The story was a little confusing at first. I thought that the child was a boy until chapter three when the name Michelle was used. Other than that initial confusion, the story was easy to follow. Maybe because I grew up in a small southern town where segregation was a part of the school system, I did not find the grandfather and the other townspeople repugnant, just ignorant. This book catches the atmosphere, the fear, and the ignorance that surrounds and nourishes racism. The title is understood when Charlie fatally shoots Earl. He is being Earl's wing shooter. The book shows the struggle that many people and towns have gone through and continue to go through as this world becomes more and more diverse. I didn't thing the author gave any new insights or lessons in regard to race relations; he simply tells a story that has played out many, many times in real life.