Guide Mentor

Character Role Analysis

Jefferson

Even though Jefferson doesn't say much at first, he is the one who really teaches Grant the lesson in this novel. Jefferson is up against an inescapable and unfair situation—just like almost everyone in the quarter, just on a much more dramatic level. However, he doesn't let the people around him define him in the end. He decides that he is a man, even if no one else around him can see it. And that's what he teaches Grant to do, too.

Also, it's worth pointing out that you could consider Jefferson to be the protagonist and Grant his guide. However, since Grant gets a lot more face time in the book, and because we really see him make a change through his relationship with Grant, we went with this setup. But go ahead and write an essay arguing for the opposite—your teachers will love it.