"He's just a boy"

         I'll be the first to admit that i am not cut out to stomach the content of The Wire. At another time I would have argued that it was dramatization or Hollywood. However life experiences have shown me that man is in fact capable of the heartlessness demonstrated in the but only in response to the brokenness afforded them in life's trauma. In studies done on the re-socialization of juveniles it was found that a perpetrators aggressive response to an offensive statement against their mother was not in real defense of her but in an attempt to preserve their memory of her. for example if an individual is abused or neglected by their mother or if they were subject to witness a shameful lifestyle such as prostitution in the home the reaction is based in their need to preserve her image in their mind. As humans we have a fundamental need to be known and loved. If these needs are neglected to be met by primary care takers, the neglected party is subject to negative impact. With this i consider the Strain Theory. Agnew's article touches on the impact of family abuses. However in the characters of The Wire the writers only let you in on the abusive and neglectful situation Wallace is in and even in that character he grows soft as the pace of 'the game' picks up.
            The exchange between D'Angelo's mom and himself is also startling. What is this high society drug family that the show protrays? In ehr conversation with Avon D'Angelo's mother speaks as if she is in a parent teacher conference. "You do not need to worry about my boy, i raised him right," The absurdity in her statement legitimately frightens me. If we cannot track criminal behavior and the masterminds behind them back to a broken worldview based in abuse or neglect than I will lose all hope in the rehabilitation of criminals. What could posses this woman to raise her son to be a killer, to take lives? Avon brings the viewer in on her stake in it all. "You like that car you drive right? you like this place i bought you? We've all got a lot to protect you hear?" But could the love of money really bring someone to that level?
          It is no mistake that nearly every scene captures the joy and innocence of children. I sincerely appreciate the statement these pan outs make. It is a continual reminder that while this may be the world surrounding these kids, something about the way they see life is just that much more true and right. I rarely feel that when a character looks to kids playing or laughing or running they are scoffing at their joy but in fact longing for a different world. Right before Wallace is taken in his main man glances into the courtyard of the low rises and sees to young boys playing and you can see then that he is remembering life with Wallace before they were in 'the game'. But the look on his face assures you that he has already made his decision. Or the decisions, as he sees is, was made for him. Ultimately what these shots do is remind us not to settle for the corruption we are witnessing on the streets and in the office.