Taking Sides

“He looked closely at the camel driver smiling into the camera. The camel driver’s teeth were rotten and his face was lined from working in the sun.”

This is the first time Lincoln sees the “Egypt” section of his geography book, which is one of the book’s major motifs. Lincoln’s perception of the camel shapeshifts in tandem with his feelings about himself and his surroundings; at this early stage, Egypt and the camel driver primarily strike Lincoln as foreign, much like Sycamore.

“We play your old school again, don’t we?”

Tony and Lincoln’s phone call has already established the upcoming match between Franklin and Columbus, so James’s question does not provide any new information. However, the fact that the game is on James’s mind signifies that the tension Lincoln feels about the game is palpable to others. James’s sensitivity to this also characterizes him as a genuine friend to Lincoln.

“He opened his geography book and once again the guy on the camel was smiling his lined face at him. He’s like me, Lincoln thought. Brown as earth and no one knows his name.”

Lincoln’s identification with the camel driver help Lincoln to investigate himself. This is important because Lincoln lacks people to whom he can verbalize his concerns; neither James nor Tony have experienced this kind of cross-cultural transplant.

“Flaco looked at Lincoln, and Lincoln looked at the wall. He didn’t like it when his mother dated men who flinched when a dog barked. And Flaco barked a lot.”

Throughout the text, Flaco functions similarly to the camel driver, mirroring Lincoln and serving as an interlocutor. Here, Flaco illustrates the degree to which Lincoln dislikes his mother’s involvement with Roy.

“In spite of his hurt toe, he ran to his history class, where he learned that chickens came to Egypt from India.”

Despite an injury, Lincoln is eager to attend history class so he can learn more about Egypt, which has become his touchstone amidst the chaos of his life.

“‘I’ll try harder,’ Lincoln said, and turn away. Then he turned back to say, ‘This school’s different,’ and left without explaining what he meant.”

Lincoln often struggles to articulate his feelings; here, it takes him a moment to voice the second half of his statement, which is notably vague. Lincoln completes his thought, explaining that part of what he loved about Franklin was it clarity: “when [teachers] slapped you with detention, you knew it was for your own good” (61). This unfolding of Lincoln’s ideas across sections is one of the ways in which the novel develops Lincoln’s arc, suggesting his growing sense of who he is and what he believes.

“‘He said that when he was a kid he worked in the fields.’ She stopped suddenly. ‘Yeah, I know the rap. My mom did her share of field work in the valley.’”

Lincoln’s first conversation with Monica did not result in the connection he thought he would find given that she is also Hispanic American and attended Franklin. This exchange, which occurs during their next conversation, brings the two closer, as they are able to bond over hearing their parents talk about working in the fields. It is a turning point for Lincoln because he is moving on from Vicky, his girlfriend from Franklin.

“That’s weird, Lincoln thought. Telephone salesmen were hitting on poor people, too.”

There are several moments in the text when something happens in Sycamore that Lincoln and his mother believed only happened in the Mission District and vice versa. Here, Lincoln is surprised to learn Tony’s mother is trying to get an encyclopedia salesperson off the phone. Lincoln previously told his own mother that salesmen and charities call them every night because they now live in an affluent neighborhood, so the commonality of this experience implies Lincoln’s current life is not as distinct from his former one as he believes.

“Keep it. I want my money in full. Crisp dollars, not chump change you find on the ground.”

What seems to be a joking moment between friends is a subtle example of foreshadowing. After Lincoln and Tony fight, Lincoln receives four dirty dollar bills from Tony in repayment of their bet. Tony telegraphs his anger with Lincoln by sending him dirty dollar bills—not just because Lincoln said “crisp,” but because the state of the money represents what people think of the Mission District.

“His gloves were off, and Lincoln could see that his hands were purple and shaking, the skin paper-thin. The old man looked up, and with an index finger he wiped a teary eye.”

This image of the shop owner seeks to elicit readers’ sympathy. The man’s frailty makes Tony’s anger and aggression feel out of place, which suggests that Tony is acting on something more than what he is saying—specifically, his unresolved grief and anger over Lincoln’s departure from the Mission District.

“You don’t coach by callin’ players names. And sometimes I don’t think he knows what he’s doing. His plays are stupid. Wait until we run up against a black team. You’ll see.”

Lincoln’s remarks about Yesutis demonstrate his growing ability to voice how he feels and why. It is also significant that he opens up in this way to James, as it shows Lincoln trusts his new friend.

“‘Did you go to Church today?’ Monica asked.

‘Yes, eight O’clock Mass,’ he lied. ‘I always go.’”

This is the second time Lincoln has said what he thinks Monica wants to hear instead of being honest about who he is. He increasingly trusts himself with James, but this moment demonstrates that he still struggles with self-confidence.

“You know, I didn’t tell you earlier, but I played for Franklin.”

Lincoln has felt isolated, but he is beginning to let people in to his life. Roy’s unexpected revelation causes Lincoln to realize he was wrong about Roy and marks the beginning of a closer relationship between them.

“If Coach Yesutis told him to play, he would have no choice.”

With his knee hurt, Lincoln knows he should not play in the game against Franklin but doesn’t want to make that choice. The possibility that Yesutis will simply order him to play therefore comes as something of a relief, absolving Lincoln of the need to make a decision.

“‘If he gives you trouble, I’ll stand with you. I’ve known him since first grade. He’s a jerk.’

Lincoln and James left the locker room together.”

This moment builds on what Lincoln’s visit to James’s home began. James solidifies his friendship with and loyalty to Lincoln, and the image of them walking together visually signifies their new bond.

“Lincoln left the locker room and went over to the Franklin bench. He shook hands with Mr. Ramos, who was happy to see him. Tony muttered, ‘Hey, Linc,’ under his breath. It’s a start, Lincoln thought. Tony was still hurt, but he would get over it.”

This is the penultimate moment before the climax of both the narrative arc and Lincoln’s character arc. Lincoln is not just defying Coach Yesutis. Walking out of the locker room is a choice to do what feels right—namely, embrace his ties to the Mission District. The passage also lays the groundwork for Tony and Lincoln’s reconciliation.

“Lincoln looked at the floor, holding back a smile, feeling giddy because he was now understanding that he was a Franklin boy beneath a Columbus uniform. He was brown, not white; poor, not rich; city, not suburbia. He couldn’t help where he lived now.”

This quotation and the next quotation comprise the book’s climax and segue into the dénouement. Lincoln’s realization helps him see that he is a both/and rather than an either/or, resolving the theme of Identity as Multifaceted. With this understanding, Lincoln gains confidence in himself.

“Lincoln was going to play for himself, not school pride.”

This sentence encompasses the lesson of Lincoln’s journey: He can be on both sides and neither side by playing for himself.

“‘I’m the coach,’ Yesutis yelled. ‘He’s got a bad attitude.’ Lincoln ignored him. He was too busy to bother with accusations.”

Lincoln has figuratively beaten Yesutis. The moment is important because it overturns the assumption all of Yesutis’s former players seem to have shared: that Yesutis was making them tough and thus improving their performance. By yelling powerlessly about his position as coach, Yesutis exposes himself as a weak, power-seeking man who wants control, not excellence.

“Last night he had scored six buckets and won back his friend Tony and, maybe, just maybe, won himself a new girlfriend.”

This is the tangible result of Lincoln’s journey: He can feel and hold the image of his own growth as an athlete, friend, and prospective boyfriend.

“Lincoln, his mother, and Roy had gone out with the players from Franklin. After the altercation with Coach Yesutis, Lincoln had jogged over to talk to Coach Ramos who asked him to join the Franklin team for pizza. He shouted for his mother and Roy to come over, and Coach Ramos asked them to come along, too.”

The quotation contextualizes Lincoln’s pride and happiness the morning after the game. As the novel’s climax, Chapter 12 ends with the game; the events that follow function as part of the dénouement, revealed after the fact to establish Lincoln’s motivations for his next actions.

“Lincoln said life at Columbus was a piece of cake, unlike at Franklin, where it was knuckle city every day.”

This is an example of Lincoln’s personal growth. The spoils of his journey allow him to be honest with his old teammates about the benefits of going to Columbus, which would not have happened earlier in the book.

“‘It was only fifteen bucks,’ Tony said. ‘It even still works. It’s gonna be your Christmas present, Linc.’

That was last night. Now it was a new day in the same jeans and T-shirt, and the feeling was good.”

This resolves the TV subplot and affirms The Durability of Friendship through hardship. The moment also reveals Tony’s true self, which is not the angry aggressor he was in the thrift shop.