Roll Of Thunder Hear My Cry Prepared By

Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Prepared By: Joern & Aqilah

Introducing Weather Elements What are Weather Elements? -One of themes for Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry (ROTHMC) -Correlated to the happenings in ROTHMC -A symbolic role for important scenes & events -Imagery, foreshadowing

Going into details: Part 1 (Brief description) Human feelings and the atmosphere? The author, Mildred D Taylor, used environmental attributes to echo how a human feels regarding the issues that they are facing. However, it applies largely to the blacks. Some issues faced: Racism, Discrimination, Injustice Weather conditions? Muddy conditions; Depicts how the blacks are being discriminated especially in pursuing education. Thunder storms; Aims at the emergence of violence which eventually will be calm.

Going into details: Part 2 Meteorological Events e. g. Rain, Thunder, Storm § The Logan children with all the black students have to walk to school (rain or shine but mostly in the rain) § Almost all the time in ROTHMC, it is raining: “That night when I was snug in the deep feathery bed beside Big Ma, the tat-tat of the rain against the tin roof changed to a deafening roar that sounded as if thousands of giant rocks were being hurled against the earth. By morning the heavy rain had become a drizzle, but the earth was badly sodden from the night's downpour. High rivers of muddy water flowed in the deep gullies, and wide lakes shimmered. ” (Chapter 3, page 38) Having to walk to school regardless of the weather was bad enough but the blacks (children) were looked down by the whites when the whites-only school bus "zooming from behind and splashing [the children] with the murky waters of the road" (Chapter 3, page 36)

BABE, ELABORATE ON THE RAIN PART. – babe I put my parts behind.

Going into details: Part 3 Sounds & Symbols ( Thunder & Cry) Thunder: • Loud, booming, powerful • May roll with gentle warnings from a distance or may erupt abruptly • Interpretation? Something big is on its way. High chances of something big and ominous. Mr Morrison: 1) His voice “deep [and] quiet… like the low roll of thunder” (Chapter 2, page 32) 2) He sings the song “Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry” (a song of defiance against oppression) 3) Does not favours injustice

http: //www. shmoop. com/roll-ofthunder/weather-symbol. html

Going into details: Part 4 What does lightning symbolises? - Weather is a sentient entity - Ability: hearing his cry and empathizing - Dust, rain, and mud emphasize the whites degradation of the blacks’ school children, and - Physical barrier posed by walking to school in the rain echo the barriers erected to the black children's education by the school board - Furthermore, the blacks had no rights to refuse what were given to them as a education although it insults them - The climax of the book occurs simultaneously with a massive thunder storm, and the approaching storm cannot be separated from the approaching violence.

Activity: Song Hunt The theme Weather Elements may be used not only on literature novels but also on songs. They are especially portrayed in the lyrics of a song or in the music videos [MV] TASK: You are given 7 minutes to search for a song in relevant to theme Weather Elements with your partner. Requirements are stated as above. Your song MUST consists of the literary devices that has been learnt. Here’s a song for an example: https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=x 8 M 1 vq. JYKt. M

Chapter 9 ‘SPRING. It seeped unseen into the waiting red earth I early March, softening the hard ground for the coming plow and awakening life that had lain gently sleeping through the cold winter. ’ Red earth – red: warmth Awakening life: tangible, lively feeling Description of earth- SETTING : alive, life-giving -does it counter relate to the relations in the family as well? (warmth in the family)? In chapter 9, fig tree is also being mentioned. Fig tree- represents resilience and papa’s view on what he wants the children to grow Up being (fig tree)-> tells us the bond/expectations in the family. -Papa wants the good for his children.

Chapter 9 (pg 156) • ‘On Thursday, when they were to return, it began to rain, a …………. . As the thunder rumbled overhead Mama peered out the window at the dark road. ’ • ‘As the evening fell ino total darkness’ • Sombre mood reflected by gloomy , ominous weather is identical to the mood in the Logan’s household while they await for Papa’s return. • Weather also acts as a foreshadowing ominous effect as Papa comes back injured and shot. • Writer’s craft: Taylor heightens the suspense and makes the reader anticipate about what is about to happen.

Pg 160 • ‘A trunk came up the road ……. . , but didn’t none of us hear it coming ‘cause of the rain and the thunder and all’ • Rain and thunder appears again: • -foreshadowing of what is going to happen to Papa • Ominous mood – anticipation of something bad that is going to strike

Chapter 10 (pg 168) • ‘August dawned blue and hot. ………. Awaiting the coolness of a rain that occasionally threatened but did not come’ • Can be linked with the threat (warning) that papa received for boycotting the Wallace store. ( in reference to chapter 9 - pg 149: whereby Mr Jamison brings papa the warning) • Literary Device- Mr Jamison prepares the Logan family for the danger and threats they may face for boycotting the Wallace store. Taylor is also preparing the readers for what is to come.

Page 176 • ‘On the last night ……. . the air felt close, suffocating, and no wind stirred. ’ • Air is suffocating. • Death is awaiting. • The grim mood also foreshadows that it is T. J that will cause an uproar in the community in the last two chapters of the novel.

Chapter 11 (pg 180) • ‘The night whispered of distant thunder. …………. the night has been total darkness with no hint of a graying dawn. ’ • Marks the approaching crisis and destruction • Foreshadows that something unpleasant is definite to happen. • Thunder- continues throughout the book, it takes the centre stage among the elements of atmosphere and weather. • The element, thunder itself, also gives us a sense of idea on the crisis of the book.

Pg 186 • ‘The thunder was creeping closer now, rolling angrily over the forest depths and bringing the lighting with it. ’ • Enhances the anticipating bad event • Is a branch to the previous point

Pg 190 • ‘Thunder crashed against the corners of the world and lightning split the sky’ • Massive stuation • Repetition of bad weather • People were going to be lynched or shot.