The Rock and The River

Stick is Sam’s older brother, and Sam looks up to him. Sam explains, “Stick was the type who gathered lots of friends and admirers, had girls coming after him and all of that” (42). Stick is gifted in writing and speaking, like his father, but he differs from his father in the approach he supports for realizing the goals of the Civil Rights movement. According to Sam’s girlfriend, Stick is “cool. Not as intense as some of the other guys from the Party” (59). Stick’s commitment to the Black Panthers strengthens after the death of Dr. King, but he also remains committed to protecting Sam from getting involved in the movement before he is ready. Stick’s death is the final impetus for Sam’s growth into an individual who follows his own path.

Father is Sam’s and Stick’s father and a famous civil rights activist who works closely with Dr. King. He is a gifted speaker and organizer who many in the community look to for advice. He also has a charismatic presence, as Sam describes, “Father didn’t always need words to make his point. He could have been a preacher—his eyes were like a sermon in and of themselves” (12). However, Father grows weaker as the story evolves, with Sam noting at one point, “His face was haggard. I noticed with alarm. He traipsed in heavily, as if his boundless stamina for pursuing justice had been exhausted. The thought of that shook me” (101). Father and Stick’s disagreements are the source of many of Sam’s internal conflicts, and Sam must grow from a passive acceptance of his father’s beliefs in order to follow his coming-of-age character arc.

Bucky is Stick’s friend who dropped out of school to work full-time at an auto shop to support himself, his mom, and his sister. Guards killed his father while he was wrongfully imprisoned. Sam witnesses Bucky’s beating and arrest—an inciting incident that propels the plot and Sam’s internal growth.