We Are Family

The young characters attend Carter Middle School and study multiple subjects, but the narrative almost exclusively focuses on creative writing class. Rather than simply mirroring basketball, creative writing emerges as its own form of discipline, a practice that demands persistence, risk taking, and collaboration—just like sports. Ms. Cahill makes writing a team sport. She splits her students into pairs so that they “can experience the beauty of different perspectives” (165). Her classroom fosters a culture of shared creativity, where ideas are passed like basketballs on the court, requiring trust and vulnerability between teammates. She forces the students to share their work just as, on the court, the Hoop Group members must share the ball. In class, they have to share their words. This emphasis on feedback and adaptation mirrors the adjustments that the Hoop Group members make in their scrimmages, reinforcing that both creative and athletic pursuits thrive on iteration, self-reflection, and mutual support. 

Anthony, too, reinforces the symbolism. Basketball is the focal point for Jayden, Tamika, Dex, and Chris, and literature is the center of Anthony’s world. He approaches reading and writing similarly. The narrator says, “For hours, Anthony sat at the rickety table in their small kitchen and wrote and wrote and wrote” (166). His relentless dedication to writing echoes the structured drills that Jayden completes every morning. Both pursuits require patience, endurance, and a willingness to struggle through imperfection. Like basketball, writing requires dedication. Anthony wills himself to write just as Jayden commits to a rigorous basketball routine. Anthony’s love for literature produces idols similar to Kendrick King. Instead of worrying if he can “hang” with a professional basketball player, Anthony wonders if his writing is as good as an accomplished poet like the St. Lucian author Derek Walcott. This comparison underscores the idea that excellence—whether in basketball or creative writing—is not just about raw talent but about long-term commitment, mentorship, and learning from those who came before. Anthony’s perspective indicates that writing can be a competition, too, but unlike basketball, it is not about defeating an opponent—it is about improving oneself and deepening one’s ability to communicate and connect with others.