Class Act

Fiction | Graphic Novel/Book | Middle Grade | Published in 2020

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Download PDF

Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-5

Chapters 6-10

Chapters 11-13

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Symbols & Motifs

The Other Side (of Life)

One of the central motifs of Class Act is the idea of the other side of life. Drew, Jordan, and Liam each come from a different background and face different struggles in their daily lives due to their race and social status. Drew seems to suffer the most and feels as if he is not acknowledged or understood for who he is. The first chapter illustrates the boys’ lives, with Drew being Black and living with his grandmother in an apartment, Jordan also being Black and living in the inner-city with his parents, and Liam being white and living with his parents (who are never around) in a mansion. Each boy carries baggage, and slowly learns to understand each other’s differences.

When Drew sees how Liam lives, he is astonished and feels affronted. He sees injustice in Liam’s mother not working but living a privileged life, while his grandmother is past retirement age but working two jobs to barely afford their apartment. Liam points out that if their positions were reversed, he would be “accused of being an elitist” (217). The disparities are clear, and the experience causes Drew to distance himself from Liam for several weeks. It is not until Jordan suggests that Liam come visit his house that the boys are able to mend their differences. This is because Drew ultimately empathizes with Liam’s experience of feeling ostracized and recognizes he was wrong in judging him based on his parents’ wealth. When Liam experiences the delicious food and family fun that Jordan’s family offers, he feels a sense of security and happiness that he seldom feels at home. Drew and Liam realize they are more alike than different, and that their differences are opportunities to learn from each other.

Illustration

The narrator of the novel, Jordan Banks, acts as a representation of the author, Jerry Craft. Like Jordan, Craft is a lighter-toned Black man, and has experienced ostracization and stereotyping from all sides of the racial spectrum. He enjoys the art of storytelling in the form of illustrations. Class Act is a graphic novel, and its illustrations are an integral part of the plot, characterization, and themes. The illustrations cover different settings and emotions without words. They also illuminate the racial differences between characters, helping to demonstrate the novel’s theme of How Racism Shapes the Daily Lives of Black Children in America.

Jordan’s comics are a unique aspect of the novel’s illustration motif. They are drawn by hand, in a casual and simplistic manner, while still showcasing Jordan’s artistic talent and strong sense of observation. The comics also serve as political statements based on Drew’s daily dealings with other people. In one such comic, Jordan comments on the ways that Black people are depicted in media after his school shows a stereotypical film called “The Mean Streets of South Uptown” (198). He explains, “That’s how I felt today when we watched that movie. Like people think we never have any good times… I guess if that’s all you ever see in TV shows, books, and movies… Then that’s the only thing you’ll ever think we are” (205).

Film, Television, and Books (Popular Media)

Class Act frequently uses pop culture references. These references come in many forms, such as the spoof splashes at the beginning of each chapter and the nicknames that Drew and Jordan give each other. Pop culture references often make a work more relatable and accessible, and because this graphic novel is aimed at younger audiences, it proves essential to include references to other stories and people that readers might know. This technique makes the characters seem more realistic, like they could be anybody that the reader might know (including themselves). Class Act focuses on issues of racism and inclusion, and Jerry Craft provides a relatable lens through which to examine these issues.

The splash pages at the beginning of each chapter parody other popular literary work for middle-grade readers (such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Life of Pi). The inclusion of these pages encourages readers to research the books being referenced and possibly read them—thus encouraging literacy. They also showcase how spoofing can be transformed into an integral element of a story. While many of the spoofs are humorous, others are darker and illuminate the conflicts of the characters—such as “Ghosted” (150). Drew feels as if he is becoming a ghost and thus begins ghosting his friend Liam.