Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
By Mildred D. Taylor
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Write 5 Things You Know About the
Great Depression
Write 5 Things You Know About Jim Crow
Laws
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
1. During what decade does this novel take
place?
2. How is Jeremy Simms different from the
Logan children?
3. Why does Papa have to work away from
home on the railroad? Who is Mr.
Morrison?
4. What is the one little difference between
Uncle Hammer's car and Mr. Granger's car?
5. What is the staple crop?
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
1. During what decade does this novel take
place?
2. How is Jeremy Simms different from the
Logan children?
3. Why does Papa have to work away from
home on the railroad? Who is Mr.
Morrison?
4. What is the one little difference between
Uncle Hammer's car and Mr. Granger's car?
5. What is the staple crop?
• http://www.successlink.org/gti/lesson_unitviewer.asp?lid=2985
• http://www.holton.k12.ks.us/staff/jireland/Su
mmer1999/thunderlessons.htm
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
1. What is the main difference between the Logans
and the other blacks?
2. Who is Mr. Jamison?
3. What are "night men"?
4. Why are the Logan children told to stay away
from the Wallace store?
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry:
Interpretive Response
Compare and contrast the characters of T.J. Avery and Stacey Logan.
T.J. Avery
1.
Both
Stacey Logan
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry:
Interpretive Response Chapters 4-6
Why did Mr. Morrison leave it up to Stacey
whether or not to tell Mama about going to
the Wallace store? (middle Chapter 4)
Explain the meaning of Mama's statement, "But
one day we'll have to pay for it. Believe me,
one day we'll pay." (last lines of Chapter 6)
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Response
Chapter 4
• What is your first clue that T.J. is big trouble?
Do you think it’s
• wise that Stacey is friends with him?
• • How do you think Stacey felt when he had to
tell his parents
• about his fight with T.J.?
• • What does Cassie learn about her family
from Big Ma?
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry: Irony
and Symbolism Chapters 7-9
Read the three following quotes. Identify and explain the
irony or symbolism they contains.
Chapter 4: T.J.'s statement, "Friends gotta trust each other,
Stacey, 'cause ain't nothin' like a true friend."
Chapter 6: Uncle Hammer's response, "Well, not exactly like
it, Mama. Mine's a few months newer. Last year when I
come down here, I was right impressed with that big ole
Packard of Mr. Harlan Filmore Granger's and I thought I'd
like to own one myself. It seems that me and Harlan
Granger just got the same taste."
Chapter 9: Papa's explanation to Cassie that begins, "You see
that fig tree over yonder, Cassie?" and ends, "We keep doin
what we gotta and we don't give up. We can't."
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Imagery
• http://www.enotes.com/documents/imageryroll-thunder-hear-my-cry35665?action=preview&pg=1
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Theme
One of the themes in this
book is that of racial
conflict. "What is
racism? What examples
of racism can we see in
this story so far?"
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Compare/Contrast
Begin a Comparison and Contrast log showing
the similarities and differences between the
white and the Afro-American children.
White Children
Black Children
Ride the county bus
Walk to school
Wear poor clothing
Also wear poor clothes
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Compare/Contrast
Begin a Comparison and Contrast log showing
the similarities and differences between the
white and the Afro-American children.
White Children
Black Children
Ride the county bus
Walk to school
Wear poor clothing
Also wear poor clothes
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Reader Response
•
•
•
•
What were the night riders doing?"
"Why were the children afraid?"
"Why were the adults afraid?"
"What do you think will happen next?"
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Chapter 3
• Why does the driver of the white children’s
school bus splash the Logan children with
mud?
• How do the children get their revenge on the
white bus driver and his passengers? Do you
think this was right?
• What might it feel like to be the only person in
town to have a big, fancy car?
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Literary Concepts
• Carry on seeing the similarities and differences in the way
the two racial groups live. Do the differences show when
they are not together? Or do they only come out when the
two races are together? (For example, both groups have
people with money for fancy cars, both have poorer
people, both have people who don't agree with the way
things are). (Comparison and Contrast)
• Why do the adults, particularly the women fear the white
'night men'? Why do they react to trouble the way they do?
Why was Mama so afraid when Hammer left the house?
(Drawing Conclusions)
• Remember Cassie's anger at the way they were treated in
Strawberry. Write about why she was angry.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Literary Concepts
• Carry on seeing the similarities and differences in the way the two
racial groups live. Do the differences show when they are not
together? Or do they only come out when the two races are
together? (For example, both groups have people with money for
fancy cars, both have poorer people, both have people who don't
agree with the way things are) (Comparison and Contrast)
• Why do the adults, particularly the women fear the white 'night
men'? Why do they react to trouble the way they do? Why was
Mama so afraid when Hammer left the house? (Drawing
Conclusions)
• What questions do you have about the chapters you read today?
(Clarifying Content) Response Log Remember Cassie's anger at the
way they were treated in Strawberry. Write about why she was
angry. Then write about a time when you were angry yourself about
some time you were treated badly.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Point of View:
The book is for the most part written from a firstperson point of view in which the story is told by
Cassie, one of the Logan children. But when a
flashback occurs, the adult telling the story tells it
from their own point of view, which is a different
first person point of view. Mr. Morrison's story of
his family's death is a good example. (pp 147150). Be sure you understand point of view - the
position from which the story is told. In the first
person point of view, the story teller is part of the
story and describes himself or herself as 'I'. In the
third person point of view, the storyteller is
completely outside of the story as if he or she
were a spectator, and refers to all characters as
'he' or 'she'.
Activity 1. The Diary
It is the day after the bus crash. Last
night, the night men appeared at
the farm and then backed out and
disappeared. Pretend you are
Point of View:
Cassie or Stacey and write a diary
ROLL OF THUNDER,
entry? HEAR MY CRY
Imagery:
Activity 2. The Christmas Dinner
Write as many sensory details as
you can, so the reader can draw a
mental picture of the Logan’s
Christmas dinner.
ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY
Activity 3. Letter to the School
Board
Write a letter to the Chairman of
the School Board. Tell him how
you think the school system (in
the book) should be changed and
Persuasive Letter:
why. If you think it might cost
ROLL OF THUNDER,
HEAR
MY
CRY
more money, give him ideas on
how the changes can be paid for.
Point of View:
Activity 4. Jeremy’s Story
If you were Jeremy Simms and it
were you telling the story, how
would it be different? Tell the
story from Jeremy's point of view.
ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY