What Happened to the Family Who Went to Birmingham in Walking Dead
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| Author | Christopher Paul Curtis |
|---|---|
| Country | United states of america |
| Genre | Realistic fiction, Juvenile fiction |
| Publication date | 1995/1997/2000 |
| OCLC | 32133739 |
| LC Class | PZ7.C94137 Wat 1995 |
The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 is a historical-fiction novel past Christopher Paul Curtis. Offset published in 1995, it was reprinted in 1997. It tells the story of an African-American family living in the town of Flint, Michigan, in 1963. When the oldest son (Byron) begins to become into a flake of problem, the parents determine he should spend the summer and possibly the next schoolhouse twelvemonth with Grandma Sands in Birmingham, Alabama. The entire family travels at that place together by car, and during their visit, tragic events take identify. The book was adapted for Hallmark Aqueduct in 2013.
Background and setting [edit]
The book takes place from approximately January to October 1963, a turbulent time during the Civil Rights Movement. The Watson family is fictional, but the characters are based on members of the writer's family, including himself, and many of the events in the get-go half of the book are based on a farm from the author'southward childhood and additional personal events.
Events later in the story center around the celebrated 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, before long later the civil rights protests had gained negotiation with white city leaders for integration. KKK members bombed the church on September 15, 1963, killing 4 girls and injuring many more than. In the novel, the incident is depicted as occurring a bit before than the historical date, allowing the Watson family unit to nonetheless be on summertime holiday in Birmingham when it took identify.
The bombing was a goad for increased action in the Civil Rights Motion and work on voter registration in Mississippi, during Freedom Summertime of 1964.
Plot [edit]
The novel is a first-person account narrated by Kenneth Watson, who lives in Flint, Michigan with his parents Daniel and Wilona Watson, his older blood brother Byron, and younger sister Joetta. The opening chapters establish Kenny every bit a very bright and shy 4th grader who has difficulty making true friends until Rufus Fry arrives in town from Arkansas. Rufus is also bullied past the students at Clark Elementary for his "country" dress and accent, making Kenny reluctant to befriend him at first, but they are shortly inseparable. Kenny is alternatively bullied and protected by his xiii twelvemonth old brother Byron and his friend, Buphead, whom he calls "an official teenage juvenile delinquent". Byron has been retained twice because he often skips school and is still in 6th grade. He invents a series of "fantastic adventures" which constantly go him into problem and include playing with matches in the business firm and setting things on fire, abusing his parent'due south credit at the corner grocery store to buy himself treats, and getting a "conk" hairstyle against his parents' orders.
Daniel and Wilona eventually become and so frustrated with their inability to "straighten out" Byron that they determine to send him to Birmingham, Alabama to live with Grandma Gloria Sands (Wilona'south mother) for at least the summertime and possibly an unabridged year. As shortly as the schoolhouse twelvemonth concludes, the Watsons ready their car ("the Brown Bomber") and embark on a road trip from Flintstone to Birmingham to evangelize Byron to his grandma. Kenny had been looking forward to the "battle royal" between his grandma and Byron, but is disappointed when but a few sharp words from the "old, old lady" have Byron speaking respectfully and generally behaving himself, causing Kenny to seek out his ain "adventures". Grandma Sands warns the children to avert a particular local swimming hole considering of a dangerous whirlpool, which Kenny misheard as "Wool Pooh" due to her thick Alabama accent. Kenny wants to swim in that location anyway, and is frustrated when Byron and Joetta decline to go on. Ignoring the warnings of both Grandma Sands and Byron, Kenny jumps into the seemingly tranquil puddle and edges deeper and deeper water until the whirlpool catches him and almost pulls him downwards, but Byron saves him. Remembering his grandmother's words, he imagines that a strange monster he thinks is the mysterious Wool Pooh swam up from below to grab his ankle and pull him under. Byron after insists that there was goose egg else in the water, but Kenny is convinced that the Wool Pooh really exists.
Before long afterwards, a bomb goes off at a nearby church where Joetta is attending Sunday schoolhouse. Kenny wanders into the still-smoking church in the immediate aftermath looking for his sister, only instead sees the Wool Pooh in the smoke clinging to a torn girl's shoe that looks like Joetta's. In shock, he walks back to Grandma Sands' house without anyone noticing that he had been at the church, and he'southward once again shocked and confused to detect Joetta already there. She claims that it was Kenny who had called her away from the church and led her home, and she does non even know that a bombing had taken place correct after she'd left Sunday school.
As soon as they realize that Joetta is safe, the Watsons make up one's mind to immediately return abode to Flintstone, trying to avoid explaining the full implications of what has happened to the children. Kenny is unable to process the events in Birmingham and avoids his family unit and friends over the ensuing weeks, instead spending many hours hiding behind the sofa. Byron eventually coaxes him out and gets Kenny to talk well-nigh what happened, which finally brings a overflowing of tears from Kenny. Encouraging his piffling blood brother to "keep on stepping", Byron explains that although the world is not perfect, he has to go on moving on.
Characters [edit]
- Kenneth Watson - The master character and narrator of the story, the younger of the two sons of the Watsons. Kenny is ten years old. He is an fantabulous/intelligent student with many capabilities and has a lazy eye, which makes him the target of bullying at Clark Uncomplicated School.
- Wilona Sands Watson - Usually referred to every bit "Momma", she is the wife of Daniel and the mother of the 3 children. A native of Birmingham, she slips into a thick Southern accent when mad or excited, and complains almost Flint'south harsh winters. She is strict and overprotective but loves her kids.
- Daniel Watson - The husband of Wilona and begetter of the three children. He's known for having a good sense of humor and is referred to as "Dad".
- Byron Watson - Older brother of Kenny and Joey. He is considered the "God" of Clark Elementary Schoolhouse. He bullies smaller kids along with his best friend Buphead. He is known for beingness a terrible student and is also known for breaking the rules and being a rebel. Byron is 13.
- Joetta "Joey" Watson - Younger sister of Byron and Kenny. She follows the rules and is very religious. Joey has a special relationship with Byron. She is five.
- Buphead - Byron's best friend, who is as well an "official delinquent," helps Byron bully many kids, including Kenny, although Byron and Buphead stand up up for Kenny and Rufus when they're being bullied by Larry.
- Grandma Sands - Grandmother of Kenny, Byron, and Joey, mother of Wilona, and female parent-in-law of Daniel. She is supposed to be very strict. Seen by Wilona, Kenny, Byron, Joey, and Daniel when they arrived in Birmingham. Grandma Sands walks with a cane due to having a stroke. Her husband died before the beginning of the book.
- Rufus Fry - Kenny's new all-time friend and Cody's big brother. His family unit moves to Flint from the South. He and his little blood brother Cody befriend Kenny.
- Cody Fry - Rufus's little brother. Rufus and Cody come from a poor Southern African-American family unit.
- Lawrence "Larry" Dunn - the school bully in Kenny and Rufus'due south form, until Byron teaches him a lesson for stealing Kenny'southward winter gloves.
- Mr. Robert - a dear friend of Grandma Sands. Mr. Robert started helping Grandma Sands out around the firm subsequently her husband died. It'southward hinted that Grandma Sands has a crush on Mr. Robert.
- Mrs. Davidson - is the religious next-door neighbour of the Watsons. Joey goes to church building with Mrs. Davidson three times a week. Sometimes Wilona makes Kenny go to Sunday School with Joey.
- LJ Jones - a old playmate of Kenny who stole many of Kenny'due south toy dinosaurs.
[edit]
The Watsons Become to Birmingham – 1963 was Christopher Paul Curtis'southward first novel, earning him a Newbery Accolade, a Coretta Scott King (married woman of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) Honor, and the Gilded Kite Award. Curtis as well wrote the Newbery Accolade-winning novel Bud, Non Buddy; Elijah of Buxton, and The Mighty Miss Malone.[1] [2]
Adaptations [edit]
In 2013, a television set film based on the book produced by Walden Media premiered on the Hallmark Aqueduct, starring Anika Noni Rose, Wood Harris, Latanya Richardson, Skai Jackson and David Alan Grier. The motion picture adapted the story by condensing and trimming events and characters from Flint in the kickoff half of the novel and adding new scenes showing Kenny and Byron helping local youths organize Civil Rights events in Birmingham.
References [edit]
- ^ Newbery Medal and Honor Books, 1922–Present, American Library Association, retrieved 2009-01-17
- ^ Coretta Scott King Book Honor Complete List of Recipients—by Year, American Library Association, retrieved 2009-01-17
External links [edit]
- Random Firm'south page on the book
- Alabama church marks bombing anniversary
- The Watsons Become to Birmingham at Hallmark Channel
- The Watsons Become to Birmingham at IMDb
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Watsons_Go_to_Birmingham_%E2%80%93_1963