Live + Jesus
English 9: Summer Reading
Death of Innocence by Mamie Till-Mobley and Christopher Benson
and
Inside the Walls of Troy by Clemence Maclaren
For English 9, please read the two books listed above for your summer reading.
Below you will find a list of people/characters to know and reading questions to
answer. You may answer these questions in whatever format you choose: either in
a paper notebook or as a Word or OneNote document. Please bring these answers
with you to class on the first day.
You will be writing a paper based on your summer reading, so I recommend you
annotate your text by highlighting and underlining anything you find interesting or
important. You cannot annotate incorrectly, and there is no way for me to
judge/grade this; it’s just going to give you a head start in the writing process.
During the first week of school you will have an objective test over both the texts. So
read carefully, paying attention to plot and characters.
It does not matter which book you read first.
If you have any questions please contact:
Mrs. Sanchez – asanchez@visitationacademy.org.
Death of Innocence by Mamie Till-Mobley and Christopher Benson
You may or may not have heard of Emmett Till before now. He was an AfricanAmerican fourteen year-old who was murdered in Mississippi in 1955. This book is
a non-fiction work written by his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley.
As you read, keep in mind that Emmett’s murder occurred less than sixty years ago,
just as the Civil Rights movement in America was barely beginning. Then think
about how much things have changed (or, maybe, not changed) in the way things
are in America for people of all races.
As you read, answer the following in your English notebook as described above.
People to Know: Write two to three sentences about each of the following
people from the book.
Emmett Till, often called Bo or Bobo
Mamie Till-Mobley
Louis Till
Alma Gaines (later Spearman), Mamie’s mother, often just called Mama
Gene Mobley
Moses Wright (Papa Mose)
Willie Reed
Dr. T.R.M. Howard
Roy Bryant
Carolyn Bryant
J. W. Milam
Places to Know: Write two to three sentences about each of the following
places from the book.
Argo, Illinois
Money, Mississippi
Questions: Answer the following questions in your notebook.
1. After reading the first 100 pages or so, pause and think about Mamie Till. What
kind of person was she? How would you describe her?
2. After reading the first 100 pages or so, pause and think about Emmett Till. What
kind of person was he? How would you describe him?
3. Explain the way that African-Americans were expected to behave in the South at
this time. What were some of the “unwritten rules” they had to live by? What
rights did they have?
4. What does “Jim Crow” mean? (You will probably have to consult outside sources
to answer this.)
5. Describe the offense that Emmet was accused of having committed
6. What courageous decision did Mamie Till-Mobley make regarding Emmett’s
funeral?
7. How did people react to this decision, locally, nationally, and internationally?
8. Papa Mose and Willie Read both testified at the trial of Emmett’s murders. Why
did this testimony “cross a line that no one could remember a black man ever
crossing in Mississippi” (photograph caption)?
9. Were Emmett’s murders every convicted of any crime? What was your reaction to
the verdict at the murder trial?
10. Why could Bryant and Milam not be convicted of murdering Emmett, even after
they admitted having done so in Look magazine?
11. On page 257, Rosa Parks discusses the influence that Emmett Till’s murder had
on her. What was that impact?
12. Through all of this, Mamie Till never seemed bitter. She even said, “Hatred is a
self-inflicted wound. And it is so destructive. I never felt any hatred towards
Bryant and Milam. And I didn’t want them to be executed. I wanted justice. I
wanted them to be sorry” (262). Think about this statement for a few minutes, and
then give your reaction to it. Do you think that you could have said the same thing
if you were Mamie? What does this statement tell us about her?
13. In the Afterword, the author stated that “Mother Mobley had opened a casket
and opened our eyes” (286). After you have finished the book, explain what you
think this statement means.
Inside the Walls of Troy by Clemence McLaren
Background Activity:
People to Know: Write two to three sentences about each of the following
people from the book.
Helen
Penelope
Hessia
Theseus
Menelaus
Odysseus
Paris
Cassandra
Helenus
Andromache
Polyxena
Hector
Achilles
Helen’s Story:
1. How does Helen’s attitude toward Theseus change following her kidnapping?
Why? Provide specific evidence from the text.
2. In what ways would Helen’s story be different if it were told from Penelope’s
perspective?
3. Describe some differences between the courtships of Helen and of Penelope.
4. How does Helen change from the beginning of her story to its end? How is this
reflected in her narration?
5. Helen’s beauty is described as extraordinary. Choose two characters and discuss
how Helen’s beauty affects their lives.
6. How does Paris’s faith in the will of the gods affect Helen?
Cassandra’s Story:
1. What are some key personality differences between Helen and Cassandra? How
does the author make these differences evident in the narration?
2. Why do the Trojans heed warnings from Helenus and reject those of Cassandra?
3. On page 134, Paris speaks of Cassandra’s love for Helen. Give evidence from the
text that might support his claim.
4. On page 144, Andromache says, “Civilized people have always used marriage to
cement alliances. To prevent bloodshed.” Describe one instance of this occurring in
the text. Who was for it, who was against it, and why?
5. If Polyxena were to narrate her own take on Achilles, what might she say?
6. Cassandra is against Helen’s marriage plan for Polyxena. Does Helen or
Cassandra make a better argument? Why?
7. Discuss the implications of this quote on page 146: “Enemy warriors occasionally
stopped and talked to one another, and it was difficult to tell Greek from Trojan
unless you recognized a particular face.”