South Central

Part I of the novel takes place in South Central, a predominantly Black neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California. The author depicts the neighborhood as dangerous because of violence between two rival gangs, the Crips and the Bloods. This is most evident in the opening scene, when a Blood gang member boards Ella's bus and holds a gun to the head of a child who is making Crip hand gestures. It is also mentioned that Ella has to hide in a closet "whenever bangers congregated in the alley behind the house" (15). Concerned about the anger and violence, Ella declares, "It's so bad here" (18). Grandma tells Ella that the gangs are not actually angry at each other, implying that they lash out at one another because they are oppressed by systemic racism. This is demonstrated in the riot that takes place in South Central on the...