Character Analysis and Plot Points

• Character descriptions and key plot points for study and review.

Character Descriptions

• Rashad: A 17-year-old African-American student and ROTC member, enjoys art, and is the protagonist of the story, falsely accused of stealing and brutally beaten by a police officer.
• Spoony: Rashad's older brother, an advocate for racial justice, works with girlfriend Berry to organize protests and raise awareness of Rashad's case via social media.
• English: Rashad's best friend, basketball team captain, initially concerned about how Rashad's arrest will affect the team but later becomes a vocal supporter.
• Carlos: Rashad's friend and a graffiti artist, consistently tries out for the basketball team but has never made it.
• Quinn: A white high school senior who grapples with his identity after witnessing Rashad's beating; becomes a voice for racial justice.
• Will: Quinn's 12-year-old brother, admires and is loyal toward Quinn.
• Guzzo: Quinn's best friend and basketball teammate, unwavering loyalty to his family, especially Paul, even after the incident.
• Paul Galluzzo: Guzzo's older brother, a police officer, a father figure to Quinn, violently beats Rashad, refuses to admit wrongdoing, and demands loyalty.
• Jill: Paul and Guzzo's cousin, key organizer of the protest against police brutality, and inspires Quinn to participate in activism.
• Clarissa: The kind nurse who cares for Rashad in the hospital and attends the protest.

Friday

• Rashad is in ROTC because his father believes it offers the best opportunity for a Black man; Rashad doesn't enjoy it.
• Paul attacks Rashad, assuming he is stealing from Jerry's convenience store.
• Quinn feels pressured to emulate his father, a soldier who died in Afghanistan. Paul Galluzzo, a father figure, also embodies values that Quinn struggles with.
• Quinn's neighborhood in Springfield is a typical American city facing economic hardship and social changes.
• Quinn and his neighbors have positive relationships.

Saturday

• Rashad's mother prioritizes his well-being, while his father struggles to reconcile the incident with his values, blaming Rashad, partly, because of what he was wearing.
• Spoony is a passionate, outspoken figure who exposes the injustice of Rashad's beating.
• Spoony works at UPS, lives with Berry, wears clothes a couple sizes too big, and has long braided hair.
• Spoony reacts with outrage, viewing the incident as a systemic issue because of his understanding of systemic racism and his loyalty to his brother.
• Paul has acted as a father figure to Quinn since Quinn's father died, expecting Quinn's loyalty.
• Quinn gets in trouble for stealing and drinking his mother's bourbon with friends.

Sunday

• Rashad feels irritated by his parents' pastor's message, questioning God's presence during the beating.
• Spoony sent the video to news stations to expose the injustice and get justice for Rashad.
• Police told everyone to leave Jill's party, highlighting the disparity in treatment compared to Rashad.
• At the BBQ, Paul pressures Quinn into silence, making Quinn increasingly uncomfortable.

Monday

• Quinn is nervous about the video because he doesn't want to confront Paul's brutal actions.
• Marc Blair was a teenager bullied by Quinn's father and then beaten up by Paul protecting Quinn.
• Quinn's classmates cause a disruption in class, chanting, Rashad's name to bring attention to the situation after EJ is singled out and accused of disrupting the class.
• "The Family Circus" comic strip and Harlem Renaissance painter Aaron Douglas inspire Rashad's artwork.
• Carlos is determined to act, while English is initially hesitant but later angry.

Tuesday

• "RASHAD IS ABSENT AGAIN TODAY" is spray-painted in front of the school, sparking a strong reaction.
• The graffiti emphasizes the racial divide and forces Quinn to confront his loyalties.
• Quinn and English argue because Quinn defends Paul, while English defends Rashad.
• Spoony, Berry, and classmates are planning a protest, making Rashad realize the situation is larger than him.

Wednesday

• On the way to school, Quinn sees Paul, who looks exhausted. Paul tries to justify his actions, claiming Rashad was stealing and he was intervening.
• Quinn's teacher has been told to stop teaching the book Invisible Man.
• A fight breaks out at basketball practice after Guzzo "accidentally" elbows Quinn for Quinn's perceived betrayal of Paul and his support for Rashad.
• Rashad's father reveals he shot a young Black man, Darnell, confusing his inhaler for a weapon, leaving Darnell paralyzed.
• Katie, the woman Rashad bumped into at Jerry's, visits him in the hospital and offers to testify on his behalf.
• Mrs. Fitzgerald tells Rashad about her regret for not participating in the Civil Rights movement, remembering the segregation and violence black people faced.