Doc is
Quan’s tutor in prison. He taught
Justyce at a private high school in Atlanta, which is how he ended up becoming Quan’s tutor. Doc is an African American man with piercing green eyes, and Quan finds him annoying at first. Doc uses academic language and asks Quan to think about things that are difficult or complex, such as how the United States fails to uphold its ideals. Eventually, Doc becomes one of Quan’s most trusted and valued supporters. From this position, Doc is able to ask Quan questions and give him assignments that ask Quan to reflect on his identity. One of the most important ways that Doc does this is by assigning Quan classic 20th century novels like
Native Son and
Catch-22, and by getting Quan interested in poetry. It’s Doc’s questions that ultimately lead Quan to confess to Justyce that he didn’t kill
Officer Castillo. At one point, Doc asks if Quan is a “killer” in an attempt to pry into Quan’s intent when he fired his gun. But once Quan feels secure in the support of Doc and his other mentors, Quan feels safe telling the truth and saying that he’s not a killer. Doc continues to support Quan through achieving his high school diploma while in prison and even opens up his home to Quan following his release. Quan spends several months with Doc and Doc’s husband, which gives Quan the opportunity to observe two happy, successful Black men at close range. And given how much Quan loves academics, reading, and eventually working for Doc’s tutoring service, Doc becomes a major role model. He shows Quan what’s possible if he continues to pursue academics.