All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely is a fictional novel that tells the story of an all too common occurrence: police brutality. The beauty of the book is that it is told from multiple perspectives to gain a greater understanding of the violence and racism that exists in our country and what is at the root of it.
Identify and illustrate important themes in All American Boy using evidence from the text
Storyboard Text
RACISM
POLICE BRUTALITY
I Can'tBreathe
FAMILY
Throughout the story, the authors present common instances of racism and prejudice, from the brutal beating of Rashad, who is seen as a "thug" by the police officer, to the microaggressions on the basketball team that English points out to Quinn.
RASHAD IS ABSENT AGAIN TODAY
The novel examines police brutality and the difficulty of combatting it. The job of the police is to serve and protect. Excessive use of force and lack of accountability undermines this, creating a system that endangers citizens, specifically POC, who are disproportionately victims of police brutality.
Family is another central theme. Both Quinn and Rashad have loving relationships with their families but they are not without conflict. Rashad tries to live up to his father's expectations while Quinn struggles to live up to his father's legacy.
Themes in All American Boys
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