Literary Features
Bud, Not Buddy is written in this type of narration. The reader sees and feels things only through the narrator's perspective.
First Person Point of View
Why were the librarians so important to Bud?
They were always there. They knew his Momma. They knew things he likes to read. They gave him food. They made him feel secure. He trusted them. He felt safe at the library.
What is Herman E. Calloway's relationship to Bud?
He is Bud's grandfather.
Why were Momma's and Herman E. Calloway's rocks symbolic?
Thee had writing on them that symbolized the dates and places Herman and his bands played gigs. They were also a connection between Herman and Momma.
What was the name of the place that Bud and Bugs stayed where they met Deza Malone?
Hooverville
When an object, person, or idea in a text has an additional meaning beyond its literal one.
Symbolism
What happened after Bud's experience at the Amos's?
He decided to go 'on the lam' instead of going back to the Home.
How do you think Herman would have felt if he knew Momma saved some of his flyers?
* Answers will vary*
How was Bud's blanket symbolic?
It represented the comfort and security of Momma. It was familiar and made him feel safe. It connected him to Momma.
Name one way that Bud is naive.
*Answers will vary*
The opposite of what is expected. Different kinds are: Dramatic, verbal, and situational.
Irony
Why did Lefty Lewis stop when he first saw Bud on the side of the road?
He knew that Owosso was a sundown town and that it was dangerous for a Black child (and him as a Black man) to be there after dark.
Whey didn't HEC want Bud rummaging around in the bedroom where Miss Thomas let Bud stay?
The items in that room were very sentimental to HEC because they belonged to his daughter who was gone.
What does Bud's name symbolize and why is it important to him?
It's important to him because Momma gave it to him so thoughtfully. It is a symbol of a flower bud that is waiting to blossom.
What does it mean to "ride the rails"?
Jump on a train illegally in order to travel a distance (usually out west) looking for opportunity.
Extended Metaphor
What was so special about Miss Thomas?
She had a beautiful singing voice. She felt 'magical' to Bud. She stood up to HEC. She was motherly and loving toward Bud. She wanted Bud to be taken care of. She knew about Bud's Momma.
Why did HEC always keep a white guy in the band?
So that they could help the band get gigs since most people wouldn't hire a Black band. Also, so that they could hold the deed or ownership of his property since Black people were not allowed to own property because of redlining.
Bud’s mother gave him the age-old speech about “when one door closes, another one opens." What does that door symbolize?
It symbolizes opportunity. When one opportunity doesn't work out or ends, it will lead to another opportunity.
How did the setting of Bud's story impact his character?
*Answers will vary*
Using unreal or extreme exaggeration to emphasize a real situation.
Hyperbole
Compare and Contrast Bud's experience during the Great Depression with the Sleet Family's.
They were Black, there were children, they experienced discrimination, they were from Flint
The Sleets were a family, they had plenty of food and clothing, a nice home & Bud didn't. They had different habits when eating.
How was Bud's experience of going to Grand Rapids and meeting HEC ironic?
He dreamed of meeting his father and living happily ever after, but instead HEC was mean and Bud did not like him, but he found 'family' in Miss Thomas and the band.
What does the campfire at the Flint Hooverville symbolize?
It symbolizes the diversity and mixture of different people who needed to stay in a Hooverville during the Great Depression.
What was the name of the place Bud first visited with the band and what happened there that showed us the first sign of Bud changing?
It was The Sweet Pea restaurant and Bud started crying uncontrollably in front of everyone.