"Bucking the Sarge" By: Christopher Paul Curtis

The main characters in the book are Luther Farrell and the Sarge, Luther’s mom. Luther is a studious type of person who wants to learn and study philosophy. He is very interested in winning the science year for the third year in a row against the love of his life, Shayla Patrick. Instead of following his dream of becoming a philosopher, the Sarge is making him bus people from group homes the Sarge owns back and forth. The Sarge also makes him clean up rental homes and run a group home. The Sarge is a power hungry business owner who is more concerned about herself rather than her son. She does illegal things such as giving Luther a driver’s license, even though he is 15, to bus people around.
The book, “Bucking the Sarge” has many conflicts. The main character, Luther Farrell, is facing off with his mom, the Sarge, because the Sarge wants Luther to work more hours and Luther rather focus on his dream to be a philosopher. The conflict is that the Sarge is more focused on herself and what she wants Luther to do rather than support what Luther wants to do. When Luther talks to his mom about being a famous philosopher, his mom says that it is impossible for an African American from the City of Flint to become anything special. The Sarge tells Luther that if he wants to be successful, then he should work harder at the group homes so he can someday take of the Sarge’s chain of slum housing. Another conflict in the story is Luther and Sparky, his best friend, trying to get out of Flint, Michigan. Sparky tells Luther, “Flint is nothing but the Titanic; it just brings you down.” Luther and Sparky develop a plan to sue a company and use the money to get out of Flint.
The theme of “Bucking the Sarge” is to follow what you want to do in life and do not let anyone else tell you what you want to do. This theme applies to Luther because the Sarge makes him work in the slum houses she owns rather than what Luther wants to do. When Luther tells his mom how he wants to win the science fair for the third year in a row, the Sarge tells him it is simply not important. The science fair will not get you anywhere in life. The Sarge is carving a path for Luther to take up the slum housing, even though he does not want to, when Luther wants to be a philosopher.
What I like about the book is it shows how Luther overcomes the Sarge pulling him into working all the time. I also like how Sparky starts making smarter decisions and starts wanting to become something in life. What I did not like in the book is how the science fair was incorporated in the book. I thought it was confusing and hard to follow at some parts. Overall, “Bucking the Sarge” is a great book and I recommended students read it.