Tears of a Tiger Critical Analysis

Tears of a Tiger by Sharon Draper Anthony Avila ENG 3 Honors Period 3 The novel Tears of a Tiger is about a high school student named Andy Jackson going through a life of pain and guilt. The story begins with a newspaper article on an accident that killed a basketball player named Robbie Washington. They were all coming from a party and they have been drinking. Andy was driving the car and his three friends, Robbie, B. J, and Tyrone were the passengers. When the accident happened the Andy, B. J. and Tyrone all left the scene with minor injuries while Robbie was trapped in the back seat and the car was bursting in flames and he couldn’t get out. This image haunted Andy for the rest of his life. After the accident they return to school and they start to see a psychologist to get help. Also he starts dating a girl named Keisha who really helps him with the incident and keeps him from feeling guilty. They gave Andy the position of captain for the basketball team. Andy feels guilt due to the fact that Robbie was the old basketball captain and he’s taking his position. Andy’s grades begin to suffer and his mood becomes very odd.

He cries uncontrollably and screams at people. Christmas time was a difficult time for Andy because in Christmas time he and Robbie used to go to the mall and play jokes with the Santa clause. Robbie’s mom always called Andy to tell him to come get his stone, referring to the presents that Santa leaves for bad children. The year Robbie death, Robbie’s mom didn’t call Andy because of the pain she felt of not having her son. B. J. and Tyrone moved on with their life and forgot about the accident but Andy is making everyone think that he has forgotten about the incident but the only one that truly knows his pain is his girlfriend Keisha.

At the school talent show, Andy volunteered to be the MC and he looked in a good mood. Off stage Keisha and Andy get into a huge fight and they break up. He feels that his life can’t get any worse. After the break up, school scouts come to school to see Andy play basketball but he wasn’t there because he was skipping school. His report card was sent home and his dad saw that his grades were tremendously dropping. His dad talks to him how he has to move on with his life and he has to be successful in life. This gets gets Andy more depressed.

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He calls his psychologist but he was on a business trip. He tried to call the basketball coach and he didn’t receive an answer. He attempted to call his ex-girlfriend, Keisha, but her mom answered and cursed at him for calling in the middle of the night. Andy felt helpless. The next day, Andy skips schools and stays home. He feels that no one cares about him and takes his own life with his dads riffle. The Counselor makes the students write notes to Andy expressing their anger with Andy on taking his life. The story closes with Andy’s family saying goodbye at his gravesite.

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