The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League

To what extent does education serve as a pathway to opportunity for Rob Peace? How do the contrasting worlds of Yale and Newark contribute to his struggles after graduation?

How do Rob’s relationships with his friends and family influence his life decisions? Focus your answer on any two people who you believe have the most impact on Rob.

Analyze the changing role that the house on 34 Smith Street plays in the life of Rob and the Burger Boyz. How does the motif reflect the memoir’s larger themes?

Compare Rob’s life trajectory with that of his friend, Oswaldo Gutierrez. Assess the fairness of Oswaldo’s conclusion that, following his graduation from Yale, “all of Rob’s troubles were self-inflicted” (316).

Analyze the symbol of Rio de Janeiro in the memoir. What does Rob’s fixation with the Brazilian city express about his character and unspoken desires?

In elementary school, Rob enjoys reading classic novels, including William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, Jack London’s The Call of the Wild, John Steinbeck’s The Pearl, and Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Choose one of these titles and explain why its subject and themes might have appealed to Rob as a child.

Consider the title of Hobbs’s memoir. Assess whether Rob’s story meets the literary definition of a tragedy (i.e., a noble protagonist with a fatal flaw who faces an inevitable downfall). Identify literary techniques that contribute to the book’s tragic tone.

How does Rob Peace’s story reflect the challenges young Black men face in American society? What can be learned from his story in terms of policy changes, educational opportunities, and community support for young men in similar situations?