Miracle's Boys

The opening section introduces the main and secondary characters and presents the key conflicts, as well as the themes of The Grieving Process, Guilt and Blame, and Familial Bonds. At the center is Charlie or “Newcharlie,” as his younger brother, Lafayette, the narrator, calls him. Lafayette is certain that Charlie is a new person since returning from Rahway and searches his brother for changed behavior. Charlie, however, prioritizes toughness and meanness and has street authority among various groups of troublemakers. Lafayette is not interested in the knowledge that Charlie imparts; he is studying this new version of his brother. Charlie’s friend, Aaron, however, is impressed by Charlie and eager to be as respected as Charlie. Lafayette is left alone after Charlie blames Lafayette for their mother’s death, immediately establishing tension and the brothers’ strained relationship. This blame also speaks to The Grieving Process and Guilt and Blame, as Charlie’s coping includes casting blame on his younger brother, who found their mother dead. By continuing to assign blame, Charlie delays dealing with the reality of his mother’s death, instead focusing on anger. Further, Charlie’s Guilt and Blame creates a somewhat surreal, tense setting: Lafayette is a young child who appears meek and nonviolent, thus it is puzzling to consider how he may have caused a death. When it is revealed that the cause of Milagros’s death was insulin shock, it becomes clear that Lafayette’s feelings of responsibility for her death, and Charlie’s accusations, are grief-based.

Charlie is contrasted with the old version of Charlie, whom Lafayette recalls as loving animals and teaching him to pray to Saint Francis of Assisi for their safety and protection. Lafayette admired this kind and loving person, which helps to explain his awareness that Charlie has changed since returning from Rahway. However, Charlie’s former practice of praying to the saint illustrates the way in which he confronts and attempts to resolve problems: He turns to a force that he regards as having control and power. Now, the new version of Charlie turns to his newfound prestige amongst the troublemakers of the city to protect him. The structure of this hierarchy appears to offer the sense of control that he craves, but it is ultimately slowing his own acceptance of his mother’s passing.

Though Charlie’s release from the juvenile facility should be cause for celebration, it only increases the stress on Ty’ree, the older brother of Charlie and Lafayette. Ty’ree is under pressure to demonstrate that he can successfully raise and care for his brothers; any subsequent trouble that Charlie gets into will result in Lafayette being sent south to live with the boys’ great aunt. In this way, Charlie’s actions impact those around him, and Lafayette has a great stake in whether Charlie has learned from his past mistakes. Ty’ree is presented as a genuine guardian, especially of Lafayette. He comes home from work and promises to cook Lafayette chicken for dinner, just as their mother would. Ty’ree also shows emotional complexity as a character, as Lafayette observed Ty’ree nostalgically looking at his old yearbook, and he had plans to attend MIT. Instead, he wants to prove himself as a suitable guardian for his brothers, demonstrating a strong sense of duty toward Familial Bonds.

The death of the boys’ father is also presented in this section. This earlier trauma underscores how difficult their mother’s death has been for the boys to endure. Without either parent, the Bailey family is placed not only in a dire financial situation, but one in which they are without guidance and support of loving adults. Further, the grief that Ty’ree feels over the loss of their father is still palpable, contributing to his resistance to discuss their mother’s death or acknowledge her absence. Ty’ree is left to assume the role of caregiver, even moving into his mother’s bedroom and donating her things, which upsets Lafayette. Additionally, both parents’ deaths were unexpected and accidental, which perhaps heightens the resulting grief. The three brothers can be said to represent stages of grief, with Charlie serving as anger, Ty’ree serving as denial, while Lafayette, as the narrator, remains more difficult to perceive. However, as the character who observes and analyzes his brothers, Lafayette is perhaps the closest to representing acceptance of grief, as he does not resist memories of his mother or the emotions of his grieving brothers.