The Mole People - Book Review

The book "The Mole People" is about the trials and tribulations that the inhabitants of the New York underground undergo. The setting is the subways of New York where homeless people find refuse from the outside world. It is not safe sleeping on the streets above ground, so people who find the tunnels, they find a second home, and a sense of community. There are many people located in these tunnels and several tiers of it. People from the tiers are interveiwed and explain their stories. The book switches from multiple first person stories.

The first section of the book is about a black man named Seville Williams. He tells about how he found his way to the tunnels, and he also tells about how hard it is to live there. Seville used to live with his family until some unfortunate events happend, and he woind up on the streets. Ashamed of his position previously, Seville explains how he has become accustomed to the life that he lives, It is a struggle to manage the food that he does afford or is given. The drug addiction is a large problem with the inhabitants of the tunnels. Many of the people have AIDS and die of drug overdoses not caring what ever happens to them. Keeping sanity is one of the largest problems; self-esteem doesn't come easy when there is no motivation from the outside world. Seville explains the several tiers, and also explains the different communities. One example of the community is the Condos, which is the nicer part of the tunnels. The only reason why is was nicer because of the easier living conditions such as: easy access to water, build shacks, and even get primitive

electricity from nearby wires.

Avoiding the law also serves as a problem for the people underground. Every once in a while, the police come into the tunnels and try to remove the people staying there. As a result, the people who aren't caught move even deeper to avoid being caught. Sometimes the police like to help the people by getting them rehibilitated and reaquainted with the real world. Other times the police take their anger out excessively, though no one ever finds out about these occurances. The underground people aren't high on society's social ladder, and seem not to be protected by simple laws; they aren't even considered people at all, but rather a stain on society's backside. Murdering another person falls along these lines because the people are not protected; the tunnels are a world of their own. Gangs like the Bloods and the Crips can cause quite a rukus. Other gangs such as the Harlem Gang also exist. Gangs are a refuge for people needing more of a sense of community for it's desperate members.

Graffiti isn't looked upon as a scornful act, but rather a serious art; a way to express ones feelings. Graffiti is welcomed by the people underground, and they love to look at it as a way to feel better about themselves. People "tag" or sign their artwork, and some of the artwork is drawn specifically for the homeless people. Sane, one of the artists, depicted one of his