Name that theme?
What does it mean to “grow up?” The process has a lot to do with figuring out what's real and what isn't.
What is Coming of Age?
Byron seems totally guilt-free—until the death-by-cookie incident. Feeling guilty isn't always related to being at fault.
What is a Claim for: Guilt and Blame?
The Larry Dunn incident
Importance of Family
"Byron is getting old enough to have to understand that his time for playing is running out fast, he's got to realize the world doesn't have a lot of jokes waiting for him. He's got to be ready."
What is a passage for the theme of Race?
Their role in the family affects their behavior... or their behavior determine their role in the family?
What is a reasoning for Importance of Family?
Sometimes it seem like the Watsons don't get along at all, underneath all the bickering and bullying and tattling, their love for each other saves more than one of them in the end.
What is Importance of Family?
When he hurts Rufus's feelings or after the church bombing happens, Kenny's struggle with feeling guilty is harmful to himself.
What is a Claim for: Guilt and Blame?
The church bombing
What is the theme of Death? Race?
"I got right next to where the door used to be when the guy came out with a little girl in his arms. He had on the same thing Dad did, a T-shirt and pajama pants, but it looked like he'd been painting with red, red paint."
What is a passage about the theme of Mortality?
Kenny let Joey down in the church; he should have stayed until he was sure she was okay.
What is reasoning for Guilt and Blame?
In the 1960s there were some very negative attitudes (as well as violence) directed toward the African American race as a whole
What is Racism?
Being African American doesn't have any effect on the Watsons at all until they travel into the South
What is a Claim for: Race?
"I loved when Dad talked to me like I was grown-up. I didn't really understand half the junk he was saying, but it sure did feel good to be talked to like that!"
Passage supporting: Coming of Age
"I could have done a lot of stuff to him. If it had been me with my lips stuck on something like this he'd have tortured me for a couple of days before he got help. Not me, though, I nearly broke my neck trying to get into the house to rescue Byron."
What is the theme of Importance of Family?
Death is a necessary part of life, so Kenny has to experience it in order to grow up. Ultimately, learning about death is a good thing for him.
What is reasoning for the theme of Death?
Who gets bullied and who does the bullying is an Elementary School example of this theme.
What is Society and Class?
Taking Byron to Birmingham WAS the best thing for the family.
When Joetta blows out the matches Momma is trying to use to burn Byron.
What is the theme of Importance of Family?
"How's it fair that two grown men could hate N****es so much that they'd kill some kids just to stop them from going to school? How's it fair that even though the cops down there might know who did it nothing will probably ever happen to those men?"
What is a passage about the theme of Race?
If Kenny were a bully like Byron, he would have a higher place on the social ladder and wouldn't get picked on.
What is reasoning for Society and Class?
Mortality... people we love won't live forever... It can strike anywhere at any time... are examples of this...
What is Death?
Byron and Kenny are better off as “kids.” (protected from the tragedies of the real world)
Claim for: Coming of Age
"Momma started trying to force me to do more things with Rufus but it seemed like he'd changed while we were gone and wasn't as much fun to be with."
What is a passage for the theme of Coming of Age?
Maybe [the magic powers] were in the way your father smiled at you even after you'd messed something up real bad. Maybe they were in the way you understood that your mother wasn't trying to make you the laughing "sock" of the whole school when she'd call you over in front of a bunch of your friends and used spit on her finger to wipe the sleep out of your eyes. Maybe it was magic powers that let you know she was just being Momma. [...] Maybe there were genies in the way your sister would throw a stupid tea party for you and you had fun even though it was kind of embarrassing to sit at a little table and sip water out of plastic teacups. [...] And I'm sure there was an angel in Birmingham when Grandma Sands wrapped her little arms around all of the Weird Watsons and said, "My fambly, my beautiful, beautiful fambly."
What is a passage for the theme of Family?
Byron and Kenny are better off now that they've grown up a little. Even though they're still young, it's important to understand how the world really works.
What is Reasoning for Coming of Age?