Chapter 17 Summary – Lisa’s Decision and Family Conflict
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The day before Thanksgiving, Maverick and his mother, Faye (Ma), prepare to drive three hours to Evergreen Prison to visit Maverick’s father, Adonis (Pops). Before they leave, Lisa calls Maverick. She tells him she has decided to keep the baby and become a mother. Maverick is stunned; he had been relying on the idea of an abortion to keep the pregnancy from feeling real. His hesitation hurts Lisa, and the call ends badly.
At the prison, Maverick meets his father for the first time in a while. Ma tells Pops about Lisa’s pregnancy. Pops immediately blames Maverick and also criticises Ma for not being strict enough. An argument erupts. Maverick defends his mother and then turns on Pops, accusing him of abandoning the family by getting imprisoned for hiding cocaine. Pops shrinks at the accusation, and Maverick storms out of the visiting room.
Hours later, Maverick checks his beeper and calls a number that had paged him multiple times. Tammy answers and hands the phone to Lisa. Lisa is crying: after she admitted her pregnancy to her mother, Ms. Montgomery kicked her out. Carlos did not defend her. Maverick goes to Ms. Rosalie’s house, where Lisa is staying. Lisa tells him she needs space and that this baby does not automatically make them a couple. She criticises his involvement with the King Lords gang and his lack of a stable future. Maverick argues, but Lisa insists she and her baby deserve better. Feeling betrayed and humiliated, Maverick leaves.
Key Events
- Lisa reveals she wants to keep the baby, and Maverick fails to hide his shock.
- Pops and Ma argue about the pregnancy during the prison visit.
- Maverick confronts Pops about being absent and using the gang life for support.
- Maverick walks out of the prison after the fight.
- Lisa is thrown out of her home by her mother.
- Maverick meets Lisa at Ms. Rosalie’s and the two have a painful breakup.
Character Development
Maverick shows a mix of vulnerability and defiance. He is terrified of being overwhelmed by another child, yet he also finds the courage to stand up to his father for the first time. However, his inability to support Lisa emotionally reveals his immaturity.
Pops (Adonis) is exposed as a flawed figure – quick to blame others and defensive about his own incarceration. The chapter undercuts the idea of Pops as a perfect role model.
Lisa asserts her independence and her clear vision for her future. She refuses to accept a partner who is involved in gang violence, even if it means raising the baby alone.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Parental responsibility vs. personal failure – Both Maverick and Pops are called out for failing to live up to their duties.
- Grief as an excuse – Pops tells Maverick that grief over Dre’s death is not a valid reason for reckless behaviour.
- Trust and betrayal – Maverick feels betrayed by Lisa’s words, while Lisa feels betrayed by Maverick’s lack of genuine support.
- Prison as a shattered ideal – Maverick’s childhood fantasy of the prison as a castle is replaced by the reality of a dehumanising facility.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 17 is a turning point in the novel. It breaks the illusion that Maverick can balance fatherhood, gang ties, and a relationship without real consequences. The prison visit forces him to see his father’s failings and his own. Lisa’s decision and her subsequent rejection push Maverick to a low point, setting up the need for a fundamental change in his character. The chapter also shows how systemic forces – like mass incarceration – tear apart families and limit young fathers’ options.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Maverick react so negatively when Lisa says she wants to keep the baby?
Maverick had been assuming Lisa would have an abortion. He already struggles to provide for Seven and feels he cannot handle another child financially or emotionally. His reaction shows his fear and his reliance on the idea that the pregnancy was not yet “real.”
2. What triggers the argument between Maverick and his father at the prison?
Pops blames Maverick for being irresponsible and then criticises Ma for not parenting him properly. Maverick responds by accusing Pops of hiding cocaine in the family home and of abandoning them to go to prison. The argument reveals that Pops has lost the moral authority to lecture his son.
3. Why does Lisa say she needs “space” from Maverick, and what does that decision mean for their future?
Lisa has been kicked out by her mother and is hurt that Maverick did not fully support her choice. She questions whether he can be a suitable father because of his gang membership, his dealing past, and his lack of a concrete plan for the future. By insisting on space, she signals that she will no longer accept Maverick’s empty promises.