How Is Racism Presented in the Novel of Roll of Thunder,...

How is racism presented in the novel of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry? Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is a novel based in the Southern States of America in the 1930’s and deals with the theme of Racism amongst other themes. Racism is being prejudice or discriminating against someone of a different race based on such a belief. Following on from the Civil War, America experienced ‘The Great Depression’ and it affected everyone, especially blacks. Mildred Taylor reveals examples of racism and racist behaviour throughout the novel based on her own experiences. In this essay, I will discuss what blacks were subjected to and how racism is presented in this novel. Right from the very start, the Logan Children, although they have been protected†¦show more content†¦TJ is blamed for the murder of Mr. Barnett, a white man, when the offence was committed by R.W and Melvin Simms (two white boys). However, TJ was only an accomplice in the break in of Mr. Barnett’s store but this does not prevent the ‘Night Men’ attacking TJ and his family. They do this because it gives them reason to physically and violently assault the Avery family just because they’re black: â€Å"†¦dragged from the house on his knees. His face was bloody and when he tried to speak he cried with pain.† This shows they are treated like animals and not as equals. TJ is considered disposable by the white men as they do not care what happens to him. Also the fact that there was no legal intervention displays how racist the community really was towards black people. In my opinion, I think Mildred Taylor included this in the novel to show that no one stood up to it even though it was unjust and unfair. In contrast to this, not every white character in the book is racist. For example, Jeremy Simms and Mr. Jamison. Jeremy Simms, a white boy, wants to befriend the Logan Children despite knowing he will be punished for his actions as it is considered unacceptable for a white boy to socially interact with black children: â€Å"Jeremy grew even more pale, ‘C-cause I just likes y’all’ he stammered† This shows what a brave and courageous character he is to look beyond the colour of a person’s skin forShow MoreRelatedThe Use of Cassie as the Narrator in Taylors Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry578 Words   |  3 PagesThe Use of Cassie as the Narrator in Taylors Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry Cassie is an intelligent, outspoken, self-confident, and independent young girl who is also the narrator of the novel. Roll of thunder, hear my cry, is a coming of the age story for Cassie as she awakens to the true extent of racism in the south over the course of her tenth year. As she narrates the events, this leads her to mature and grow up. There are quite a few factors, which need to be examinedRead More Censorship in Schools Essay3746 Words   |  15 Pagesoften falls on teachers. The purpose of this research paper is to discuss censorship in schools and to argue that the censorship of books in the high school English curriculum is limiting and takes away literature that is meaningful to students. How a Book is Censored Brinkley describes a few actions that can lead to the censoring of a book in a school or school system: An expression of concern is simply a question about the material with overtones of disapproval; an oral complaint is an oralRead MoreRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 Pagesp. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-19-513376-5 1. Rastafari movement. 2. Jamaica—Religious life and customs. I. Title. BL2532.R37 E36 2002 299†².676—dc21 2002074897 v To Donnaree, my wife, and Donnisa, my daughter, the two persons around whom my life revolves; and to the ancestors whose struggles have enabled us to survive and thrive This page intentionally left blank Foreword One of the most useful things about Ennis Edmondss Rastafari: From Outcasts