All American Boys Sparknotes

The Importance of A Book All American Boys is a novel that speaks to the heart of contemporary race and social justice issues in America. The book written by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, follows the story of two protagonists, Rashad and Quinn. The novel is a powerful and moving story that follows the story of a police officer beating up a Black teenager, Rashad. This story of Rashad highlights the impacts of systematic racism and police brutality in today’s society. In contrast, Quinn's story focuses on the role of a White individual in the fight for justice. By requiring All American Boys as a Freshman English text, students can engage with these critical issues in a meaningful way, and gain a deeper understanding of the impact they

Throughout the book, the authors use descriptive language to create a vivid and immersive description that draws the reader in and engages them. In one scene the author describes the assault from Rashad’s perspective to explain his physical state where Rashad describes the attack, “He shoved me through the door and slammed me to the ground. Face-first. Hurt so bad the pain was a color-white, a crunching sound in my ear as bones in my nose cracked”(Reynolds and Kiely 22). This description is visceral and graphic, it helps the reader understand the brutality of the situation in a way that is both emotionally and intellectually engaging. Another example of literary merit in the novel is how both the main characters confront the reality of the situations. After witnessing Paul’s violent and racist behavior Quinn acquires growth towards awareness of the systematic racism and police brutality Rashad has experienced. Quinn realizes that this is part of a larger societal issue that affects many people. Quinn states,“‘This wasn't really about me. This was bigger than me'’”(Reynolds and Kiely 203). Quinn’s realization is powerful because it teaches the reader about the importance of questioning one’s own assumptions and the potential to change their beliefs and become an advocate for positive change. This demonstrates literary merit through its powerful and thought-provoking perspectives on issues of race, justice, and brutality. By telling the story from the perspectives of two teenagers, one black, and one white, the novel provides a deep exploration of these issues, challenging readers to critically think about their assumptions and biases. The novel also shares many literary techniques such as vivid imagery, and figurative language, to create an immersive reading experience. Additionally, the