Sarny
How old was Sarny when her birthing mammy was taken away?
Sarny was four years old.
What were three details about John when he first arrived?
Sweaty, dusty, scarred back, naked, shackle around his neck, etc.
"Why they be cutting our thumbs off if we learn to read -- if that's all it is?"
Sarny
The most intense/suspenseful part of the story
Climax
What are "the troubles?"
Puberty
How old was Sarny when the book began? How do we know?
Sarny was twelve. We know because of either the notches on the stick or because Sarny says "I am going into the same years as all fingers on both hands, fold them down, then hold up the thumbs" (p. 17)
What did John want? What did he have to trade?
He wanted tobacco. He could trade reading and writing for tobacco.
"The dogs be mean. He feeds them things to make them mean."
Sarny
The solution to the problem/obstacle is clear, is put into effect to fix things
Falling Action
How much was John bought for?
$1,000
What did Sarny write from the feed sack? What happened when she did?
Sarny copied "100 Lbs." Mammy "gave [her] a smack on the back of the head that like to drove [her] into the ground" (p. 35)
What happened when John ran the first time?
He made it North and was free
"You learn to read and they'll whip you till your skin hangs like torn rags."
Mammy
Introducing characters, setting, and relationships
Exposition
What happened to the two slaves that tried to run?
One of the got eaten by the dogs waist-down and let him hang there for the birds to eat.
The other slave got his genitals cut off and bled out from the wound.
Before hearing John's story, what did Sarny think of a place of freedom?
Sarny thought it was just a fantasy place. "Not something to know. Just something to hear. Like birds singing, the talk of the land North, or the wind in the trees" (p. 50)
What can we assume John's relationship with Mammy is after their confrontation in chapter four? Use evidence
Up to teacher perception
"I swear -- if Clel doesn't stop buying hands we won't have any money left for dresses."
The missus, Margaret, or ladies in the white house
The aftermath of the problem being fixed; how the future is affected by the story
Resolution
How much was Sarny's birthing mammy worth? (hint: it is not an actual dollar amount)
Sarny's birthing mammy "brought enough for four field hands" (p. 15)
What kinds of jobs did Sarny have as a child?
Taking care of the gardens, making food for the others, helping care for injured people, etc.
Why did John come back after he had been free?
He wanted to teach others how to read and write. (Extra points: so they could write about "what they doing to [the enslaved people]. It has to be written."
"It must mean something to somebody."
Nightjohn
The problem/obstacle is introduced, getting worse throughout this plot point
Rising Action
What is Mammy's real name?
Delie