SETTING

The setting of Tears of a Tiger was mostly based in a high school setting.  The school that the story takes place is rather racially diverse.  There are African American students and teachers and white students and teachers.  The events of the book seem to imply that most of the white teachers do not work with the black kids as much as the white ones.  The African-American students in the story seem to resent the fact that everyone assumes they will fail.  The black students in the story talk about their dreams to succeed and the people that are holding them back.  If the setting of this story were in a predominantly black school with African-American teachers, I think the minority students would have felt they were better supported to succeed. 

Andy, the main character of the story, had a very difficult time dealing with the death of his best friend Robert.  The setting of the story was very detrimental to Andy's recovery.  Andy explained in notes to Keisha and to his therapist that he did not feel like teachers thought much of him.  If Andy would have been in a different school where he was not looked down upon by teachers and staff, he may have been able to cope with Rob's death.  He may have felt more connected with school and the teachers in it.  The only adult in the school he felt connected with was his basketball coach, and one understanding adult is often not enough.