We Are Family

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of child abuse and physical abuse.

We Are Family indicates that people don’t achieve without effort. To reach their goals, people must constantly work at them and stay composed in adverse situations. Summarizing the lesson, Roddy tells Jayden, “The main thing is that you gotta know how to see a challenge and keep driving to the goal anyway” (31). This philosophy underscores the novel’s central message: Persistence and self-discipline are the foundation of personal and collective success. Every Hoop Group member must face a “challenge.” The obstacle isn’t exceptional but a regular part of their lives. Thus, Jayden practices basketball every day, Tamika combats her father’s constant cynicism, Anthony deals with his anger issues, Chris confronts his exploitative father, and Dex must take care of himself while his mother works. Though all the young people waver, they ultimately put Roddy’s advice into practice. They stick with basketball and Hoop Group, and their dedication delivers their goal—winning the Fall Invitational Tournament.

In the story, persistence and self-control don’t automatically happen. At various times, the young characters give into difficulty or decouple the two traits, demonstrating one but not the other. The novel challenges the idea that resilience is innate, showing instead that it is developed through repeated failure and recalibration.