Take Back the Block

Wes Henderson is the novel’s 11-year-old protagonist and first-person narrator. Wes is social, friendly, thoughtful, fun-loving, and fashionable. He values his friendships, family, and community above all else, which motivates him to become engaged in a variety of community service activities. Although his parents are initially responsible for Wes’s community involvement, he gradually comes to see the value in this work and chooses to participate on his own terms. Wes fears public speaking but loves solving problems, and he also cares deeply about social issues, which is why his mom insists that he is a natural leader. Although Wes doubts this at first, he ultimately recognizes and embraces his leadership potential, which illustrates The Importance of Youth Activism and Leadership.

Wes’s actions also illustrate The Significance of Community and Cultural Heritage because he is so committed to his community that he cannot imagine his life without it and will do anything to save Kensington Oaks. Although many regard this to be a lofty mission, Wes beats the odds and finds a way to diminish the effects of gentrification in “the Oaks,” even if he cannot end gentrification entirely. Using research skills that he learned from his mom, who is a former librarian, Wes discovers that Kensington Oaks was once called Pippin Village and was named after the state’s first Black lumber mill owner.