Fast Break

Compare the mentorship styles of Carol Lawton and Coach Rooney. How do their different approaches to Jayson’s anger and isolation, one rooted in emotional support and the other in discipline, work together to facilitate his development?

Mike Lupica uses key basketball games as crucibles to test and reveal Jayson’s emotional and moral growth. Consider the narrative and thematic function of particular plays that the novel references—for instance, the “fast break” of the title. How do these plays figuratively support Jayson’s character arc?

Discuss the imagery associated with the contrasting settings of Moreland’s east and west sides. How do these descriptions bolster the locations’ significance as symbols of Jayson’s internal conflict surrounding The Interplay of Class and Identity?

Fast Break is told from a third-person, limited point of view that provides direct access to Jayson’s thoughts. How does this perspective shape the reader’s understanding of his anger and isolation?

What role do Jayson’s unfulfilled feelings for Zoe play in the novel? Why might Lupica have chosen this romantic subplot as a vehicle for exploring Jayson’s conflict regarding his new life?

How do Jayson’s on-court successes solve—or fail to solve—his off-court problems? What does this suggest about the ability of sports to create a “level playing field” for people of different backgrounds and experiences?

Much of Jayson’s character arc centers on learning The Consequences of Anger. To what extent does the novel suggest that anger can be a positive force when channeled constructively?

Analyze Jayson’s relationships with Tyrese and Shabazz as a representation of his connection to his past and his east-side identity.