Kek

“You only make a bridge where there is a river.” This is an old African proverb. In Kek’s life, the river is like a boundary that is keeping him from belonging. The bridge represents Kek’s journey to feel like he belongs in America.
As Kek’s life in America progresses, he tries his best to fit in. He starts to build his bridge the day before school. Dave comes with a box of clothes for Kek to try on. Kek has fun trying to pick out his clothes, and he “parades through the TV room” to show them off. He wonders if he “looks like an America boy.” He has fun for a while, but a river of doubt rises inside of him. He is not sure if looking like an America boy “would be a good thing or a not-good thing.”
When Kek first comes to his ESL class, his river is swirling with uncertainty. He sees all of the different people who speak different languages and he wonders how they will ever connect. But, when he draws a cow somebody in his class let out a small “moo”. Soon everyone is mooing and they “are a class of cattle.” It comforts him “to hear the cattle again.” All the students connect, and Kek realizes

He doesn’t have any friends when he comes to America, and Ganwar doesn’t seem to want to be with him. Hannah plays a considerable role in helping Kek build his bridge. She is Kek’s first friend in America. Being friends with Hannah led Kek to other friendships. In times when Kek feels upset, Hannah is there to make him smile, like when he accidently broke his aunt’s dishes. Even though he felt terrible, Hannah helped him see the light of the situation by making him laugh. Hannah also helps Kek open up more. He tells her all about Ganwar and his “many worries”. He tells her about his family and what happened to them. He feels alone in his sadness, but he realizes that Hannah has also “seen sad places”. Knowing that he is not alone helps Kek feel more optimistic about his situation. Having optimism like this helps Kek build his