Mrs. Dryer
AP World History
March 8, 2016
Outcasts United
Outcasts United by Warren St. John shows us how traumatic experiences can effect people's values. This book takes place in the late twentieth century after the Refugee Act was passed. The Refugee Act was put in place so that refugees of special concern to the United States had an effective resettlement in the U.S.. The UNHCR, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, was put in place to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems. They make sure everyone has the ability to have a better life somewhere else.
The theme in Outcasts United is how traumatic experiences can effect a person's values and how change effects their new life. All of …show more content…
They are beginning to see that these refugees are not going anywhere, and perhaps they are making this town a better place. The changes in this novel are not always positive. For example in Outcasts United when Luma talks to Mandela, she says, "'For a while I expected you to be like Jeremiah,' she told him. 'Actually, you're a better athlete-but you don’t have the discipline or respect to play. You don’t respect me, and you don’t respect your team.'"(John 219) This shows how Mandela has changed for the worst. He's in between worlds right now and he doesn’t understand how to respond to it. Acting out is what he does to cope, but this change is to his detriment. Other changes were minor on the grand spectrum of life, but at the same time were so significant because they signified these boys new values and lifestyles. An example of this is in Outcasts United when it says," Jerimiah asked his coach to buy bacon one of his favorite foods,