Characterization of Frank Fortune

The main character of the short story “The African-American Special” by Jason Reynolds is Frank Fortune. He is a middle-aged African-American man who has been a regular customer of the bar where the narrator works for over a decade. Fortune starts a conversation with the narrator regarding race and inequality in America

Fortune has a cynical outlook on life, and he is not afraid to speak his mind to anyone who will listen. He has strong opinions and does not shy away from controversial topics, such as race relations. He is quick to point out how things are going wrong in the world, and he is particularly critical of younger generations. For example, he believes that young black people are too dependent on others and hav...