All American Boys Character Sketch

Title of Assigned Reading: All American Boys

Name of character: Paul Galluzzo

1. Your age and physical appearance:
   1. Late 20’s, early 30’s.  Large, white, muscular, and fit man.

2. Your house, city/area, favorite place:
   1. My house- down the block from Quinn
   2. Springfield
   3. Park Basketball Courts

3. Your passions, “soap box topics,” deepest desires (which may not be mentioned in the text):
   1. Justice and revenge
   2. Being the best police officer
   3. Apprehending “criminals”
   4. Being a role model for his family and friends
   5. Appearing to be tough and intimidating
   6. Be a hero

4. Your main goal:
   1. To be a good police officer that people can count on to help them.

5. Your biggest obstacles and problems:
   1. Criminals causing trouble
   2. Defending myself against the Rashad Butler case

6. Your biggest influences:
   1. Mr. Galluzzo, Quinn, Guzzo, and Mr. Collins (town hero, Quinn’s father, veteran)

7. Your greatest strengths:
   1. Physical strength, All-American image, respected member of the community status, close knit family, sense of justice

8. Your greatest weaknesses:
   1. Impulsivity, need to dominate others, violent tendencies

9. What one or two words best describe you? Give examples of details or events from the text that demonstrate these traits:
   1. Strength- Paul beat Rashad Butler and put him in the hospital, and defended Quinn from bullies when he was younger
   2. Intimidation- when playing a game with Quinn after beating Rashad, he is overly aggressive and causes him to leave the game.  He also uses his physical strength to get his way.

10. List quotations from the text that reveal most clearly who you are and what you are about:
    1. “He was flipping burgers at the grill.  A red bandanna tied up over his head. Ratty t-shirt, even in this cool November weather… Man, I’d never really taken in how huge they were, like, they could’ve squatted, pitched forward, and put their knuckles in the dirt, and they’d be the linemen I just saw wearing Pats and Broncos uniforms” (Reynolds & Kiely 103-104).
    2. “If you keep bitching at each other like this into the season, you aren’t going to play well.  You’re going to suck. So strap on a pair and get your shit together” (Reynolds & Kiely 112).
    3. “I just wanted him to stop beating me.  I just wanted to live. Each blow earthquaked my insides, crushing parts of me I had never seen, parts of me I never knew were there.  ‘Fuckin’ thugs can’t just do what you’re told. Need to learn how to respect authority. And I’m gonna teach you,’ he taunted, almost whispering in my ear” (Reynolds & Kiely 23). 

11. Prepare an opening monologue of one to two brief paragraphs to introduce yourself to the audience.
    1. My name is Paul Galluzzo.  I am just a typical American guy.  I’m proud of my family, my job, and my choices.  If you ask anyone around town, I’m always willing to lend a helping hand.  I practically raised Quinn Collins after his Dad died, and I treated him like my own son.  Guzzo, Quinn and I would run drills all day at the local park so that they could make their high school basketball team.  All I ever wanted to be was a good role model to them. That’s why I joined the police force. I want to help my town be a safe place for my family and friends to live, and I will use any means necessary to do it.