“You are also my mother and I am your son. Please do not be mad at me, Mama. I am just trying to put you where I bend. I am just trying to put us where we bend.” page 241

After finishing Kiese’s memoir and reading the last line he wrote which is above I now know the purpose he wrote this book for his mother to read. It was not to degrade her on how she raised him or to show her all the mistakes she has done. He wrote this for her so they both can finally realize that in order for them to end the cycle they have constantly been on. They must first begin by being honest with each other. This was one of the most disheartening thing I came across when reading this book. The amount of times a mother would lie to her son and the amount of times a son would lie to his mother. These lies led to both of them to use each other for money, fear, etc. Even with all the lies and deception Kiese still loves his mother. He just wants her to understand where she went wrong and begin being honest with him. Only when that is accomplished can they finally grow together as not only family but as friends.