Taking Sides Character Analysis Essay Example
Character Analysis Lincoln Mendoza is a fourteen year old, eighth grader that just moved from the hard knocked barrio where he grew up to Sycamore, the mostly rich, mostly white suburbs. Lincoln is a Hispanic-American kid. His parent got divorced when he was seven and he now lived with his mother. Lincoln was tall but not thin. He was very muscular. When he made a fist, his forearm tightened with muscles and his legs and stomach were muscle. His face was brown, like coffee laced with cream, and his hair black as a chunk of asphalt. People said he was handsome. Lincoln opted to live a simple life, unlike everyone else at his new school. Therefore, when he went to school he wore jeans, busted at the knees, and his coat was a hand-me-down from his uncle, even though his mother harangued him about his clothes. Being one of the few minorities in his school is not Lincoln Mendoza’s only problem. Lincoln’s mom has a new boyfriend who Lincoln is not too fond of and he has to big fights with his best friend from his old school and a girl he really likes from his new school. Besides that the big game is coming up – the only problem is his new school is playing against his old school. Lincoln is worried. Lincoln cannot decide wither to play his best against his old friends and team, or to betray his new team. Lincoln starts to like his mom’s boyfriend, Roy, when he realizes how much they have in common - basketball. In addition, he sees how much Roy cares about him and his other. Lincoln solved his hardships with his friend, Tony, by just apologizing to him. He solved the fight between him and the girl he likes, Monica, by trying to impress her when he played at the big game and later he called her. He solved the big game issue when he realized he could not deny who he was. He was just a Franklin player dressed in a Columbus uniform. Lincoln was going to play for himself, not school pride. Lincoln realizes many things in this book and most of it changed him