Walter Dean Myers 'Life In Fallen Angels'

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Walter Dean Myers was an award winning African American author. Walter Dean Myers’ life influenced his work in many ways. Whether it be through long term experiences like being in the army or a simple encounter at a basketball court, Walter Dean Myers was able to write compelling stories based off his own life.

One real-life experience that he wrote about is being in army service. His story Fallen Angels, is about a young African American male named Richie, who enlists in the army after high school during the Vietnam War, since his parents can’t afford to send him to a college. His thoughts about war going into it are much different than coming out, learning how horrible and gruesome it can be. Richie also experiences racism during his service in Vietnam. He and his fellow African American troops are often sent on more dangerous …show more content…
Almost all of Walter’s stories involve kids/teenagers trying to navigate through violent and unstable neighborhoods. One such example of this is his book Fast Sam, Cool Clyde, and Stuff. It recounts how Francis/Stuff moves to Harlem and makes friends like Clyde, Sam, and Gloria, who form a group called The Good People who help each other out. They have fun while trying to avoid danger in their neighborhood, such as drugs, fights, and more threatening kids. Harlem was a nicer place when Myers was younger, but he lived there for such a long time and saw everything had changed for the worse, Myers had to avoid his fair share of violence. Another book based around Harlem and the violence there is Monster, arguably his most famous book. The story is about Steve Harmon, a sixteen year old who is forced to be a lookout for a convenience store robbery. The owner is inevitably killed and Steve is sent jail. Yet another story that talks about violence. Growing up in Harlem and writing all these stories show how Walter is able write compelling stories based on his own

Fallen Angels Quotes

Walter Dean Myers' novel, "Fallen Angels", is set during the 1960's. Many things were happening during this time, including that Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement. Throughout the novel, Myers presents racism in both the Army in Vietnam and in "the World" back in America. In the novel, the characters refer to their homes in America as "the World". During this time, changes were being made in "the World" as well as in Vietnam. The Civil Rights movement was pushing for changes to be made…

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Fallen Angels

come when the soldiers fall to the ground knowing it’s all over when the war they cannot ignore is still occurring. Walter Dean Myers book, Fallen Angels, which is about the Vietnam War from the perspective of one soldier named Richie Perry. Coming out of high school with no plan, Richie joins the military only to be shipped off the battlefield of Vietnam: a hurricane that separates life and death. With comrades like Peewee, Lobel, and Johnson, Perry takes on the challenge to serve his country, with…

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Haas Fallen Angels Essay

Sam Haas English – 85 10/21/14 How Real is the Vietnam War? In the book Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers, the story follows a bunch of young men who fight in the Vietnam War. Although there are many themes in the book, one stands out: the horror of war. The title of the book relates to this theme which tells us that the theme is valuable. The guys are thrown into the reality of war in a heartbeat when the war started. By the end of the book, the boys realize that the war is a b…

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Fallen Angels Book Report

Trust is an important trait and guiding factor that all relationships need, whether they are family or friends. In the book Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers, Richie is a seventeen year old boy that goes to fight in the trenches of the Vietnam war. Richie was forced to go to war because he is black and at this time it is challenging for him to get a job or have enough money to go to college. While at war, Richie had made many close friends that he will soon become like family. Richie has real family…

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Essay on American Novelists and John Galsworthy Girl

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Allen Angels

allen Angels By Walter Dean Myers Richie Perry, graduated from Harlem, is ready to join the army at only age 17. This is pretty much his only option because his alcoholic, single mother can't afford college for him. He heads off to basic training in the year 1967. There, he hurts his knee and expects to not even be sent to Vietnam. But, Richie's medical profile, isn't processed right, so he is sent anyways. On the way over, he meets Judy Duncan and Peewee, and they become friends. After a bad…

Words 2006 - Pages 9