Use the passage from Jacob Riis's How the Other Half Lives to answer the question.

Question

Use the passage from Jacob Riis's How the Other Half Lives to answer the question.

“Caught in the street by the truant officer, or by the agents of the Children’s Societies, peddling, perhaps, or begging, to help out the family resources, he runs the risk of being sent to a reformatory, where contact with vicious boys older than himself soon develop the latent possibilities for evil that lie hidden in him. . . . The risk of the reformatory is too great. What is done in the end is to let him take chances—with the chances all against him. The result is the rough young savage, familiar from the street.” – Jacob Riis

In a paragraph of 3–5 sentences, analyze what Riis is saying about the lives of young boys in New York City’s slums.

Answer 1

Riis is suggesting that young boys in New York City's slums face numerous challenges and obstacles that often lead them down a destructive path. He highlights how these boys are forced to engage in illegal activities, such as peddling or begging, in order to support their families. However, if caught, they are at risk of being sent to a reformatory where they are influenced by older, delinquent boys and their latent potential for evil is brought to the surface. Riis argues that these boys are left to face the odds against them, without any real support or intervention, resulting in them becoming rough and street-savvy individuals.

Answer 2

In this passage, Jacob Riis sheds light on the difficult and dangerous lives of young boys in New York City's slums. He highlights how these boys are often forced to engage in street activities like peddling or begging to support their families. However, when caught by truant officers or children's societies, they face the risk of being sent to reformatories, where they can quickly be influenced by older and more delinquent boys. Riis argues that the risk of reformatories is too great, leading to the decision to let these young boys take their chances on the streets. As a result, they become rough and street-savvy individuals, reflecting the harsh realities of their environment.

Answer 3

In this passage, Jacob Riis is effectively highlighting the grim realities of the lives of young boys living in the slums of New York City. He mentions how these boys are forced to engage in street activities such as peddling or begging in order to support their struggling families. However, when caught, they face the threat of being sent to reformatory institutions where they are exposed to older, more delinquent boys, which ultimately fuels their own destructive behavior. Riis suggests that instead of protecting these boys through rehabilitation, society takes a passive approach by allowing them to take risky chances, leading them down a path of becoming rough, street-savvy individuals. The passage showcases the immense challenges and lack of support these young boys face in their environment.