Real Boys by Christopher Booth Outline What this section of the book is trying to address here, I believe, is the need for people, (especially parents) to be aware of the signs of depression in young males. The first chapter of this section goes through several scenarios and real-life stories of kids who have suffered from depression and were afraid to talk about it, or even didn't even know what they were suffering from. As William Pollack describes his sessions with his different clients, we find that in reality kids can sometimes be scared, afraid and very often ashamed to communicate their feelings with others. Mainly because the "Boy Code" doesn't allow it. Part of this section also deals with violence against young males. The need to react and be tough and how it is innate in the hearts of today's youth. How the image of today's society is centered on revenge and fighting. "To be a man you have to know how to react." Hollywood actors and how you're constantly bombarded with fights and revenge. A good illustration is the classic John Wayne scene where he runs away seeking revenge on the villain. This all contributes to kids and how they see situations, or should I say how they handle them. What I Learned About My Story Wow, what can I say? Not only did this chapter change the way I view my upbringing and past, but the entire book did. I can see how the "Boy Code" played an important role in my childhood. Even now as a young adult I can still see things that control the way I think and see things. As I read about some of the kids and their interviews with William Pollack, I remember thinking, “this is exactly what I went through in school.” (When I was in public school) I remember being told many times by my parents (and among others) to "be a man" or "don't be a sissy." I don't think my parents weren't well-intentioned, I just think it was the way they were raised and, just like in a vicious cycle, they were probably taught "the boy code too. I distinctly remember that my father he taught me as a child to learn to fight.