The author speaks in the language of the South. This reinforces the Allegory that drives many talented writers to generate the myths and fictional shadows until even Southerners believe them. This yields a particular emotional appeal. The author was spokesperson for the students, teachers, administrators, and parents.
This book gives a counselor’s insight into some of the difficulties that young people have in reaching adulthood. The author was a player in high school integration issues in the South from the beginning until the present. Her first experience was in a school where Whites were in the minority, while Blacks and American Indians formed an approximately equal majority.