Love Outside of Societal and Familial Expectations

One of the author's primary concerns throughout the novel is the possibility for love to transcend the confining bounds of societal and familial expectations. Through Miah and Ellie's innocent and deep connection, the author explores the ways in which love can exist outside the boundaries humans often place around it. Though Miah and Ellie originate from vastly different backgrounds, both economically and ethnically, the teenagers remain devoted to one another, believing in the truth of their affection for one another.

As a young black man from Brooklyn, Miah struggles to understand who he is not only in the context of his primarily white prep school, but also in the context of his new relationship with Ellie. He tries to quiet his father's persistent admonitions about white people and their lack of understanding in an attempt to validate his love for...