In Chapter 6, Byron killed a bird with an apple, then broke down. What does this say about his character?
In Chapter 7, Byron decided to be Daddy Cool and get his hair straightened, or at least try. How do you feel about the way his parents dealt with the situation?
In Chapter 8, Mr. Watson made the rash decision to get the Ultra-Glide in the Brown Bomber. Why do you think Mrs. Watson got so upset about it?
In Chapter 9, Byron decided that he was going to get back his parents for sending him to Birmingham by not saying one word to them during the trip. What do you think he was aiming to accomplish by this?
In Chapter 10, Mrs. Watson is telling of her detailed plan for their trip. Why do you think that they plan to stay in a hotel in some places, but to sleep at the rest stop in others?
Chapter 6: This showed that Byron's toughness is only skin deep. He tries to fit in as the tough guy, but really has not intentions of hurting anyone.
ReplyDeleteChapter 7: I loved the way that they dealt with it! I think this chapter was hilarious. From the description, his hair looked so bad after the chemicals, that it almost seems like a worse punishment to leave it versus shaving it. I loved the dialogue between Mr. and Mrs. Watson about the situation. It reminds me a lot of how my husband and I handle situations.
Chapter 8: She got upset because it cost a lot of money and put a dent in their planning for the trip to Birmingham. Mr. Watson thought it to be a good idea for the trip and looked at it as an expense for the trip, but Mrs. Watson looked at it as unnecessary. It is obvious that she plans for everything financially and is very responsible in that manner.
Chapter 9: I think Byron felt that if he did not say anything to his parents that they would see how upset he was about the situation and not make him go. This backfired though and he didn't even get through the first night without talking.
Chapter 10: In the book, the Watson's speak of not being able to stay in some towns because there weren't any hotels that would cater to colored people, only white people. If they were to stop in those towns, they would have to sleep at the rest stop.
I think the younger children were ignorant of the racial climate in the South. Byron seemed to understand what the consequences could be but still had the mentality "Im tougher"
ReplyDeleteYou could almost feel mommas fear as they entered the Southern region.
I thought Byron wanted to be a tough guy, wanted to be seen as a big boy but in his heart he was a good boy brought up in a good family and killing the bird was not what he had intended on doing.
ReplyDeleteI loved the way they hacked his hair off. I would have done the same thing. I try to be reasonable and listen to my kids wants but in the end I am the parent and I get to say until you leave my house.
I would have been angry too. You don't budget money for a long trip and then go buy a toy for the trip without discussing it with me first. I am sure he thought he was doing something goos for the family, also I am sure he thought he made hte money so in the end he made the decisions.
By thought if he did not speak to his parents he would show them that they could make him go but they could not make him like it and they could not force him to do what they wanted, when they wanted him to do it.
It was obvious that the momspent a lot of time planning the trip to avoid the pains they would go through if they were in places where African American people were not allowed.