60 pages • 2 hours read
Chrystal D. GilesNot an Easy Win
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2023A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
The Importance of Friendship
Content Warning: This section discusses racism.
Through Lawrence’s journey throughout the text, he learns of the importance of having support from his friends. After he is forced to change schools, leaving his old friends behind, he struggles to fit in at Andrew Jackson Middle School, instead lashing out at other students who bully him until he is expelled. However, by committing himself to going to the rec center and helping Mr. Dennis, he meets new friends who help him mature and develop.
At the rec center, Lawrence becomes friends with Deuce and Twyla, who help him at various points in the novel. Although he starts out having a conflict with Deuce—the two fight and refuse to talk to each other—he eventually learns that he and Deuce are very similar in the way they lash out at others due to their problems at home. Through their shared love of music, Lawrence and Deuce become best friends, learning to support each other and help each other through difficult times. When Lawrence hesitates at the chess tournament, unsure if he belongs there, Deuce supports him, telling Lawrence, “Don’t let these kids intimidate you. You belong here just as much as they do” (216). Similarly, when he has to walk “through a sea of judgy faces to get” to his board, “Twyla walk[s] up behind [him] and hum[s] a familiar rhythm into [his] ear. Pop’s music” (226). In each of these moments, when Lawrence remembers his time at Andrew Jackson and the mistreatment from his white peers there, he finds the support that he needs through his new friendships; this gives him the confidence he needs to win his chess match.
In return, Lawrence also supports Deuce when he struggles with his home life. When Lawrence goes over to his house, the first time that they begin to become friends, Lawrence realizes everything with which Deuce is struggling. He considers his family, as his father is absent, just as Deuce’s mother is, and realizes how similar he and Deuce are. He thinks of how he puts the difficult things in his life into a “box” and then forces them out of his mind; however, he imagines that Deuce’s mom is in a box, “pushing her way to the front, begging to get out of the box,” which Lawrence thinks “[i]s enough to make anybody sick” (187). With his newfound understanding of Deuce’s life, the two become best friends, bonding over their love of music, playing chess against each other, and enjoying their time on their trip to the tournament together. In the final pages of the text, as Deuce continues to grapple with his relationship with his mother, Lawrence supports him. He assures him that he just needs to tell his mother how he feels. Then, as the novel ends, the two listen to music together, getting “lost” in it as they regularly do to cope with the difficult aspects of their lives.
In his time at Andrew Jackson, Lawrence feels as though he is alone. He is surrounded by white students; they regularly bully him, and his principal and his family refuse to listen to his side of the story. However, thanks to the rec center and the students he meets there, Lawrence learns what it is like to be surrounded by other Black children who have experiences like his own. By working together, Lawrence, Twyla, and Deuce can qualify for the chess tournament and carve out their own space in a predominantly white setting, using each other for support to be confident in their Black identities and skillsets.
Blame Versus Accountability
In Not an Easy Win, several characters struggle with the tension between being blamed for things they feel they are innocent of and taking accountability for what they do wrong. Lawrence’s change throughout the text depicts this theme, as he goes from blaming others for fights that he gets into to recognizing the responsibility that he holds for his choices. At the start of the novel, he is adamant that he is treated unfairly at Andrew Jackson. He tries to argue with his principal and Ma about what happened to him, insisting that he is bullied and that the several fights that he got into were not his fault. However, when Lawrence starts going to the rec center and gets into a fight with Deuce, he changes. After he speaks with Twyla, he realizes that Deuce was simply goading him into fighting and that he is partially to blame for taking the bait and shoving him. While the situation with Deuce is still unfair—he did steal Lawrence’s headphones and would not give them back—it does not mean that Lawrence is entirely free of blame, as he chose to fight with him. As the novel progresses, he acknowledges and learns to resist this urge, choosing not to fight Deuce the next time he is tempted by him.
Similarly, Pop’s incarceration also develops this theme. Although not a lot is known about his character, Pop’s brother told Lawrence that “the police pulled [Pop] over for a broken taillight—which wasn’t actually broken […] Then the cop found an old ticket and a fine Pop had never paid. So he went to jail for something that would’ve never been found if the cop hadn’t lie about the taillight” (74-75). While Lawrence’s assessment is true—Pop would not have gone to jail that night if the cop hadn’t pulled him over for no reason—it does not absolve Pop of all wrongdoing; Pop still had an unpaid parking ticket. Giles shows that the police racially profiled Pop, a systemic injustice in society. However, the novel also depicts the similarities between Pop’s and Lawrence’s characters. When both get in trouble, they look at the wrongdoings of those around them, placing blame on others instead of reflecting on their actions.
Deuce’s actions at the chess tournament further develop this theme, as he allows one of the other players to successfully goad him into fighting. Deuce allows the other boy to get into his head, which causes him to lash out instead of thinking of the logical thing to do. In this way, Deuce tries to blame the other boy for his actions—something Lawrence used to do regularly—but no one even listens to his version of events. Lawrence relates the situation to Ma’s words from earlier in the text when she said that “Pop was caught” in a “pattern of wrong,” where “even when [he’s] trying to do the right thing, something bad comes [his] way” (225). These words convey an important nuance within the theme of blame and accountability. Instead of it being clear when the blame should be placed versus when accountability should be taken, the situation is much more blurred. Even if Lawrence, Deuce, and Pop all feel justified in their actions because of the society that they live in—one that has racism on a systemic and individual level, such as when the judges allow the curly-haired boy to stay in the tournament but not Deuce—it still does not mean that they are absolved of all wrongdoing. Instead of lashing out angrily, blaming others for their actions, and then refusing to take accountability, they must consider their actions and pick their battles wisely. Ultimately, keeping their composure allows Lawrence and Twyla to win chess matches and prove that they belong in the predominantly white space.
Empathy and Compassion
As Lawrence struggles with his journey to fit into society, he also learns that others are going through problems of their own. In doing so, he better sees the value of empathy and compassion for others. Giles portrays this theme primarily through two different conflicts: Lawrence’s conflicts with Granny and Deuce.
At the start of the novel, Lawrence is convinced that Granny does not like him, as he believes that “she just stopped being nice at all—to [him], anyway” (21). Although Giles never gives Granny’s perspective, Lawrence’s initial interactions with her provide context for his feelings. She is short with him, demanding that he find something to do with his time after he is expelled, and she refuses to listen to his side of the story. However, as Lawrence learns to take responsibility for his actions, dedicates his time to the rec center, and spends more time with Granny, she begins to grow proud of the person he is becoming and treats him better. Similarly, Lawrence’s major shift comes when he begins to understand Granny’s life and its struggles. As the two talk while she cooks dinner, he realizes how much she has sacrificed to have his family move in with her. She cooks for them daily, spends money on them, and houses them—including Aunt Carmen’s two children—and only asks for Lawrence’s help around the house in return. As Lawrence becomes empathetic to Granny’s situation, the two can mend their relationship. Granny ultimately shows him respect by confiding in him, allowing him to cook, and inviting him to eat at the dinner table.
Similarly, Lawrence’s conflict with Deuce is largely rooted in the two boys’ lack of empathy or understanding for each other’s lives. When Lawrence confronts Deuce about why he does not like him, Deuce has no answer, instead simply saying that Lawrence doesn’t “belong” at the rec center. Lawrence also takes issue with Deuce from the very beginning, noting how he “c[an] tell [he] d[oes]n’t like him” but that he “d[oes]n’t care much—most people d[o]n’t like [him]” (40). Instead of trying to get to know Deuce or understand his motivations, he simply sees Deuce picking on other kids and decides that he doesn’t like him. However, as the two get to know each other, Lawrence begins to have compassion for Deuce’s situation. Even though Deuce bullies him, steals his earbuds, and largely refuses to interact with him, Lawrence still goes over to Deuce’s house after he is absent from the rec center. Given their shared experiences, Lawrence understands what Deuce is going through, showing empathy for his situation and compassion by allowing Deuce to talk to him about his mother.
Throughout the novel, chess also reflects the importance of understanding other people. Just as Lawrence begins to understand the best way to play chess—understanding what your opponent is doing—he also understands the people around him. By recognizing who Granny and Deuce are as people and empathizing with their unique situations, he can understand their “moves” to build important friendships and relationships with them.
