How does Kenny change over the course of the novel, The Weight of Blood?

Kendrick, often referred to as Kenny, changes throughout the novel. As the novel opens, he is part of the popular white group of kids at the high school even though he is Black. He hangs out with the white kids because he believes he has more in common with them than with the Black kids. He is the star football player and will play in college at the University of Alabama. Kenny dates Wendy, but his feelings for her are not as strong as her feelings for him.

The major change in Kenny comes about through his relationship with Maddy. Like him, she had to pretend to be someone she is not. He respects her opinions because she does not just say what he wants to hear like most people do. At prom, he becomes very protective over her. When the paint is spilled on Maddy, he takes Maddy to the white prom to confront the kids who did this to her. He is stopped by a police officer, and when someone trips and accidentally pushes him into a police officer, Kenny is beaten with a club. While Maddy believes he is dead, he is not, and Wendy and Kali get him to safety. The author never specifically says what happens to Kenny after prom, but he tells his sister that he will not go home, and it can be assumed that Wendy and Kali helped him run away with Maddy. By the end of the novel, Kenny is able to make his own decisions and break with his parents’ wishes.