The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of racism, substance abuse, and death.

34 Smith Street, the home of Curtis Gamble and his parents, is a recurring motif in the memoir, and it reflects the life trajectory of the Burger Boyz. Initially, the house—and particularly its basement—emphasizes the sense of brotherhood between Rob and his friends, as well as their growing aspirations. The Gamble family’s comfortable and stable home contrasts with the more chaotic and disadvantaged backgrounds of Curtis’s friends. The house is a safe space for the Burger Boyz to study, and it is also where they dream of pursuing college educations and the success and stability that will follow.

Once the Burger Boyz are adults, however, the basement of 34 Smith Street comes to represent their lack of progress. When they return to congregate there, only Rob and Curtis have the college degrees they aspired to, and none have clear career paths. While the Burger Boyz continue to offer one another unconditional support, the fact that they still gather at the same location underlines their failure to escape Newark. Although they brainstorm over business plans involving property investment, these aspirations never come to fruition.