Outside Reading Week 3 Part #2

Dear Journal,

I am so intrigued by this memoir, "A Piece of Cake". Cupcake Brown has dealt with so many struggles in her lifetime and even though it is difficult to read at times, I enjoy it because it is such a change for me to read a book so real and written with such honesty. This memoir begins with the tragic death of her mother, and it shows how the effect of the death causes her life to change drastically. Cup and her brother Larry were given custody to her biological father who was a complete stranger to them and only wanted them for the money. So soon after, they were given up to a foster home. At the foster home Cup was abused mentally and physically, she was raped, cleaned all day and was poorly fed. Cup felt so unsafe and depressed, she had no other choice but to run away. Once she ran away, she began to learn the ropes to prostitution, drug dealing and being apart of a gang. Cup also became very addicted to alcohol, weed, crystal meth, cocaine and acid. I personally believe that this memoir has many strengths. It is very descriptive, it is written with honesty and it intrigues me in wanting to read more. As I read, I feel as though I know Cup personally and care for her and want her to turn her life around. I do not think this book has any weaknesses, there are no suggestions that I could give to make it any better, I like it just the way it is. There are many difficult issues brought up during the memoir; such as dealing with alcohol and drugs, prostitution, who has custody, gang violence, and abortion. I know many people, some even very close to me who consume alcohol and drugs. So as I read this memoir, its tough to see how it can change your life in such a negative way and how there is never any good that will come out of it. I would never want anything bad to happen to my close friends and even though I can try to lead them in the right direction, in the end it is their own decision and I can't do anything about it. Prostitution is such a sad situation. It's hard to believe that someone could ever be that desperate to sell themselves for money. I am so strongly against this and feel heartbroken for those who choose to take part in this. Also, the issue of who would gain custody of Cupcake and her brother Larry when their mother died was represented in the memoir. They had been raised by a different man and they were given custody to their biological father instead. I disagree with this law and I think the court needs to decide based on each individual situation. In Cupcake and Larry's case, they were raised by a man who loved them and who they loved back. They wanted to live with him and instead they were given to a strange man who wanted them for the money. Another issue brought up in the book was gang violence. I do not know much about gang violence but based on what I've read, it seems like usually people will join if they are missing the feeling of being accepted or wanted in their life. In order for them to fill that need, they will join a gang and make poor decisions with others that are up to no good. Lastly, another issue was abortion. I feel so strongly about this issue. I believe that there are very few cases where people should be allowed to have an abortion. I think it is morally wrong and such a sad situation. I know usually when people have an abortion they are not able to take care of a baby, but then you should put it up for adoption.
Based on the part of the book I am at right now, Cup is making bad decisions and throwing her life away even though she has so much potential. I predict that she will slowly start changing her bad habits and ways and start to realize her potential and how her life could be so much better.