Question

read the excerpt from children of the drug wars
these children are facing threats similar to the forceful
conscription of child soldiers by warlords in sudan or
during the civil war in bosnia. being forced to sell
drugs by narcos is no different from being forced into
military service.
read the excerpt from enriques journey
the ms gangsters decide to retaliate and throw the
gangsters off the train. enrique refuses to participate,
creating a split. if you are ms, you have to kill 19th
streeters. and if you are 19th street, you must kill ms.
i wasnt like that, enrique says.
after the fight with his friends, killymilo brought
enrique to chiapas, the gangs territory. forced to sell
chips, he fled, without his money, hiding with enrique.
that night, the two boys
how is the authors purpose similar in both excerpts?
both describe situations in which people have to
leave their country to find a better life
both describe situations in which people are
forced to commit crimes or face violence
both describe situations in which people have the
ability to improve their lives by following orders.
both describe situations in which people are given
a choice between doing what is expected or doing
what is right

Explanation:

In the first excerpt, children are forced into situations (like being in drug wars similar to forced military service). In the second excerpt, Enrique is forced to retaliate (kill) or face consequences. Both show people being expected to commit crimes (forced into drug - war - like situations which can involve violent/criminal acts and forced to kill) or face violence (the threat in the first case and the implied threat if Enrique doesn't retaliate).

Answer:

Both describe situations in which people are expected to commit crimes or face violence.