ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY

SETTING

• The story is set in the racist south, in the 1930's
• Cassie lives with her family on their cotton farm.
• The land is very important -it gives them status
• Mr. Granger's family once owned the land -he wants it back!
• This is their story....

SCHOOL

• Mama is a teacher
• Schools are segregated
• Mama's school has hand-me-down books
• The books belonged to Jefferson Davis
• The books have racial slurs in them - mama covers them up

RACISM IS RIFE!

• The 'night-riders' are feared
• Lynchings, burnings & tar and feathering
• All 'punishments' given to blacks by the night riders
• Looking at a white woman, accusing a white of lying are all 'crimes'
• Whites still believe that blacks are lesser people and have no rights

TJ

• TJ is Stacey's friend
• His family are very poor sharecroppers
• TJ lies, cheats & steals and usually avoids the blame
• TJ hangs out with RW & Melvin (white boys)
• He thinks he's cool - they laugh behind his back - this leads to trouble!

UNCLE HAMMER

• Lives in Chicago
• He is papa's brother /Big Ma's son
• He has no patience for the way blacks are treated in the south
• Has the same car as Harlan Granger - only newer
• He sells his car to meet the mortgage

MR. MORRISON

• Papa brings him home from the railroad
• He is strong - built like a tree
• His family were killed by the night riders when he was young
• He helps to protect the family when Papa is away
• He beats up the Wallaces when they attack Papa and the wagon

RISING ACTION

• Harlan Granger wants to control the blacks (robbing them blind)
• He will get his own way - at any cost
• Mama is fired (TJ told about the books)
• Papa is shot- coming back from Strawberry
• A bad storm is brewing at the Revival celebration

TJ - IN TROUBLE

• TJ & friends break into the Barnett Mercantile
• TJ steals the pearl handled gun he has coveted
• Dewberry attacks Mr. Barnett (his face is covered)
• TJ threatens to tell and is badly beaten by his 'friends'
• TJ goes to Stacey for help

CLIMAX

• TJ is pulled from his home accused of hurting the Barnetts
• RW & Melvin said they witnessed it (they did it!)
• The mob want to hang him - Mr. Jameison stops it
• Papa sets fire to his corn as a diversion
• TJ goes to jail - he may hang,much of Cassie's land is lost.

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