Education
A Hope in the Unseen identifies problems that exist in the American education system, through Cedric's story. Cedric attends an underachieving high school in a poor area. Despite his hard work ethic and best efforts, Cedric struggles to compete with students at other schools, who have received a better education and greater opportunities to progress. As education is such a key aspect of social mobility, this is a huge societal problem. Suskind reveals how hard it is for inner-city children in poor areas to progress, as they often don't have access to a proper education. As such, the novel calls for greater help and affirmative action in struggling high schools, in order to give everyone an equal chance to progress.
Class
Throughout the novel, Cedric encounters a number of situations which make him aware of class differences and his own identity. Cedric grew up in a poor neighborhood, where he was ridiculed for his academic ambitions and desire to escape poverty. He was called "whitey" due to these ambitions but later realizes that the concepts of wealth and class are more complicated.
When he attends the MIT program he discovers that along with wealth and class comes a better education and opportunities. Although he is an exceptional student in his own school, he is behind the other students on the program as he has received a relatively poor education. As such, he realizes the opportunities and the chance for social progression are heavily tied up with class and education.
When Cedric attends university, he is confronted with a new world entirely. He feels different from the other students as they are largely from a different background to himself and struggles to communicate with them on some levels. As such, Cedric does not feel a true sense of belonging in his hometown, or in his college community due to class differences.
Race
This novel explores issues of race in 1990s America, focusing on African American student Cedric Jennings. Suskind draws attention to the issues that African Americans faced in the late 20th century, including stereotypes and difficulties with social mobility. In high school, the other students comment that Cedric is not Black enough, calling him names like "whitey." This is due to his ambition to go to college, and his enthusiasm for school, which is not regarded as being "Black." As such, the author suggests that negative attitudes about race are also perpetuated in Black communities as well as in wider society.
When Cedric goes to university, he is singled out due to his race and is no longer seen as being not "Black enough," as was the case in high school. Now, he is defined by his Blackness, which makes him seem interesting to some of the students. For example, he becomes friends with a white student called Zayd, who is interested in Cedric due to his different upbringing. As a result, Cedric becomes paranoid that Zayd is using him for the "edgy" connotations of his background. As such, throughout the novel we see the impact that attitudes about race have on Cedric's identity and emotional well-being.
