The Occidental Book of the Dead

The scene is set at George Washington Carver Technical High School, dedicated in 1943, the year its namesake died.

The protagonist, Anthony, is a student in a renovated classroom during his last period of the day.

He observes a statue of George Washington Carver, an African American scientist and educator, standing in the schoolyard.

The statue depicts Carver holding a book to his chest with his left hand and extending his right hand outward, symbolizing a call to seek knowledge.

Anthony uses the statue’s shadow as a sundial; in the fall, the school day ends just before the shadow reaches the base of the flagpole.

The school is located in an urban area, as suggested by the presence of Korean corner stores and package stores nearby.

Anthony is described as a quiet student who keeps to himself and avoids dealing drugs near the school, with the exception of an individual referred to as Uncle Frank.