Systemic Racism
Systemic racism is among the most important themes in Ghost Boys. Also known as institutional racism, systemic racism is defined as the unfair or harmful treatment of racialized people as a consequence of society-wide policies and practices. Rhodes highlights the theme of systemic racism by depicting a white police officer not facing charges for fatally shooting a Black twelve-year-old while the boy's back was turned. Officer Moore justifies his actions by claiming that Jerome appeared large and threatening, but when the prosecutor reveals that Jerome is the same size as Moore's own twelve-year-old child, these perceived attributes betray Moore's unconscious racial bias. If Jerome were white, statistics show that the police would have been more likely to address the situation with less impulsiveness and with greater adherence to operating procedures such as announcing themselves as police, ordering Jerome to drop the gun, and then rendering medical aid after disarming him. Systemic racism also arises in the sections regarding Emmett Till. Accused of flirting with a white woman in Mississippi, the Black fourteen-year-old was abducted, mutilated, and lynched by two men who were acquitted by an all-white jury. In both Jerome's and Emmett's case, the justice system didn't hold the white killers accountable despite the evidence against them. These two cases highlight how racist sentiment is embedded in the American law enforcement and justice systems, with Black people's lives being seen as mattering less than those of white people.
The Afterlife
As the book's title would suggest, the afterlife is a key theme in Ghost Boys. Rhodes establishes the theme in the opening chapter when Jerome, as a ghost, looks upon his dead body moments after he is killed. Rather than respond with a strong emotional reaction, Jerome narrates the scene with a sense of remove that emphasizes his changed state. No longer a living being, Jerome roams Chicago with a sense of peaceful resignation. At his wake, he discovers that, beyond not being able to pick up a piece of cornbread, he has no desire to eat because he'll never be hungry again. But while Jerome no longer has to worry about quotidian concerns, it frustrates him not to know what he is supposed to do or where he is supposed to go. In the afterlife, Emmett Till imparts wisdom to Jerome, instructing him to share his story so that the injustices faced by ghost boys like them will not be repeated. By the end of the book, Jerome assumes his role as a storyteller, narrating his story for the reader. In this way, the afterlife serves as a symbol of the legacies of unjustly murdered Black boys, whose stories the living share to bring about a better world.
Honoring the Dead
Honoring the dead as a healthy means of mourning is an important theme in Ghost Boys. Early in the book, Jerome observes how his family struggles to mourn him, taken as he was in such traumatic and tragic circumstances. At Jerome's wake, Pop, Ma, Reverend Thornton, and Grandma argue over spiritual matters; Pop angrily focuses on the injustice of Jerome's death rather than thinking about how much his son meant to him. Jerome stops observing his family because it pains him to see how his parents have numbed themselves to their sorrow. However, at the end of the novel, Carlos and his family invite the Rogers family to connect with their memories of Jerome in traditional Day of the Dead fashion, decorating his tombstone and having a picnic on his grave. The Mexican tradition brings the Rodríguezes and the Rogerses closer to Jerome's spirit, honoring him in a mourning ritual that helps ease some of the bleakness associated with his death.
Bearing Witness
Bearing witness is another crucial theme in Ghost Boys. In her afterword, Rhodes defines what it means to bear witness, saying the idea "has long been crucial to African American communities—indeed to all ethnic groups who have suffered oppression. 'Bearing witness' means using your personal and/or cultural story to testify against inequities, injustice, and suffering." In the book, Jerome learns about bearing witness from Emmett Till's ghost after Emmett shares the personal trauma of his death. Jerome follows Emmett's example. According to Rhodes, through telling his story (i.e. narrating the novel), Jerome "cope[s] with his pain but provides catharsis (emotional cleansing), which allows him to accept his death and his role as storyteller in the afterlife." Jerome's act of bearing witness also has the benefit of empowering Sarah to create her website, which is her effort to spread awareness of and fight against racial bias and discrimination. Through the circulation of the ghost boys' stories, Sarah seeks to raise consciousness among the masses.
Social Progress
Alongside the theme of bearing witness is the major theme of social progress. Defined as development toward a more equal and peaceful status quo, social progress enters the narrative when Sarah learns from Ms. Penny, her school librarian, about the African American Civil Rights Movement. The nonviolent political and social movement, which took place over the 1950s and 1960s, saw legislative advances toward racial equality with the abolition of legal racial segregation, disenfranchisement, and discrimination. Ms. Penny credits the injustice of Emmett Till's death with having galvanized activists and precipitated the movement. Late in the novel, Jerome address the theme of social progress directly when he compares Emmett's killing to his own, reflecting on how Emmett's killers were not only acquitted by an all-white jury, they were remorseless. In Jerome's case, Officer Moore, while still refusing to claim responsibility for his unconscious racial bias, appears depressed following the killing; Jerome asks, "Is that progress?" Ultimately, Jerome encourages Sarah to "make people listen [and] really see people," viewing greater empathy and understanding as crucial in the struggle for a more equal and peaceful world.
Support
Support is a dominant theme in Ghost Boys. Rhodes establishes the theme early in the novel as Jerome talks about his family structure, which relies on mutual material and emotional support. With three generations living in one small apartment, Jerome comments that everyone in his family "works": Grandma takes care of the children before and after school, Pop and Ma support the family financially with their jobs, and Jerome provides emotional support to his grandmother when she grows anxious. Kim gives emotional support to Jerome when they say goodbye at school, as she can sense his fear of the bullies who harass him. When he meets Carlos, Jerome is reluctant to confirm their friendship because it means he will be drawn into any fights Carlos gets into; however, when the bullies attack Carlos, Jerome risks his own safety by leaving his toilet stall to defend his new friend. After Jerome's death, Carlos plays a supportive role by walking Kim home after school. He also introduces the Rogers family to his family's Day of the Dead tradition, giving the Rogerses a new means of honoring Jerome's spirit. Meanwhile, Jerome supports Sarah through the grief of learning about her father's racial bias, and Emmett helps Jerome learn his purpose in the afterlife. Ultimately, Rhodes shows how each character depends on another to create a robust and mutually beneficial support network.
Social and Economic Inequality
Another key theme in Ghost Boys is social and economic inequality. Rhodes introduces the theme early in the novel when Jerome comments on the visible poverty, neglect, and danger of his Chicago neighborhood: "Green Street isn’t peaceful; it isn’t green either. Just brick houses, some lived in, some abandoned." On his walk to school, Jerome passes the site of a meth lab that exploded and crosses the street to avoid a corner where open-air drug deals take place. The impoverished neighborhood's association with criminality is significant because it contributes to Officer Moore's fear when responding to the emergency call. More likely to respond impulsively because he is policing what he calls a "rough neighborhood," Moore misestimates the threat level and assumes Jerome is an adult with a real gun. The theme of inequality also arises when Jerome visits Sarah at home and sees the outward trappings of privilege all around her. While Jerome believes the gulf between her privilege and his deprivation will make it impossible for them to connect meaningfully, he eventually learns that it is necessary to communicate across the inequality gap to bring about positive change.