Boy21

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. How do sports help individuals feel a sense of belonging? In what ways is one’s identity strengthened by being a part of a team?

Teaching Suggestion: This question relates to Finley’s Identity as a member of the Bellmont High School basketball team. Finley takes very seriously both his role as a team player and his obedience to Coach. Within this team dynamic, Finley develops friendships with teammates. Similarly, Finley’s identity as a basketball player strengthens his relationship with his girlfriend, Erin, since they are both passionate about the same sport. He also acknowledges that basketball is one of the best parts of his life, along with Erin. Furthermore, sports provide an escape for Finley from his traumatic past, a theme that links with the Paired Resource for Chapters 9-17.

• This article highlights the benefits to young people of participating in sports.
• An interview with author Matthew Quick regarding The Importance of Friendship

2. Throughout the United States, many communities are ethnically and racially divided. What are some of the historical reasons for such division in communities? How are these divisions perpetuated for future generations? What role might local politics play in these communities?

Teaching Suggestion: This question familiarizes students with the setting of the novel: Bellmont, Massachusetts. The town’s racially divided demographics represent similar communities across the United States, where racial and ethnic division are perpetuated by the enduring legacy of structural racism. In the novel, community dynamics are further complicated by those who count themselves as “protectors”: locals who hold a lot of power, such as Rod, as opposed to the police force. The question may be difficult for some students. To make the prompt more accessible to these students, they might be encouraged to draw upon the resources below in formulating their responses. 

• This overview from Urban Institute provides a brief historical account of structural racism in the United States.
• This article from History.com discusses the roots of anti-Irish sentiment in the United States; the latter half of the resource regarding political participation is particularly relevant to Boy21.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Reflect on a time when a friend was put in a difficult situation by another person. Describe the situation. Did you have the opportunity to defend your friend and support them? What course of action did you take?

Teaching Suggestion: This question encourages students to reflect on their past moments in relation to The Importance of Friendship. Finley acknowledges throughout the novel that he finds it challenging to speak up for people, such as Erin, when they are teased in front of him. This prompt might work best as a concluding exercise on the day you introduce the context of the novel; on the following or subsequent day, call to mind this prompt as a way to engage interest and connection before beginning the reading.