Characters
He is the narrator and journalist reporter living in Woodridge.
Who is D?
This character died at the beginning of the story which unravels a criminal drug dealing network.
Who is Ant?
This is what represents D's inner conflict with himself, "yin and yang" "hot and cold"
What are cigarettes/Marlboros and Salems?
What moral dilemma does Dash face regarding his relationship with Ant?
What is Dash struggles with using Ant for his story while genuinely caring about his safety and future
Who says, "When it comes to danger, yo, I got eyes in the back of my head," and what does this quote foreshadow?
What is Ant. It foreshadows his eventual death, suggesting that despite his street smarts, he cannot avoid danger.
He is the teenager who is part of drug dealing and dreams of being a journalist.
Who is Ant?
This is the nickname given to Woodridge, where the story takes place.
What is "Little Beirut?"
MoMo is the prime example of this (cop and drug lord); D lives two lives (pretending to be a bus driver while he is a reporter)
What is double dealing?
How does Ant’s decision to become an informant create a moral conflict for him?
What is Ant’s decision puts his life at risk while he tries to balance survival and his desire to escape his dangerous lifestyle.
What does MoMo mean when he says, "Funny thing about a murder scene. Stick around long enough, you're a suspect"?
What is MoMo is highlighting the danger of being present at a crime scene, where anyone can be seen as suspicious.
He is the detective who is the "phantom drug dealer"
Who is Maurice Moore (aka MoMo)?
D is a journalist. This is the job he says he works for while being undercover.
What is a bus driver/Transit Authority?
Ant picking out his casket symbolizes this.
What is the loss of being innocent?
Why does Dash feel conflicted about exposing MoMo?
What is Dash is conflicted because exposing MoMo puts his own life in danger and because his undercover methods blur ethical lines in journalism.
How does D’s quote, "Lying to get at the truth," reflect his internal conflict?
What is it reveals D’s struggle with his journalistic ethics, where he justifies deception in his reporting but questions the morality of his methods.