Jacqueline Woodson's After Tupac & D Foster

When I first started reading this text I was wondering what in the world Tupac was doing in the title. What is the significance of this highly acclaimed too-young-to-die rapper from the mid-90's to these three girls, besides the fact that they like his eyes and find his music enjoyable.

I know a little bit about Tupac, and recognize the lyrics and songs mentioned in the text. Specifically, Dear Mama. Tupac wrote the song about his mother raising him and the struggles a single mother must go through to raise a child. On top of this, she was pregnant with him in prison...and she was addicted to crack. Tupac didn't have a great childhood and had it rough. Reading his lyrics and listening to his songs, one can certainly discover this after just a few reads/listens. And then I started thinking about the character D Foster. She had a rough upbringing. Her father isn't around, beginning to end, much like Tupac's. Her mother was disengaged, had drug (particularly alcohol) problems and spent some time away (perhaps prison, much like Tupac's mother). D also grew up in New York. Okay, so we have similarities...but what's the story here? Where is the connection?

D walks in and out of her two friends' lives. She strolled into their lives one day, and eventually strolled right out. This signifies just how Tupac kind of strolled into these young girl's lives with his music, and strolled out upon his death. Maybe he still has mixtapes floating around today, but the man isn't here. It shows the importance of friends, and music, which can often serve as a friend to those without much to appreciate or someone to love. We don't know where D goes at the end of the novel and I don't feel we need to. I've discussed the ending with friends, and they were disappointed because we find no solace. I suppose it is slightly ambiguous what happens to D, but it didn't hand it to the reader on a plate. There is nothing to infer. And sometimes young adults who will read this book should be exposed to these types of endings. There doesn't always need to be a happy ending to these stories, or a sad ending. Life goes on, friends come and go. It is an important lesson we all learn anecdotally at some point, but to have a book show kids that this isn't always a bad thing sends a good message, in my humble opinion.