Crack
The writer has employed the metaphor of crack in the title of the book “In Search of Respect: Selling Crack in El Barrio”, for drugs. In the neighborhood of East Harlem, the drugs were being sold by the people of El Barrio. The people tried hard to find some respectful job but the racism and the prejudice that was prevailing in their societies, prohibited them from gaining a respectful employment. The only alternative that they found was drug dealing and violent actions through which they could thrive in the society. They sold the crack i.e. drugs, when they were neglected by the government and the society altogether. The social institutions became the obstacles in their growth and development, so they became frustrated and mentally disturbed. In order to deal with their powerlessness and poverty, they invested their energies in illegal activities.
Currency
The metaphor of currency has been used for respect. After shifting to El Barrio, Bourgois tried his best to settle there, but the people of El Barrio’s community took him as an undercover cop. Bourgois wanted to adjust in El Barrio society and he did not consider it a difficult task but later on he realized that it was hard to become a part of that community, who was being mistreated by the state and neighboring societies. He wanted to be respected because of his White privilege. He thought that he was pursuing after respect, which was a hollow notion for him, but he was told that ‘Respect is the currency in our society.” The people of El Barrio thought of respect in terms of human rights. They faced disastrous situations because of the racial prejudice so they thought of respect as something which would not be easily given to everyone.
Undercover Cop
The simile of an undercover cop has been used for Bourgois, when he comes to settle in the neighborhood of East Harlem. As he was White in origin, so his skin color made him a suspect in the eyes of the people of El Barrio. They did not befriend him and consider him an alien who had come to unveil their illegal activities. He was discriminated by the minorities of El Barrio. The societal injustice and prejudice compelled them to mistrust the whites. There were gangsters in that community who used to monitor the activities in their surroundings by enforcing territorial borders. They threatened Bourgois for invading in their lives.
