Patricia Wiley

Patricia Wiley is one of the characters of focus in this novel. She is the wife of Richard and mother of Rachel, a baby who was born dead. She takes an interest in Looksmart from the time he was born. When Looksmart’s mother approached Patricia about helping her to get Looksmart into a school that would challenge him, Patricia got Looksmart a scholarship to a school primarily attended by Whites.

Patricia is the dynamic character in the novel. She comes to realize that she is a racist and apologizes to Looksmart for the decisions she made on the day that Grace died. Patricia also comes to realize that she has made decisions that have impacted the path her life has taken.

At the beginning of the novel, Patricia is a racist even though she does not realize she is. She believes that she is a friend...