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When Dad ends up in the hospital, Josh angrily tells Mom that he's upset "because our backboard is splintered." In doing so, he draws a direct connection between the backboard on a basketball hoop--which keeps missed shots from going out of bounds and can be used to bounce the ball off of to make baskets--and to Dad, who performs a similar function in the Bell family. Like a backboard, Dad keeps Josh and JB in line and constantly points them in the direction of success.
The Backboard Quotes in The Crossover
The The Crossover quotes below all refer to the symbol of The Backboard. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Fourth Quarter
Quotes
Because the only thing that matters is swish.
Because our backboard is splintered.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The Crossover LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Backboard Symbol Timeline in The Crossover
The timeline below shows where the symbol The Backboard appears in The Crossover. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Fourth Quarter
...wouldn't have gotten the ball and ended up in the hospital. He says that their backboard is splintered.
(full context)
Overtime
...and then fishes the ball from where it's stuck, wedged between the rim and the backboard. He knows that this means JB has been trying and failing to dunk. Josh dribbles...
(full context)
