All American Boys Literary Elements

Young Adult Fiction

The novel is set in a city in the U.S. called Springfield, in present day, over the course of a week.

The story is told in first-person narration, and the point of view shifts between Rashad and Quinn.

The tone of the novel clearly conveys the voices of two young people: it is casual, conversational, and, at times, sarcastic. The mood of the novel is contentious with moments of hope.

The protagonists are Rashad and Quinn. The antagonist is Paul Galluzzo, a police officer.

The major conflict is Paul Galluzzo's attack on Rashad, and the ensuing conflict within the community around racial profiling and police brutality.

The climax of the novel is the protest in support of Rashad. Both Quinn and Rashad went through their own personal journeys to reach this moment. After all the build-up of political and racial tension, the protest is the manifestation of a community coming together to speak out against injustice.

The violent incident described at the beginning of the story foreshadows the later attack Rashad suffers at the hands of police officer Paul Galluzzo.

The authors reference Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man in the novel. This allusion draws a comparison between the racism depicted in Ellison’s work and that of the present day, reminding the reader that racism is still very much present in American society.

A vivid case of imagery is the description of Rashad getting beaten by the police officer. The use of imagery in this moment makes the reader feel viscerally the pain Rashad is experiencing.