Respect is super important in life—just ask Aretha Franklin. Especially in the military, respect from other crewmembers is the way leaders keep their power, influence decisions, and maintain order. Wait a minute… That sounds a lot like a gang, too. For both Toussaint and Shorty, respect becomes key to staying alive and in work. Toussaint needs his men to listen to his orders and put down the pitchforks, even when they want revenge instead of justice. And Shorty has similar problems. If his fellow gang members don't respect him, he's out on the streets, or worse. It's not about how much money you have in the bank in In Darkness; it's all about that R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Questions About Respect and Reputation
- How are the gang and military similar in the novel? What do you think the author might be trying to tell us by creating this parallel?
- What makes the gang members respect each other? What makes the soldiers respect Toussaint? How do they turn a blind eye to any disagreements they might have with their leaders (Biggie or Toussaint)?
- Why is respect so darn important? Why is it worth shooting someone over? What does this tell us about the mentality in the Site and during the revolution?
Chew on This
Route 9 members rely on friendships with other gang members in order to stay alive. If they appear weak and lose their reputations, they fear they may lose the friendships they need to survive in the Site.
Biggie is invested in keeping his reputation in tact because he doesn't trust anybody, even his own gang members.