Book Review for Amazing Grace

Reactions

My reaction to the book was very shocking. I like the book very much and thought it was very informative. It kept me at the edge of my seat wanting to read on and learn more. It was amazing to learn about how bad living conditions are in some neighborhoods. It was shocking to hear about some things that go on in neighborhoods like the Bronx and how people are treated. I don’t understand how the government does not step in and help these people. They should not have to live like that.

What affected me most was knowing that when these people needed help they did not get it. If they went to the hospital, most of the time they had to wait for hours and they sometimes could not even receive help. It affected me so badly to know how many people are dying or ill because of sickness from that neighborhood. Most people living in that neighborhood will never have any chance in getting out of there and making a better life.

I connected with Mrs. Washington most. I felt for her very much so because of what she had gone through. Her whole life she had to deal with disappointment starting with her husband beating her than getting cancer and being poor. She had to raise her children in the poor neighborhood of the Bronx where she tried to make things good for them. Overall I just felt bad for Mrs. Washington, she seemed like a nice woman wanting to help others but she couldn’t even help herself due to her illness from the poor living conditions she was put in.

Reading this book has changed me because it makes you realize how good your life really is. There are so many other people out there who have nothing. We take for granted everything we have, which others would die to have. All these people want is to live in a decent neighborhood that is not filled with disease, drugs and crime. We don’t even think about how living like that we are we just go on living our lives for granted. I will now appreciate everything I have and not take anything for granted.

Ecosystems Perspective

An ecosystems perspective is a perspective that focuses on person and the environment. It takes into consideration their interactions and adaptations. Basically it focuses on the interaction of person and environment (Suppes & Wells, 2002). The person I choose to describe from and ecosystems perspective was Mrs. Washington. From an ecosystems perspective Mrs. Washington’s outcome was not good. The wants and needs of Mrs. Washington, because she was ill, were not available to her due to the environment she was living in. Mrs. Washington tried to adapt to make the fit between her and the environment better by accepting her living conditions and trying to make them work. She also had many life stressors, such as losing her welfare and the support from the government to her housing on top of her illnesses.

Systems that affected her were the hospital system and the welfare system. The hospital system was supporting her in telling her she needs to be in the hospital because she is ill, but she does not want to go because the hospital is not very good. She always has to wait for hours, and clean the room herself. The welfare system was good for her because she received checks from them to get food and things she needed and they also paid her housing bills. It was good until there was a mistake and she lost her support and had to go get it fixed before she got kicked out of her apartment.

Political Perspectives

When people in New York are poor and look to the government