Thursday, May 19, 2011

What are some of the major conflicts that occur in Chapters 7, 8, and 9 in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry?Give general answers please, I don't need...

The biggest conflict in Chapters 7, 8, and 9 are focused on the boycott by some of the black residents of the area against the Wallaces' store.  Everyone knows that the Wallaces' were the perpetrators in the vicious attack on the Berrys, but nothing is being done to bring them to justice because they are white and the Berrys are black.  In addition to this, the Wallaces are luring black youths in the community to drink and dance at a room behind the store, and many of the young people are succumbing to the temptation in defiance of their parents' directives.  Because of this, some of the black families organize a boycott of the store, going into Vicksburg to purchase their supplies instead.  Mr. Granger, the local landowner, threatens dire consequences for those who do not return to do business at the Wallaces' store, but some families, including the Logans, persist in doing their shopping elsewhere.


In addition to the boycott, other conflicts in these Chapters include the Mama losing her job, T.J.'s downward spiral, and the friendship overtures of Jeremy Simms.  Mama is fired from her job as a teacher because her participation in the boycott is highlighted by T.J., who is generally a troublemaker and is resentful of Mama for failing him last year.  T.J. is getting into more and more serious trouble as time goes on, and when his loose talk gets Mama fired, the kids at his school, in solidarity with the Logans, shun him.  No longer able to get the attention he craves from his black schoolmates, T.J. starts hanging around with the older Simms boys, who are obviously cultivating his friendship for no good; T.J. is clearly headed for trouble beyond that which he can handle.  An additional conflict addressed is the problem of Jeremy Simms, a white boy who seeks the friendship of the Logan children.  Pa advises Stacey in particular to have nothing to do with Jeremy, because in Mississippi, dealings with white folks almost always means trouble, and it will more than likely cost "too much to find out" if the situation with Jeremy is an exception.


A final conflict occurring in these Chapters is the risk Pa undertakes to continue going to Vicksburg to get supplies, despite the threats of the white community.  On his last run, Pa is indeed ambushed, and he and Stacey are lucky to escape with their lives (Chapters 7, 8, and 9).

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