A Hope in the Unseen is concerned with how the American education system fails many aspiring and ambitious students. Cedric Jennings is an example of one of these students, and Suskind tells his story in this novel. Cedric struggles in his high school, as he has high ambitions and is singled out for this by the other students. This is described as being "crab/bucket syndrome", which is "when one crab tries to climb from the bucket, the others pull it back down. The forces dragging students toward failure—especially those who have crawled farthest up the side—flow through every corner of the school. Inside the bucket, there is little chance for escape." This metaphor describes the issues that Cedric experiences, as he tries to achieve academically but is bullied by the other students.
When Cedric mixes with students from more well-off schools at the MIT program, he realizes that he is far behind them due to his inadequate education. He is then told that he will not be accepted into the college as he is is not on the same level as the other students. As such, in this case we see how the American school system has failed Cedric, despite the fact he is a driven and hard-working student. Suskind shows that students from poorer backgrounds often don't have the same opportunities and education as those from wealthier backgrounds, which limits the possibility of social mobility.
Wealth is something that plays on Cedric's mind repeatedly through the text and is something he is always aware of, which begins in his childhood. Despite the fact Ballou High School is in an underprivileged area, many of the students spend hundreds of dollars on branded clothes and shoes. He also says how gang members buy themselves expensive cars in order to seem more wealthy. However, at Cedric enters new communities he discovers that wealth is a complex concept, and is more than the superficial display of material goods. When attending university, he realizes the benefits and advantages that wealth can bring to people, and how coming from a poor background has put him at a disadvantage. Not only did he not receive many opportunities for advancement, but he didn't even receive an adequate education. As such, this text is concerned with the impact that someone's background has on their ability to progress and become successful.
