Take Back the Block

Puzzles symbolize Wes’s desire to solve problems and his skill at doing so, and both of these aspects lie at the heart of his burgeoning identity as a community leader. As Wes explains, “Something about taking a broken picture and slowly clicking each piece into place, making it whole again, made me feel good” (21). Although there is a guaranteed way to solve puzzles, real-world problems can be difficult or even impossible to solve completely. As Wes’s real-life problems become more complex and harder to solve, the symbolism of puzzles starts to morph. For example, when Simmons offers to buy Kensington Oaks and several neighbors seem interested in selling, Wes coincidentally loses a piece of his superhero puzzle and realizes that he cannot flawlessly fix the picture. Although “missing pieces” cause hiccups in Wes’s problem-solving processes, he still tries to find solutions, demonstrating his faith and resilience.

Puzzles also symbolize Kensington Oaks and Wes’s community, because the main problem or “puzzle” that Wes feels he needs to solve is how to safeguard the well-being of his community. Wes thinks of the people who sell their houses and move away as “missing pieces” to the community of Kensington Oaks.