Point of View

Jordan Banks, an 11-year-old Black boy, is the first-person narrator of this novel. In his introductory sentence, Jordan tells his reader: “This is how I feel every single day of my life, like I’m falling without a parachute” (1). The use of the pronouns “I” (1) and “my” denote the story is being told in the first person.

Jordan’s first-person point of view is important to show his response to the biased behavior he experiences at his new school. His viewpoint is important because he is able to compare his new school to his old one. He is also able to compare the way he is treated to the way non-minority students are treated.

Language and Meaning

The language used in the novel is the very relaxed language of pre-teens. For instance, when Maury believes Liam is talking down to him, Maury yells at him...