“This is all so unfair. People like Emily and Mrs. Grant will never understand what it’s like not to have any money. They can do whatever they want with no consequences while the rest of us have to watch our every step.”

The novel’s very first scene in the principal’s office introduces Amari’s struggle against those who treat her unfairly because of her background. This establishes the theme of Hope in the Face of Prejudice, illustrating the conflict that will resolve with her realization about the importance of trying to reach others instead of giving in to hate at the end of the novel.

“The car rattles as we pass over the railroad tracks, letting me know we’re in my neighborhood now. I’m not going to lie, it feels different coming back here after being on the other side of town. It’s like the world is brighter around Jefferson Academy and all those big, colorful houses that surround it. Where I’m from feels gray in comparison. We pass liquor stores and pawnshops, and I see D-Boys leaning up against street signs, mean mugging like they own the whole world.”

Alston uses the details of the setting to characterize the stark contrast between the privileged world of Jefferson Academy and the lower-income neighborhood Amari inhabits. The contrast emphasizes the advantage given to those with privileges of wealth or other resources. It also suggests the unfairness of how Amari’s surroundings shape other characters’ responses to her, as those who inhabit the “nicer” neighborhood are the ones primarily responsible for treating Amari badly.

“[Mama] sighs. ‘I know it’s unfair, but the truth is that when you’re a poor Black girl from the ‘Wood, certain people are gonna already have it in their minds what type of person you are. You can’t give them a reason to think they’re right.’”

Mama’s comments to Amari establish one of the main conflicts that will develop in the novel—the way others stereotype her based on preconceived notions. This builds on the previously established clash between Amari and the privileged classmates who harass her. Mama’s words also foreshadow the parallel drawn to Amari’s situation as an illegal magician in the supernatural world later in the novel.