Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Dear Justyce, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Choices vs. Fate
Justice, Racial Bias, and Growing Up
Identity, Support, and Community
Family, Loyalty, and Belonging
Survival, Poverty, and Violence
Summary
Analysis
Justyce writes that Quan can’t tell anyone, but documents from the state labs just arrived at Attorney Friedman’s office. He included a photocopy. Quan was right: the ballistics don’t match. This should help the case and hopefully give Quan some comfort. Attorney Friedman has been bugging the judge to set a trial date. For now, the state has no evidence or eyewitnesses, so unless they’ve got something hidden, there’s not enough for them to convict Quan. They’re hoping to hear back on the motion to suppress Quan’s confession, which means the state has absolutely nothing. Justyce tells Quan to keep his head up and that SJ says hi. She can’t wait to meet him.
The first (and only) letter from Justyce that appears in the novel reflects the rapport between the boys and Justyce’s hopeful excitement. He wants Quan to know that he and Attorney Friedman are doing everything in their power to help Quan—and though things are moving slowly, their mission is looking good. Again, the novel shows that it’s possible to get justice for a wrongfully accused kid like Quan, but it takes a number of people to make that happen.
Themes
