48 pages • 1 hour read
Nic StoneDear Justyce
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2020A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Part 2, Snapshot 11-“Six Months Later”Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Part 2: “Just Beginning”
Snapshot 11 Summary: “Two Boys, An Attorney, A Teacher, and a Disgruntled Guard in a Conference Room”
Quan and Doc are pulled into a meeting with Attorney Friedman and Justyce. Attorney Friedman and Justyce have uncovered footage from the night of Quan’s interrogation. Quan has a strong emotional response to the video and is overwhelmed with fear and shock as he thinks back to that night. As they watch the video, Justyce and Attorney Friedman explain to Quan that his Miranda rights were violated during the interrogation. The officers “bulldozed right through” Quan invoking his right to remain silent (275). They refused Quan food, water, sleep, and restroom breaks. The 12 minutes of footage also reveal that the officers treated Quan roughly, pushing him and grabbing him with unnecessary force. Justyce, Attorney Friedman, and Doc are convinced that this information will bring Quan “one step closer to freedom” (276).
Later, Justyce writes a letter to Quan telling him that the district attorney’s office has confirmed that the bullets in Officer Castillo’s body did not match the weapon that was found with Quan’s fingerprints on it. Justyce reveals to the reader that Quan has entered a not-guilty plea given this new evidence and expresses his confidence that the court will rule to suppress Quan’s confession because “deciding not to would be a flagrant miscarriage of justice” (278). Justyce promises to stay in touch.
“One Month Later” Summary
Quan writes to Justyce two days after Justyce leaves to go back to school. He tells Justyce that Liberty has also gone back to school and Doc is now only allowed to visit him once a week. Quan is feeling very alone and anxious about what is to come, especially with “three of you who were keeping me afloat” drifting away from him (280). Quan reports that Dasia is responding well to chemotherapy and that he has been in communication with his mom. He hopes that Justyce will write back soon.
Chapter 12 Summary: “Done”
Quan starts to have intense nightmares in the months following Justyce’s visit. His nightmares focus mostly on the details of the night of the shooting. One night, Quan is woken up in the middle of one of these nightmares by Tay and Attorney Friedman. Despite protocol, they have come directly to his cell. Attorney Friedman explains that they have heard back about the motion to throw out Quan’s confession: “the court ruled to suppress [his] confession on account of the flagrant Miranda violation as well as suspected coercion” (288). She goes on to say the district attorney’s office will be dropping the charges thanks to the ballistics evidence proving that Quan’s weapon did not match the bullets used in the shooting of Officer Castillo. With no confession and no evidence (as well as no forthcoming witnesses) to convict him, Quan cannot be held any longer. He is a free man.
“Six Months Later” Summary
Quan and Justyce meet up at the playground where they first met as kids. Gabe’s birthday party is today, and although Quan jokes that they look like “grade-A creepers,” Justyce laughs it off and insists that they are chaperoning from the top of the climbing wall. Quan asks if Justyce has seen Martel, and Justyce admits that he has been helping Doc tutor Martel’s guys. Quan is getting paid to work at Doc’s tutoring service but is staying away from Martel and his guys. Justyce reports that Trey is going to be a dad and that Martel’s guys seem to be trying to better themselves through the tutoring services. Quan has moved back in with his mom after a brief stay with Doc and his husband. Justyce asks Quan if he misses the rocket ship that was removed from the playground. Quan considers the question but then says no: “No need to go to outer space… Everything I need is right here” (301).
Part 2, Snapshot 11-“Six Months Later” Analysis
The final set of chapters in Dear Justyce tackle the ideas of redemption and rebirth. Stone draws upon the timeless imagery of an innocent man being locked away for a crime he didn’t commit, and just when it seems that his life has symbolically ended, rebirth—or a chance to start anew—changes the outcome of his story. Quan is granted a second chance, and thanks to the heavy contemplation of his letters to Justyce and his mentorship with Doc, he is fully prepared not to waste this second chance.
The roles of trauma and mental illness in the prison population are also alluded to throughout the novel. The reader can see Quan wetting his pants and having nightmares as visible signs of trauma. However, Quan’s panic attacks are triggered by reliving the night of the shooting and his forced confession. This memory causes him to shut down and not discuss the details with anyone for most of his incarceration. Trauma can hinder the truth and, in the process, justice. It isn’t until Quan starts to meet with a counselor and write to Justyce as a form of therapy that he finally feels comfortable enough to talk about these events and reveal the truth. Shame, confusion, and fear are powerful motivators to withhold the truth, and Stone uses this opportunity to stress the importance of mental health support in the lives of children like Quan who have experienced more than one traumatic event. Young Black men like Quan are chronically denied mental health services, and Stone seems to point out the dangers of what can happen when these issues are not dealt with in childhood.
The reference to Quan’s rocket ship at the end of the novel signifies a monumental shift in Quan’s mindset. His desire to blast off into outer space and escape from his life is now gone. Quan’s life may not be perfect, but he now feels the support and friendship that were sorely lacking in his world, so he no longer feels trapped or like he has to plan an escape. The final sections of the novel illustrate the power of support systems in a young person’s life and how it takes a village to raise up a contributing member of society. Quan’s story is a powerful testament that there may be more to someone than meets the eye, especially in underserved and underprivileged populations like the countless young men of color currently serving time in the American prison system. Quan’s story ends on a hopeful note but also serves as a call to action for its audience.
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By Nic Stone
