"You Owe You"
"People are who they are and, try as you might, you cannot make them be what you want them to be", exclaimed Leila Sales in her novel, "This Song Will Save Your Life". This happens to be the case in Anad Giridharadas' powerful and mind-stimulating "The True American: Murder and Mercy in Texas". Protagonist, from the conservative "Lone Star" state, Texas, Mark Stroman commits murder of two Muslim individuals, and severely injured one following the attack on the World Trade Center in New York. After Stroman's horrific actions he was appointed the death penalty. Moreover, as Stroman goes through his journey of court trials, the survivor, Rais Bhuiyan, becomes even more engaged with his Islamic faith. Through Bhuiyan's trial with faith, he decides to forgive Stroman for his act of terror, and attempted to cancel his death warrant. However, the controversial matter within the situation; "Are our actions determined by our upbringing and identity or by the decisions we make?" (Prompt2).
Giridharadas' novel discusses how Stroman's parents were drug addicts, and were not considered "suitable parents" within in the society. "[] in life sometimes you get burned for no sin of your own, simply because of where you're standing" (Giridharadas). Sadly, because his parents were not suitable, Stroman at an early age developed a bad reputation because he did not see better from home. Even though he did not grow up in a common American household, he was still given opportunity to make the best of his situation, and have ambitions for a better future. In today's society, famous individuals such as, Oprah Winfrey, Kevin O'Leary, Steve Harvey, etc. came from nothing and are now renowned. Nevertheless, within the selection, the author did assert that Stroman did reside with his grandparents for some time, meaning he had chances to better himself with his elder family members....
