Black Brother, Black Brother

Donte finds himself a constant target of racism. This is explicit in Alan’s repeated chant of “Black brother, black brother,” and implicit in that he is often blamed without anyone admitting it has to do with race. Donte wishes that he could blend in, to hide that he’s Black by becoming unseen. He knows that he stands out at the very white Middlefield Prep. It doesn’t help that his brother Trey can pass for white himself. The novel opens with Donte thinking: “I wish I were invisible. Wearing Harry Potter’s Invisibility Cloak or Frodo Baggins’s Elvish ring. Whether shrouded in fabric or slipping on gold, it wouldn’t matter to me. I’d be gone. Disappeared” (3).

Donte is aware of the systemic racism in the world around him. He knows that the stereotypes associated with being Black can have negative, even fatal consequences. References to real events emphasize societal racism, especially when Denise says: “This is how it starts. Bias. Racism. Plain and simple. Philadelphia, cops called on black men meeting in Starbucks. Portland, cops called on a hotel guest talking on his cell phone with his mother (24). Donte is constantly vigilant, aware that people might see him and believe him to be a threat. This wears on Donte, impacting his mental health.

Fencing helps to give Donte confidence. He is able to see others in addition to being seen. Coach tells him: “Rule number one: See everything. Not just the blade, but the legs, trunk, arm, tilt of the head. Train the eye. Look for the subtle signs. The subtlest of intentions” (96). Donte starts to increasingly notice the nuances of a situation, allowing him to anticipate how people will react in and outside of fencing. During his hearing, this lesson clicks for him. He realizes that the judge has seen only his race and thinks it more likely than not that he did cause trouble at school. This allows Donte to point out his white father and white-passing brother, as well as his community involvement with the Boys and Girls Club. He knows that it’s not right that he has to justify himself, but that it’s a useful skill for survival.

Donte feels alone because his brother is able to pass for white. Donte constantly comments on how others respond when they learn that his brother is light skinned; it serves as a measure for who will treat him fairly and who will not. For example, when he is first arrested and Trey tries to speak with him, the officer says: “You have a black brother?” (11). Alan often repeats the phrase “Black brother, black brother” around Donte, heightening his isolation, as if there is something wrong with him in comparison to Trey (11).

Despite this, however, Trey and Donte have a good relationship, and they constantly reinforce their brotherhood throughout the novel. This is especially apparent in how they alternate wearing shirts that read "Black Brother” and “White Brother” (232).