Journal Entry 4 Gavin Sullivan

 

Gavin Sullivan

English 1109 at 10:30, T-TH

10/5/2020

                                        Journal Entry 4: Chapter 10 response, and Role Models

 

The main theme of chapter 10 in my opinion is that Clarett felt betrayed. This pops up a few pages after the start of the chapter. Clarett explains in the beginning that after the National Championship it was all about celebration and relaxation with foreshadowing of if only Archie Griffin had talked to me until spring training picked back up. This is when Clarett’s car was broken into. On page 152 he first explains the event from his memory. Clarett recalls that the only thing of value that was taken from his car were some CDs. Afterwards, he goes to Jim Tressel for advice on how he might handle the situation and he told Clarett to file a police report. So, he files one and then drops the story and continues explaining how spring was going. Then suddenly in the middle of things going well he gets a call form the OSU compliance office. They explain that he needs to give more information about his car break-in case. So, he goes in, and then the rest of the chapter goes onto explain his fall from grace. This chapter ends with the end of Clarett’s athletic career and the restarting of his downward spiral back into the street life. The ultimate betrayal that I have referenced in this chapter occurs when Clarett is having the legal situation that he is in explained to him, by lawyers and attorneys in the Schottenstein Center. The betrayal shows best at this point when Clarett explains in his own words at the time his frustrations in an outburst during his separation hearing. “…I looked at Archie in the eyes and said, Fuck you, man-how are you gonna let there motherfuckers do this to me? I was hurt, sure, but I knew justice wasn’t being done here and I wanted to let him and everyone else know that I understood the hypocrisy of it all.” (Clarett, 160) This is where I think that Clarett felt most betrayed and also where his thoughts on the whole ordeal came clearly from him and in my opinion, this was where the book shines because Clarett’s own words show us his true colors.

 

 

A lot of one side of the influence in my life came from close friends at the time. Them and the entertainment they watched such as Youtube and movies. This gave me my more rebellious nature but also strengthened some of my beliefs. Most of which were bad, but some were good. The reason for this was the fact that even from an early age I was usually cast out from most popular groups and after moving in the third grade to a whole different school situation I was just that one weird kid who sat alone at lunch. I yearned to always fit in and be accepted by one group or the other eventually I would find my place and then from high school to middle school I grew out of the clique-mindedness and really started talking to everybody I could at the start of junior year. Most of the time my main friend group as I liked to call them would be up to date on the newest youtube drama or memes being created. We were trying new things and playing games with each other online every weekend. So, we pretty much had contact with each other 24/7. But that is a big reason why I am the person I am today. Thankfully, my main friend group encouraged me to get a job. I think that Clarett could relate to me in the fact that music heavily affected us and how we go about shaping our personalities.  I to listened to Gangster rap and the like even though I was not living in the streets this still shaped who and how I would come to meet others whether for better or for worse. In the end, I am not who 10-year-old me thought I would be but I am still happy with where I am at.