Setting

The narrative primarily unfolds across several key locations and time periods. It begins with the author's formative years in Jamaica, including a disciplined boarding school experience, providing the foundation for his values. The story then transitions to the United States in the late 1990s, specifically Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge, where he attended as a student-athlete. Subsequent chapters detail his travels across numerous American states for athletic competitions and later for his professional work in the building industry, offering a broad view of the country from the late 20th century into the 21st century. The intellectual and ideological setting is contemporary American political and social discourse.

Themes & Motifs

The Primacy of Faith, Family, and Freedom: Bernard consistently argues that these three pillars are the essential foundations for individual and societal flourishing. He presents them as God-ordained principles that are under assault by modern secular and socialist ideologies, and his personal journey is framed by their importance.

Challenging Dominant Racial Narratives: A central theme is the author's critique of the contemporary discourse on race in America. He posits that race has been weaponized for political purposes, leading to "manufactured division" and obscuring more fundamental ideological conflicts and the importance of personal responsibility. He argues that "it's more than race."

The Immigrant's Perspective as a Lens on American Exceptionalism: Bernard uses his experience as a Jamaican immigrant to highlight the opportunities and fundamental goodness he found in America. This perspective serves to counter narratives of systemic oppression and to affirm America's potential, rooted in its founding ideals.