Character Comparison

Quinn is a character foil (opposite) to Rashad in that Quinn is white and comes from more stability and acceptance than Rashad yet there are similarities. Both Rashad and Quinn stand up for what is right and what is the truth. Quinn is the high school basketball player whose attempt to buy beer illegally put him as a witness to Rashad's beating. Quinn stands up for the kid, even at the risk of personal sacrifice, betraying his family friend, Paul Gullazzo. As the sides of the story segregate into white and black, Quinn finds himself stuck in the middle. He was a white boy with the ability to walk away from the issue that he witnessed, but for some reason, he felt compelled to do something. Despite strong influence from his best friend, his mother, and basketball coach to forget about the situation, Quinn decides to stand up for what he believes is right. He understands his privilege as a white boy, and realizes if any progress will be made toward eliminating racial injustice, it would need to include white people standing up. As a result, Quinn finds himself marching in protest of police brutality and racial profiling of African Americans, and his character reflects growth and maturity.