Reading Response 9/17/14

Sabina Chackerian 802  Reading Response to Money Hungry   by: Sharon G. Flake

The book Money Hungry by Sharon G. Flake is a book about a 13 year-old-girl named Raspberry Hill. She lives in the projects with her mom who is always away at work. She has been homeless and is determined that it will never happen again. This is why making money has become her obsession. She will sell everything she can get a hold of at her school, if its good or bad. This doesn’t make her very popular but it lets her sleep at night knowing she has money. To Raspberry, money is everything no matter what her friends and her mom tell her. In this book the author really shows the reader how poverty cannot just effect adults or parents but can also effect children.

In this book Raspberry feels a responsibility to make money for her mom and herself no matter how hard it is. Raspberry says “Much as I tried I couldn't make enough money to keep Momma and me from ending up on the streets.” This line stood out a lot to me; this really shows who she is as a character. She is just a kid and her mom works yet she still felt it was her job to provide money for her and her mom. She focuses on making money more then anything which is not in her best interest all the time, for example she does not seem to pay a lot of attention to her classes at school but focuses more on selling things. Her mother is responsible and cares for her but she still feels this way. One issue that is probably contributing to this is that Raspberry’s dad is not around therefore she might feel protective of her mom. She also probably recognizes everything her mom has done for her and wants to help her out as much as she can.

Raspberry also is very determined to make money because she thinks its so important. After getting complains about the things she was selling at school and the principle banned it but that didn't stop her, she started to get her friends interested in cleaning peoples houses and after she cleans a house she tries to get even more work by going to her friend who washes cars and washes cars for him. When she sells stuff at school the people complain about it and bully her for it like one character, Seneca but Raspberry brushes it off. She says “Seneca’s right. Before homeroom period is up eight more people want their money back. The last four kids are out of luck, though. I ain't walking out of school today with nothing.” Later the principal comes out and says he is going to call her mom because of what she is selling, she says “Mr. Jackson is saying something else about calling momma. Me, I’m holding tight to my ducats. ‘Cause no matter what, I'm not giving up no more cash today.” These quotes show here determination of having money this also shows her value of money over her reputation. Her determination is probably because of many things, one main effect being fear.

While reading this I could tell that Raspberry was scared of the things that could happen if they didn’t have enough money. It seems as though most of Raspberry’s fear was that they would end up back living on the street like they had before. Raspberry and her mom get robbed and she tries to stay strong but she knows that she doesnt have a lot left. Her friends dad comes too talk to her she says “Before he can ask me anything else, the tears come.’We, we gonna be living on the streets again.’” I can infer that Raspberry feels very angry, upset and responsible right now. She also probably feels scared because she doesn't know what is next. She saves all this money up because she thinks ahead but now that can't get her as far as she planned. She is scared of what is next for her and her mom.

In this book Raspberry is a very strong person and a very independent person. She faces many issues but deals with them without needing constant help or support from other people. Throughout the book she learns that money isn't everything and friendships are more important but she doesn't completely change as a character. This book was a great book and taught important lessons about priorities. Its main issue was poverty and it taught me about the effect on children.