A Hope in the Unseen follows Cedric Jennings through various obstacles on his path to success as a young African American male in the mid 1990's. Ron Suskind does a stellar job creating the intricate background for the events of the novel. Residing in the inner city of Washington D.C., Cedric must overcome a culture of malaise where an intelligent black male is often ridiculed with terms such as "cracker" and "white." The teachers have no faith in the future of their students, and most parents are proud when their children graduate from high school. In this environment, Cedric hopes not only to succeed, but also help elevate himself to a higher level of learning, the Ivy League schools.
Suskind chooses to open his novel with the chapter, "Something to Push Against." It is a fitting chapter to open a novel about the trials and tribulations Cedric will have to face in order to reach his dream. The scene opens at an award assembly to honor the few distinguished students of Ballou......
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Approximate Word Count: 1503
Approximate Pages: 6 (260 words per double-spaced page) |