1) The book Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned by Walter Mosley follows the story of Socrates Fortlow, an ex-convict who has been released from prison and lives in Watts for eight years. 2) The book explores themes of racial discrimination and guilt. It shows how the police and legal system treat black communities unequally through the experiences of Socrates. 3) Socrates feels guilt for the murder and rape that sent him to prison for 27 years. Friendship is also a theme, as Socrates is loyal to the few friends he has earned trust with.

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Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned
Always Outstripped, Always Outgunned is a book written by Walter Mosley. The Socrates
Fortlow is the main protagonist. Socrates is an ex-convict who has been released from prison in
Indiana for rape and double murder. He has been staying in watts two-room apartment for around
eight years after his released. Socrates is a black American man with strong hands as well as he is
violent in nature. He tries to redeem themselves by assisting his allies, neighbors, and
acquaintances while struggling to survive his own rough and hard life from day to day basis.
Different themes like racial discrimination and guilty have been used throughout the novel. The
author has also used nonliving things to symbolize ideas or qualities. The paper will seek to analyze
the theme of racial discrimination, guilt, friendship and symbolism as used in the novel.
Racial segregation refers to the separation of people with regard to their races and ethnic
groups. The theme of racial discrimination is used to show how racial discrimination continue to
exist through unequal treatment of people by the law enforcement system. People have been
discriminated against their practices of serving as well as protecting. Low enforcement should
ensure that there are no areas with unequal protection. Failure, inequalities in protection will
increase especially in black communities. In the novel, the main protagonist, Socrates Fortlow

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claim that, in most cases police overlook crimes that are committed by the black community of
Watts. It seems some societies are protected while some communities are overlooked. Mosley
shows how unjust police particularly to black Americans are treated. The police are aware of
crimes that are being committed before there eyes, however, they are more concerned with one
group of African men which are form certain kinds of organization. Protection of people safety
must not be determined by the color of their skin, nevertheless Socrates a well as his allies sees
this as their realism (Mosley 245). Racial profiling is another problem that black African are
negatively affected. It is not condoned, however, it continues to exist because of lack of trust legal
systems. For people to trust the legal systems people should terminate racial discrimination against
individuals based on their color. In Always outnumbered, always outgunned, the author shows
through an experience of Socrates how police have been treating Africans. Mosley explains how
Socrates work all over the streets towards his household and how police officer approached him
in a more racially discriminating way. The author says” the policemen ordered Socrates to take
his hands out the pocket. And asked where he was going and doing at night (Mosley 200)”. Here,
the author shows how black communities are threatened by police.
Guilt is referred as fact of having done an offense. It is repeated theme in the novel as well
as is central to what makes some of personality of Socrates. The horrible killing, as well as rape
which made him to go to prison, continue to outweigh his integrity even thirty five years later.
This shows the feeling of guilt that Socrates has done. Through series of flashback, acts, dreams
and reminiscences, guilt is seen on Socrates feeling when he goes through back to events which
had happened a long time before he commits murder, encompass events which occurred
throughout his twenty-seven years in prison as well as extend to things which have happened

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during 8 years he stayed in Watts. Friendship is also another theme in the novel. For instance in
the book, Socrates have few real friends, however those who have earned his friendship as well as
trusts, also have full loyalty. Socrates could do anything for his friends even if it is chasing their
enemies always
Symbols have been used throughout the story portraying different meaning in the story.
These include one, knives. Various characters like Socrates carry out knife symbolize protection
or weapon of committing the crime. Socrates use knife to commit murder. Two, Cans/Bottles.
Socrates used to collect bottles as well as cans in order to represent poverty before he get
permanent job. Three, food. Food is used to symbolize meals in the novel. Four, buses and bus
stops. They represent mean of transportation. Socrates uses only bus for his transportation. Bus
stop provides shelter to most of the characters. Lastly, prison, represent a places where crimes are
taken after committing a serious crime like murder. Although it is seen through flashback, Socrates
spent at least twenty-seven years in prison which confirmed his personality.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it is clear that various themes such as racial profiling,
friendship, and guilt are central themes in Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned. The author
uses these themes in order to illuminate basic truths of activities that take places in societies. In
addition, symbols like knife have been used in order to represent ideas or qualities. Therefore,
Mosley is unforgettable as well as his views cast a glow of gloomy lyricism upon a frequently
harsh realm.

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Works cited
Mosley, Walter. "Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned." (1997). Print.
Mosley, Walter. Always outnumbered, always outgunned. Simon and Schuster, 2010.