In this novel, Conroy explores significant themes, particularly racism and the prejudice that accompanies it. The character Conroy, often referred to as Pat, embarks on a dual mission. First, he seeks to fulfill his own destiny, a path he envisions with clarity. Second, he aims to free the black children on the island—and by extension, their families—from the grip of white-imposed illiteracy, which ties them to their history as tightly as the shackles of slavery did their ancestors. The prejudice Pat encounters in pursuing these goals manifests in various ways. Dr. Henry Piedmont, the school superintendent, epitomizes the white establishment in its most unyielding form. Although he outwardly expresses interest in Conroy's initiatives at the island school, he refuses to allow any challenge to his entrenched administrative methods. In his view, black education is inherently different from white education, and such disparities must remain unquestioned. Regardless of its merits, the system is deemed untouchable.

Even more subtle is the prejudice within the black community itself. Although Pat eventually earns the trust of the children and their families, he is unable to overcome the self-imposed silence they maintain. This silence is a legacy of deeply ingrained subservience to white authority. They have learned not to question or criticize white policies, as doing so could disrupt their ability to shape their own black community. As Conroy observes, "The people of the island have changed very little since the Emancipation Proclamation." The children are educated by Mrs. Brown, a black school teacher, who has instilled in them a belief in their own ignorance, even labeling them as "retarded." Upon meeting Pat, she candidly remarks, "These people don't want to better themselves."

The Stones, a white couple who "oversee" the island, serve as a prime example of classic Southern prejudice. Mr. Stone is prepared to shoot any "niggers" or "long hair liberals" who threaten the island's peace. He displays a peculiar contradiction: he is willing to assist Conroy as a fellow white individual but shows no empathy for Conroy's efforts to aid the island's black residents.

Conroy shares his background with the reader, stating, "I was getting tired of my own innocence." He recounts teaching at Beaufort High School in 1968 when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. A group of black girls approached him, insisting that Conroy apologize for King's death. Hearing these young African Americans questioning why whites can't treat them "right" and "love us like Jesus taught," and hearing their threats to set the city ablaze, Pat is overwhelmed by "the shadow that hovered over me, white guilt." He hopes that by teaching at the island school—a position no other white teacher is willing to accept—he might be able to alleviate that burden.

As the story unfolds, along with his connection to the school children, Pat realizes he must let go of the selfish aspects of his mission, particularly his expectations. Initially, he arrived on the island aiming to defeat ignorance, viewing himself as a grand educator ready to guide the children to intellectual triumph. However, he soon understands that his approach needs to change. Upon entering the school, he finds that in his class of eighteen students from grades six to eight, four cannot recite the alphabet, some cannot even count on their fingers, and none know what country they live in, who the President of the United States is, or the name of the ocean surrounding their island. Pat comes to accept that education can be found beyond books. He starts sharing music with the children and turns geography into a game. Eventually, the students join...