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Racism and Perspective in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

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Published: Jul 18, 2018

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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

By mildred taylor, roll of thunder, hear my cry essay questions.

What is the effect created by the author telling this story from the perspective of a child? Does it make the racial incidents seem more or less sinister?

Analyze the non-corrupt white characters like Jeremy Simms. Can you identify any others? What seems to motivate them? Are they better or worse off than the black characters?

Analyze the effect of the three different time periods that have to do with this novel on the text. Discuss how slavery times (before the book was set), Jim Crow laws (during when the book was set), and the Black Power movement (after the book was set, when Mildred Taylor was writing it) have influenced the text. Where do you find examples of each?

Discuss the role of nature in this novel. Does it work in opposition to human interests?

Analyze Big Mama as the voice of history. What sorts of stories does she tell, and what type of effect does she hope that these stories will have on her grandchildren's lives?

Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry is as much a coming of age story for Stacey as it is for Cassie. What realities must Stacey face in this novel and what positive or negative qualities does he begin to demonstrate?

Describe the way that Christmas is portrayed in this novel. Does it introduce new themes relating to family life or enlarge on old ones?

Analyze the character of TJ. Does the author intend him to represent a typical black young man? What is his tragic flaw?

Compare the friendship that Stacey has with TJ to the friendship that he has with Jeremy Simms. To whom does he show more loyalty? Why?

When Papa sets fire to his own cotton at the end of the novel, is he acting in a defeated or a self-controlled manner? Is this a moment of triumph or of despair? Of optimism or pessimism?

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Why doesn't Papa want to tell Hammer about his injury?

Papa is afraid there will be trouble if Hammer finds out about his injury. There's not a chance his hot-headed brother won't want revenge against the people who shot Papa. 

Papa tells Cassie, “There are things you can’t back down on, things you gotta take a stand on. But it’s up to you to decide what them things are.” What things todo you think Cassie must take a stand on? Why?

Papa is referring to the incident with Mr. Barnett at the store, as well as the incident with Lillian Jean.

what might the silver Packard represent or symbolize? Why might Tylor use this detail to introduce uncle hammer

In "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry" by Mildred D. Taylor, the silver Packard represents wealth, status, and power. It symbolizes the economic prosperity and social standing that Uncle Hammer has achieved, particularly in contrast to the poverty and...

Study Guide for Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry study guide contains a biography of Mildred Taylor, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
• Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Summary
• Character List

Essays for Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry literature essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

• Racism and Perspective in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Lesson Plan for Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

• Introduction

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

64 pages • 2 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-3

Chapters 4-6

Chapters 7-9

Chapters 10-12

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

The novel deals with weighty themes but includes many humorous moments. When Mary and Big Ma laugh with the children about the school bus or Cassie expresses irritation at T.J., humor lightens the novel’s mood . What other functions does humor serve in the novel? Cite at least two moments in the text where humor affects the novel’s plot, characterizations, or themes.

Cassie frequently mentions the food that her family prepares and consumes. How do the Logan family’s meals help characterize the family? In your answer, consider who prepares the Logans’ food as well as when and where it is served.

Cassie’s first-person narration guides readers through the novel. What are some of the qualities that make Cassie a strong narrator? Name at least two qualities and keep in mind the novel’s target audience when constructing your answer.

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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Mildred taylor, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Cassie Logan Quotes in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

“Shoot,” I mumbled finally, unable to restrain myself from further comment, “it ain’t my fault you gotta be in Mama’s class this year.”

Once our land had been Granger land too, but the Grangers had sold it during Reconstruction to a Yankee for tax money. In 1887, when the land was up for sell again, Grandpa had bought two hundred acres of it, and in 1918, after the first two hundred acres had been paid off, he had bought another two hundred…But there was a mortgage on the two hundred acres bought in 1918 and there were taxes on the full four hundred, and for the past three years there had not been enough money from the cotton to pay both and live on too.

I asked him once why he had to go away, why the land was so important. He took my hand and said in his quiet way: “Look out there, Cassie girl. All that belongs to you. You ain’t never had to live on nobody’s place but your own and long as I live and the family survives, you’ll never have to. That’s important. You may not understand that now, but one day you will. Then you’ll see.”

[Little Man] ran frantically along the road looking for a foothold and, finding one, hopped onto the bank, but not before the bus had sped past enveloping him in a scarlet haze while laughing white faces pressed against the bus windows.

The Great Faith Elementary and Secondary School, one of the largest black schools in the county, was a dismal end to an hour’s journey. Consisting of four weather-beaten wooden houses on stilts of brick, 320 students, seven teachers, a principal, a caretaker, and the caretaker’s cow, which kept the wide crabgrass lawn sufficiently clipped in spring and summer, the school was located near three plantations, the largest and closest by far being the Granger plantation.

Papa sat very quietly while the Laniers and the Averys talked, studying them with serious eyes. Finally, he took the pipe from his mouth and made a statement that seemed to the boys and me to be totally disconnected with the conversation. “In this family, we don’t shop at the Wallace store.”

By the end of October the rain had come, falling heavily upon the six-inch layer of dust which had had its own way for more than two months. At first the rain had merely splotched the dust, which seemed to be rejoicing in its own resiliency…but eventually the dust was forced to surrender to the mastery of the rain and it churned into a fine red mud that oozed between our toes and slopped against our ankles as we marched miserably to and from school.

Knowing that the bus driver liked to entertain his passengers by sending us slipping along the road to the almost inaccessible forest banks washed to a smooth baldness…we consequently found ourselves comical objects to cruel eyes that gave no thought to our misery.

“Well, he don’t and you don’t,” Big Ma said, getting up. “So ain’t no use frettin’ ‘bout it. One day you’ll have a plenty of clothes and maybe even a car of yo’ own to ride ‘round in, so don’t you pay no mind to them ignorant white folks.”

“See, fellows, there’s a system to getting out of work,” T.J. was expounding as I sat down. “Jus’ don’t be ‘round when it’s got to be done. Only thing is, you can’t let your folks know that’s what you’re doin’.”

And in the fireplace itself, in a black pan set on a high wire rack, peanuts roasted over the hickory fire as the waning light of day swiftly deepened into a fine velvet night speckled with white forerunners of a coming snow, and the warm sound of husky voices and rising laughter mingled in tales of sorrow and happiness and days past but not forgotten.

“You see that fig tree over yonder, Cassie? Them other trees all around…that oak and walnut, they’re a lot bigger and they take up more room and give so much shade they almost overshadow that little ole fig. But that fig’s got roots that run deep, and it belongs in that yard as much as that oak and walnut…It don’t give up. It give up, it’ll die. There’s a lesson to be learned from that little tree, Cassie girl, ‘cause we’re like it. We keep doing what we gotta, and we don’t give up. We can’t.”

Mr. Morrison lowered his eyes and looked around the room until his gaze rested on the boys and me. “I ain’t ever had no children of my own. I think sometimes if I had, I’d’ve wanted a son and daughter just like you and Mr. Logan…and grandbabies like these babies of yours…”

What had happened to T.J. in the night I did not understand, but I knew that it would not pass. And I cried for those things which had happened in the night and would not pass. I cried for T.J. For T.J. and the land.