Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds is a blend of art and texts describing the life of a black family in the wake of Covid-19. The artwork was done by Jason Griffin. The narrator is a young boy and the narration is divided into three sections, “breathe one”, “breathe two”, and “breathe three.” The boy begins by expressing his discomfort about her mother’s reluctance to change the news channel. The channels are airing the same story which upsets the narrator. The narrator’s brother is focusing on playing video games. The attempts to distract his brother from playing video games bore no fruits. The brutality subjected to black people during the pandemic angers the narrator.
The art displayed on the pages of the book speaks volumes. The collage visuals which primarily employ the black color correspond perfectly to the textual message. The fascinating art capture a tone of fear and panic. Struggles and oppression meted out against black people during the pandemic are worrying. The systematic harassment of black people persists despite people fighting for freedom. The narrator’s father is bedridden and fighting for his life after contracting Covid-19. The entire family is in despair, but there is still hope.
The shift of art from dull to bright palette represents the hope of a bright future. In the third section, the narrator expresses optimism and confidence in overcoming the challenges. Readers are motivated to be hopeful despite daily challenges. The author presents a world of black people characterized by subjection and without the freedom to breathe, thus, the title of every section. However, in the last section, he inspires readers to be hopeful.
