Pharoah Rivers

Pharoah Rivers is one of the two main characters in the book, along with his older brother Lafeyette. He is nine years old when the story begins. He is the fifth child in a family of eight children. He lives with his siblings and mother LaJoe in the Henry Horner projects. His father Paul is occasionally around but drugs have destroyed his relationship with LaJoe. Physically, Pharoah is much smaller than children his age. He has slightly buck teeth and a stutter that becomes more apparent under stress. He is an introspective, thoughtful child who spends a lot of time daydreaming about a better life. Violence scares him and he avoids it at all costs. He jumps at any loud noise thinking guns are firing. He has a strong sense of right and wrong and fantasizes about being a politician when he grows up so he can...