Point of View

The Point of View of this novel is a mixed bag depending on the chapter, and sometimes shifting and changing within a chapter. Most notably moving from first person to third person. Occasionally, there are also intrusive second person sections, particularly when the author's purpose is to incite change or provoke an emotional response.

Language and Meaning

Since a great deal of this book is written as prose, poetry, and abstract excerpts from news accounts, the language and meaning often have multiple intentions. The reader is best served reading each section twice: first for the actual depiction of events, and secondly for the underlying metaphors, symbols, and message that the author is intending to portray.

For those not familiar with some of the civil rights cases, or hate crime cases, then additional background information will be helpful, otherwise those chapters (most notably Chapter 6) will be...