattoo she got from living her lifestyle as a gang member, as it reminds her of how far she's come. The cover image of a duplicated person building a puzzle corresponds to the theme of character development. In the quote, "..decisions you'll pay for later," shows the progress Mona has made since making those decisions in her early years. It is a theme of character development as her decisions became good overtime, which is like her building puzzle blocks in her own character development.

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Throughout the book, Mona struggles with her uncertainty about herself ever becoming a cop because of her adolescent upbringing. Even when she leaves that lifestyle, she can’t escape her past from others, which enhances her doubt more. When asked by her fellow gang members what they wanted to be when they grew up, Mona said, “I want to be a cop.” Almost everyone around was making rude comments about her dreams, which made Mona feel embarrassed about her goals and say, “…I was just joking.” The discouragement she had been invalidated all her life had taken her down many wrong roads, just because she wished to fit in. Her insecurities in herself didn't go away for a long time until she finally pursued her life goal to become a police officer. The discouragement in her life created many habits of self-doubt, which directed her life to go on many wrong roads. All Mona wished for was to fit in, so she never pursued her life as a police officer, until she only had herself and her sons left. The cover image of a distressed person is a theme of self-doubt. The quote, "...I was just joking," describes the revoking she did after she expressed her dream to become a cop. That is an example of self-doubt, as she immediately regretted it after.

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How finding identity is present in Two Badges

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Mona's way of life throughout her story has changed in numerous ways. Growing up, she had been influenced by her dad to never be partnered with drugs and violence, as she needed to contrast from her sisters that were engaged with groups. Always been told that, "...gangs promised only shame and danger for a young girl," she followed his words until she entered secondary school, which was her door into gang life. She had run the streets of Santa Ana in F-Troop, until the day she was awoken by the passing of a friend's brother, Oso. His death slapped Mona's reality hard, and she put that gang life to rest for her dreams to work at the PD. While following her fantasies, she was trapped in her oppressive and abusive marriage with Frank, being tainted from those fantasies. She didn't want that violent and corrupted life for her child, so she left for a woman's shelter to restart and accomplish her goals. Mona finally accomplished those goals and became a police officer; her identity. She, at last, felt belonging when she had gotten confirmation from the most praised officer in the station, as she finally felt like, "you'll be just fine." It took Mona numerous trials and errors to track down her true identity yet, at long last found it throughout her entire life encounters, whether hard or easy.  The cover image is an example of finding identity. The quote, "you'll be just fine," told Mona that she didn't need to try so hard to find herself, and just needed to be herself all along. Mona is Mona, which is an example of finding her identity, as it was just her all this time.