Point of View

The point of view in All American Boys alternates between Rashad Butler and Quinn Collins, two boys from Springfield who live polar opposite lives. Each chapter is told from the perspective of one of these two boys, with the exception of the last chapter which is narrated by both and separated in prose. The authors employ this dual narration technique to offer a complete account of the arrest of Rashad Butler, and ultimately provide racial context to break down barriers and inspire social change.

The authors names each chapter with the character who will be narrating that section, and as a result the reader should consider the dialog and happenings of the novel through the lens of that character. In many instances the authors consider the same situation through both Rashad and Quinn's perspective, often coming to different conclusions. For example, the video of Rashad's...