What is the Subject of the Novel? Booker T. Washington's life.
Find and state (in the author's words) a "defining" passage, one
which best summarizes
the direction of the novel-its theme.
In May, 1881, near the close of my first year in teaching the night-school,
in a way that
I had not dared expect, the opportunity opened for me to begin my life work
Paraphrase this passage (in your own words):
At the end of his first year of teaching at the Hampton night school something
happened to him that would begin his life's work.
Paraphrase three subsidiary, supporting ideas, images or symbols using complete
sentences.
He then began to head to Tuskegee to build a new school. He felt strongly
that
after seeing New England he had to improve its education. The more they saw
the
town the more they realized how they were reaching people.
Make a list of and name the characters you have found in the essay, supply
a
characterizing quotation and tell why you think the author used the character.
Character's Name
Quote the text!
Why used?
1 General S. C. Armstrong
" First was contact with a great man, General S. C. Armstrong, who, I
repeat, was,
in my opinion, the rarest, strongest, and most beautiful character that has
ever
been my privilege to meet."
He put his person in his biography because he made a huge impact on his life
and
he showed great leadership.
2 Olivia A, Davidson
"While teaching in Mississippi, one of her pupils became ill with smallpox.
Every
one in the community was so frightened that no one would nurse the boy. Miss
Davidson
closed her school and remained by the bedside of the boy night and day until
he recovered."
He put this person in his book because one she was his wife and two she helped
him put together
the Tuskegee institute
3 Miss Natalie Lord
"Whatever ability I may have as a public speaker i owe in a measure to
Miss Lord. When she found
out that i had some inclination in this direction, she gave me private lessons
in the manner of
breathing, emphasis, and articulation."
He put her in his book because she had a big impact in his life during the
time of his early education. She made him the public speaker that he was.
4 Mrs. Viola Ruffner
" I cannot recall how long I lived With Mrs. Ruffner before going to
Hampton, but I think it must have been a year and a half. At any rate, I here
repeat
what i have said more than once before, that the lessons that I learned in
the home of Mrs. Ruffner were as valuable to me as any education i have ever
gotten anywhere since."
Summarize the plot, noting the complications, climax or crisis and resolution
of the
piece:
The plot of this biography was the struggles he went through in life from
being in slaver
to having trouble getting into a school. He worked hard to get through all
of these troubles
and succeeded in life and established a school of his own.
Explain your view on the issues raised in the book. Do you agree, disagree
or partially
agree with the author? Give at lease three reasons you believe as you do.
There were many issues raised in this book mainly slavery and racism and I
disagree with
all of them because I believe that it is wrong to put people through that
and people should
be treated equally no matter what they look like. I also disagreed with the
issues that were
brought up because you should be able to live life how ever you choose to
live it.
