POV (Point of View)
Whose point of view opens the story in Chapter 1?
Denver’s.
Where did Denver grow up?
On a cotton plantation in Louisiana.
What does Deborah encourage Ron to do to help the homeless?
Volunteer at the Union Gospel Mission.
Who said: “I found out everybody’s different — the same kind of different as me”?
Denver
What is different about the way Denver and Ron tell their stories?
Answer: Denver uses plain, oral storytelling style; Ron uses more polished, reflective narration.
What is sharecropping, and how does it shape Denver’s childhood?
Working land owned by someone else in exchange for part of the crop; it kept Denver in poverty and limited freedom.
How does Ron first feel about going to the mission?
He is uncomfortable, reluctant, and doesn’t want to connect with the homeless.
Finish the quote from Denver: “I used to spend a lot of time worrying that I was not ______ enough.”
Smart.
Why does switching POV between Denver and Ron matter for the reader?
Answer: It shows two very different life experiences side by side — poverty/homelessness and wealth/privilege.
What does Ron do for a living when the story begins?
He’s an art dealer working with wealthy clients.
What begins to change Ron’s attitude toward Denver?
Deborah insists Denver has an important role in God’s plan; Ron starts to listen more openly.
What does Deborah say about Denver that shocks Ron?
That Denver is important to God’s plan and Ron should be his friend.
How does Deborah’s perspective begin to influence the narrative even before she speaks much herself?
Through Ron’s descriptions of her vision, faith, and compassion for the homeless.
How does the cultural context of racism and segregation affect Denver’s early life?
He was denied education, opportunity, and basic respect — shaping his mistrust of society and authority.
How is compassion shown differently by Ron and Deborah?
Deborah acts directly with kindness and faith; Ron struggles at first but learns compassion through relationship.
There’s something I learned when I was homeless: it’s better to be wanted for murder than not to be wanted at all.” — What does this reveal about Denver’s worldview?
That even negative attention can feel better than invisibility; it shows the deep loneliness of homelessness.