Fist, Stick, Knife, Gun: A Personal History of Violence

Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence

• Genre: Nonfiction; memoir; social commentary
• Originally Published: 1995
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 1020L; college/adult
• Structure/Length: Approximately 192 pages; approximately 6 hours on audio
• Central Concern: This memoir recounts Geoffrey Canada’s personal history growing up in the violent streets of the South Bronx and the evolution of street violence over the decades. The narrative is both an intimate personal journey and a broader commentary on the grave issue of urban violence, its origins, and potential solutions. By sharing his own experiences, Canada sheds light on the devastating impact of violence on children and communities and advocates for systemic change.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Graphic depictions of violence; discussions of poverty, drug use, and urban decay; accounts of traumatic experiences from childhood

Geoffrey Canada, Author

• Bio: Born 1952; renowned educator, social activist, and youth advocate; founder of the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York City, an initiative aiming to increase high school and college graduation rates in Harlem; an outspoken advocate for education reform and combating urban violence
• Other Works: While Fist Stick Knife Gun remains one of his most prominent works, Geoffrey Canada has also contributed to other discussions on education and violence prevention throughout his career.

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Structural Racism
• Codes of Machismo
• The Destabilizing Impact of Guns

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Gain an understanding of the sociological and cultural contexts around the concept of “toxic masculinity,” environmental racism as structural racism, and other socio-political issues that affect Canada’s experience growing up in the Bronx.
• Study paired texts and other resources to make connections via the text’s themes of Structural Racism, Codes of Machismo, and The Destabilizing Impact of Guns.
• Research the Harlem Children’s Zone and come up with an action plan for students to help disrupt cycles of poverty and dismantle structural racism in their own communities.
• Examine and appraise the author’s purpose and techniques to draw conclusions in structured essay responses regarding the memoir’s conclusion, the minor figure of Butchie, and other topics.