Cedric's achievements
Cedric does incredibly well to be accepted onto a pre-college course at MIT for students of color. However, when he arrives he realises he is behind the other students. Although he is a high-achiever in his own school, he still struggles due to his poor education. The author uses this irony to show the faults of the American school system.
Irony of education
Education is supposedly about providing opportunities for students and is arguably important in aiding social mobility. However, in this text it is Cedric's education that ironically lets him down. Although he has a hard-working and ambitious attitude, he is constantly let down by his poor education in the text.
Irony of fitting in
Cedric is not the same as the other students at his school and has ambitions to go to a top university. He is bullied due to his hard-working nature and struggles to fit in. However, even when he arrives at university he still struggles to fit in, due to differences in upbringing.
