Marijuana seems to have an interesting function in this novel. On 236, at the gang day barbecue, the narrator gives a strand of pot called “carpal tunnel” to two gang members from rival gangs. Interestingly, the weed prevents the members from making a fists or acutely gripping a gun. Additionally, the weed also accentuates the flavor of the juicy pineapples, and this “unexpected surge of sweetness with a slightly city finish caused them to wince and giggle like little kids” (236). I thought this scene was a sort of ironic poke at the way our drug enforcement system cracks down ruthlessly on black and latino marijuana consumers when really the drug induces a more peaceful and child-like state of mind. In this scene, the drug literally prevents them from hurting each other by its physical effects. Throughout the rest of the book, pot adds to the kind of absurdism of the book, as the narrator expresses some strange images while under the influence.