In the story Samuel, by Grace Payel, four African-American boys, named Alfred, Calvin, Samuel and Tom, were playing between the cars of a subway train. As the boys laughed at a woman who told them what they were doing was dangerous, an angry man pulled the emergency cord and Samuel was crushed and killed between subway cars. Samuel's mother mourned the loss of her son and later had another son, but there could never be another Samuel. The men and women who could have saved Samuel's life did not do so because they were afraid, racially divided, and had poor mentalities. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay The story is told from an omniscient point of view, allowing the audience to hear the thoughts of both men and women. When the public can read what everyone thinks, women seem more disapproving of the act. A lady who wanted to interfere in what was happening was “afraid that people would make fun of her and embarrass her” (4). This lady could have taken this story in a different direction if she had said something sooner. She was so afraid that these boys would embarrass her that she let her pride get in the way of the boys' safety. The racial barrier played a role in the twist of this story. Among all the men and women, the audience could especially see a specific thought of the woman. In the story it said "one of the ladies wanted to stand up and say, watch out, you fools" (4) but she didn't say anything to the boys because "three of the boys were black" (4). This woman is bullied by three young boys, not because they are dangerous but simply because they are black. The racial barrier between these two groups of people is so divisive that adults won't even try to discipline them even though it could potentially save these children's lives. Men could have had the greatest influence on these boys, but they did nothing. Both men remember what it was like for them. The men thought "of some of the brave things they had done as boys and moving didn't seem so risky" (3). They had a “boys will be boys” mentality and they even knew what they were doing was dangerous. Instead of doing something to protect these boys, they let this mentality prevent them from doing anything. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In conclusion, no one liked what the boys were doing, but no one said anything because of fear, race and bad mentality. The ladies fear controlled how she handled the situation. She was so afraid of how these boys would react to her trying to warn them, just because of the color of their skin, that she waited until it was too late to say anything. The men, who could have influenced these boys, brushed off their dangerous behavior with the “boys will be boys” mentality. If any of the women or men had said something when they first noticed him, Samuel could have gotten off that train alive..