40 pages • 1 hour read
Christine Pride, Jo PiazzaWe Are Not Like Them
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2021A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
Understanding Different Points of View
Although the craft of the novel quite literally switches between points of view, the complicated shooting at hand asks readers to do the same. While the shooting of Justin Dwyer is a fact, the story differs depending on whose vantage point it is seen from. Riley sees the death as personal, a death that could have been her own brother, and reinforces what the Black community already knows: “[Black men] will be seen as menacing and scary, as trespassers in places that certain people don’t feel they belong, as people who deserve to be questioned or confronted, or even killed because of the color of their skin” (145). From Jenny’s point of view, “He shot first, so Kevin had to open fire. Cameron was inexperienced; he made the bad call […] This isn’t about race, Riley. It’s about Kevin” (68-70). As Riley and Jenny struggle to face the tension in their relationship, they are encouraged in different ways to communicate and understand the other’s point of view. Trying to understand one another is how Jenny and Riley eventually move forward.
From Jenny’s point of view, her husband is not a racist man and “thought he was chasing a guy who had just shot someone. He thought there was a gun. He feared for his life” (67). From Riley’s point of view, this is another careless and violent loss in a system that is not held accountable: “It’s endless, Jen. Endless! Do you think that’s fair? And most of these killers never face any legal consequences. […] so many police officers have gotten off for doing the same thing. But the world isn’t fair, Jenny” (244). From Kevin’s parent’s point of view, he is doing his job; according to the wives of police officers, criminals are coming after their boys; and from the perspective of the Black community, the police are coming after them. Each character has a different lived experience that changes their positionality to the shooting.
Alternating points of view between Riley and Jenny helps set up the practice of literally seeing the situation from a different point of view. Because Riley and Jenny are complex and rounded characters, readers are encouraged to empathize with their lived experience, which is precisely what is asked of them when they need to find a way forward in their friendship. While this novel does not propose a solution, it does encourage readers to understand and listen to those they love.
Justice, Consequences, and Fairness
Justice is called into question after the death of Justin. The Black community looks for justice to see the officers have consequences for their actions. The police officers ask if is fair to have repercussions for someone who fears for their life, for those who protect the community. Jenny often is torn: She feels for the loss of life, especially after becoming a mother, but also fears her husband will be sent to jail. How can justice be served and consequences given out fairly?
The novel questions justice by comparing Shaun’s sentence to Kevin’s deal. Shaun, having hit a fellow student after being called a racial slur, received a felony conviction and 10 years’ probation but no jail time. Kevin’s deal for shooting a teenager is the same. At the same time, Riley sympathizes with Jenny about finding work: “Shaun just got let go from the moving company. Said they were downsizing, but he thinks it’s because some speakers went missing and it was easy to pin it on him and get rid of him. He’s sent out twenty resumes in the past two weeks. Hasn’t heard from anyone” (297). Shaun’s sentence drastically changed his life, whereas, for Kevin, it is a chance to start over. Even Jenny realizes this as one of her first insights into Riley’s experience: “It couldn’t have been easy for Riley to help her family deal with all of that, and maybe I’d underestimated the stakes and consequences when it happened” (297-98). Each man’s sentence exemplifies how the courts are not the last word on justice, and those who suffer at the hands of the system know that to be true.
In the end, it is Tamara who has the last word. While we don’t know if anyone is charged, and we don’t see the trial, we do know that Kevin is testifying against his partner. For Tamara, “it’s the one thing she appreciates about his letter. He doesn’t try to justify himself. Some things can’t be justified. Still, the letter won’t bring peace or closure” (311). The conclusion is not a neat one in this novel, and justice isn’t a given. It is up to the characters to define justice and accept the consequences of their actions and, unfortunately, the actions of others. However, what stands out is the hope for change, the hope for future generations to be better, just as, even as Riley and Jenny struggle with how to talk about the racial tensions, they ultimately do.
Loyalty
Many characters are asked about who and what they are loyal to. Not only are Jenny and Riley asking for the other’s loyalty in their friendship. Kevin’s family doesn’t even want to consider the possibility of a deal because “there’s a thing called loyalty in the force” (76). The pressure to remain loyal to the police force is reinforced not only by Kevin’s family, but also through Kevin’s old partner and best friend, who tells Kevin, “he would never be able to look [Kevin] in the eye ever again if [he] testified against Cameron” (259). This loyalty is also reinforced by external forces such as the money sent by the Order of the Kings, whose mission is “righteous people, fighting to preserve White Western culture” (165). Through social and financial pressure, Kevin’s loyalty is tested to highlight the narrative that he is acting in accordance with his training.
For Riley, “dating a white man—marrying one, if it comes to that—felt disloyal” (222), especially after her grandmother Gigi’s words stay in her mind: “He’s never going to get you, and you won’t get him. Why add more heartache to your plate? The world is hard enough as it is. Find one of your own” (222). Her loyalty is to her family, and their expectations kept her from sharing her life with her partner, Corey, because as Riley explains, “It’s just hard [..] to talk about some of this stuff, like how to explain my experience in the world in the world in a way you’d understand. It scared me that you would be capable because we’re so different. And also, I didn’t want you to think badly about my family” (286). To Riley, choosing between what she wants and what she desires is turning her back on her loyalties to her family, community, and experience in the world as a Black woman.
Loyalties are also tested in Riley’s and Jenny’s lifelong friendship. For Riley, this is also a point of contention. Riley wants to be there for her friend, but as the reporter covering the case, and given Jenny’s refusal to acknowledge the role race is playing in this situation, she cannot be there for her friend. For Jenny, she needs her friend as she deals with the last months of her pregnancy, mean online comments and harassment, and the looming indictment of her husband with potential jail time.
Ultimately, loyalties must be decided. Kevin takes the deal and turns against the police force. By doing so, he won't serve jail time and can be there for Jenny and his newborn son. Jenny and Riley decide to start talking about the difficult things in their relationship and recommit to their friendship. These changes give each character a new start: Kevin and Jenny move to Florida to raise their son, and Riley gives Corey and their relationship another chance. While Justin can’t be brought back, and the shooting can’t be undone, these changes in loyalties create the potential for some kind of justice to be served, especially with Kevin’s testimony, and for Jenny and Riley to have a thriving relationship by starting to acknowledge the role race plays in their relationships and lives.
