Question

soapstone worksheet
(the following two pages are an ap graphic organizer to be used for
primary document analysis within the lesson)
s
what is the subject of the
piece?
what are the general
topics and/or ideas
contained in the text?
q
what is the occasion?
who are the time, place,
and setting of the piece?
a
who is the audience?
to whom is the piece
directed?
p
what is the purpose?
what is the purpose or
reason this piece was
written?
s
who is the speaker?
who is the voice that
tells the story?
tone
what is the tone of the
piece?
what is the attitude or
emotional characteristics
present in the piece?
\crack and the box\
by pete hamill
one sad rainy morning last winter, i talked to a woman who was addicted to crack cocame
she was twenty-two, slender-thin, with eyes as dull as marbles. she was living in two rooms in
a welfare hotel with her children, who were two, three, and five years of age. her story was
the usual tangle of human woe, early pregnancy, dropping out of school, vanished men,
attack and then crack, tricks with johns in parked cars to pay for the dope. i asked her why
she did drugs. she shrugged in an empty way and couldnt really answer beyond \makes me
feel good.\ while we talked and she told her tale of woe, the children ignored us. they
stared watching television.
walking back to my office in the rain, i brooded about the woman, her soulless children,
and her own callous indifference. id heard so many versions of the same story that i almost
never wrote them anymore: the sons of similar women, glimpsed a dozen years ago, are now
in dutchess or soledad or joliet, in a hundred cities, their daughters are moving into the
same kitchen rooms. as i walked, a writer of homeless men approached me for change,
mast of them junkies. others sat in doorways, staring at nothing. they were additional
casualties of our time of plague, demoralized hundreds that although this country holds only
2 percent of the worlds population, it consumes 65 percent of the worlds supply of hard
drugs.
why, for gods sake? why do so many millions of americans of all ages, races, and classes
choose to spend all or part of their lives stupefied? ive talked to hundreds of addicts over
the years: some were my friends. but none could give sensible answers. they wonder about
the pain of the world, about despair or boredom, the urgent need for magic or pleasure in a
society empty of both. but then they just drink. americans have the money to buy drugs,
the supply is plentiful. but almost nobody in power asks, why? i can of all, george bush
and his drug warriors.
william bennett talks vaguely about the heritage of status permissiveness, the collapse of

Answer:

To analyze the document "Crack and the Box" using the SOAPSTone method, we examine each component:

Subject (S)

• What is the subject? The piece focuses on drug addiction (specifically crack cocaine use) in America, its impact on individuals (like the 22 - year - old woman and her children) and society, and the broader questions about why so many Americans turn to drugs and why little is done to address the issue.
• General topics/ideas? Drug abuse, its social and personal consequences, societal indifference, and the paradox of America’s high drug consumption despite being a small portion of the world’s population.

Occasion (O)

• What is the occasion? The text is written in the context of the ongoing drug crisis in America, with a focus on crack cocaine use. The author’s encounter with a drug - addicted woman and observations of other affected individuals (homeless men, children of addicts) prompts reflection on the issue.
• Time, place, setting? The time is “last winter” in an urban American setting (implied by references to a welfare hotel, homeless men, and cities like Joliet). The broader context is the era of the “drug plague” in the US, with political figures like George Bush and William Bennett being part of the societal discourse on drugs.

Audience (A)

• Who is the audience? The audience is likely a general readership interested in social issues, policymakers, or those concerned with drug policy. It could also be students or educators analyzing social problems, as the worksheet is an AP - level graphic organizer for primary document analysis.
• To whom is the piece directed? The piece is directed at anyone who cares about social issues, drug policy, or the human impact of addiction. It aims to provoke thought and perhaps action or policy change by highlighting the severity of the drug problem.

Purpose (P)

• What is the purpose? The author’s purpose is to raise awareness about the devastating impact of drug addiction (especially crack cocaine) on individuals and society, to question why so many Americans use drugs, and to criticize societal and political inaction in addressing the drug crisis.
• Why was it written? It was written to spark reflection on the drug problem, challenge the audience to consider the human cost of addiction, and question why powerful figures (like politicians) do not take more effective action despite the “plague” of drugs.

Speaker (S)

• Who is the speaker? The speaker is Pete Hamill, a journalist or writer. His voice is that of an observant, concerned citizen and commentator, sharing personal observations (his talk with the woman, encounters with homeless men) and critical reflections on the drug crisis.
• Who tells the story? Pete Hamill is the voice telling the story. He shares his first - hand experiences (talking to the addicted woman, walking in the city) and broader societal observations, positioning himself as a witness to and critic of the drug problem.

Tone (Tone)

• What is the tone? The tone is somber, critical, and reflective. The author’s description of the addicted woman (“eyes as old as tombs,” “empty shrug”) and the “calamitous indifference” of society creates a somber mood. The questions “Why, for God’s sake?” and criticism of political inaction (“almost nobody in power asks, ‘Why?’”) show a critical tone. The author’s reflection on his own “callous indifference” and observations of the drug - affected population adds a reflective layer.
• Attitude/emotional characteristics? The author feels concerned, frustrated, and empathetic. Concern is evident in his focus on the suffering of addicts and their families. Frustration comes through in his questioning of why the drug problem persists and why leaders do not act. Empathy is shown in his description of the woman’s situation and the plight of the children.

These analyses help unpack the text’s meaning and the author’s intent using the SOAPSTone framework.