Date of Award
10-14-2009
Degree Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
K'wan presents us with a contemporary and complex street tale within which reference is made to the language, life and code of the streets, as well the roles of different populations in the lived experience of young people in the hood, including: hustlers, women, cops, white people and members of the older generation. What is more, there is an overt political consciousness to Street Dreams is relatable and contemporary in its usage of New York slang complex themes and substantial characters. Due to its complexity and K'wan's attention to detail and accuracy, Street Dreams feels more fleshed out, reflective of real life and more emotional to read. K'wan avoids sensationalizing the violence and glamour of an up and coming hustler's story and opts instead for some depth and complication. It is unclear - as it might be in real life - what would be least destructive to the characters we come to know intimately. The choices and struggles of Darius, Trinity, and the rest of the players in Street Dreams are laid out and understood within the context of the spatial and economic outlines of New York City in the early 2000s.
Recommended Citation
Dormani, Carmela Muzio, "Street Dreams" (2009). African & African American Studies Senior Theses. 48.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/aaas_senior/48
