Examples Of Bravery In Nightjohn

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave and the movie Nightjohn are similar in a number of ways. First, they both are about slaves that have to deal with hardships and tough lessons. Another critical similarity is both masters were merciless and controlling white men who opposed their slaves learning to read. An equally important similarity is both main characters wouldn't give up in their hunt to become readers. Finally, both works share a mistress that was kind in the beginning, but later showed her real self as their cruelty came out from the shadows into the light.

---reading review of <<Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl and a True Tale of Slavery>>

In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass explains, in great detail, how slave master would use a variety of methods to dehumanize slaves located on their plantation. These methods involved both severe physical and psychological trauma. Nevertheless, Douglass remains diligent and finds a way to resist the harsh reality of being a slave. Because of his immovable desire to acquire knowledge to his fighting encounter with Mr. Covey, these experiences help shape Douglass to be the archetype of what it means to go from slavery to freedom. This essay will highlight the physical and psychological tactics used on slaves. In addition, the aspect of how Douglass resists the

Harriet’s bravery played a huge role in her escape. If she wasn't brave she would’ve never been able to stand up to her bigger stronger brothers when they told her not to run for the north. If she didn’t have bravery she would have never left the plantation to make it to the north. She also had to be brave when she was making it to house to house  without being

Little rock, Arkansas 1957 in Warriors don’t cry by Melba Pattillo Beals, her and eight other African American, high school students integrates Central High School. Only eight of the nine that begin at Central High lasted for the full year. Melba and her eight friends face new wars every day. These are some of the traits she uses to survive her year and overcome her enemies at Central High School. Melba relies on her courage, faith, and not only her physical strength, but her mental strength as well.

In addition to Jacobs’ account, Douglass’ narrative focused on his journey through manhood and freedom – “…I wished I could be as free as they would be when they got to be men … ‘Have not I as good a right to be free as you have?’” (Douglass, Chapter VII) – as well as, “This battle with Mr. Covey was the turning-point in my career as a slave. It rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of my own manhood.” (Douglass, Chapter X). He had no freedom, but when he decided to fight back against the evil hand of slavery, he found it and made it his own. As a slave, he had no right to freedom, which in turn belittled his own manhood. His fight with Mr. Covey restored his sense of honor, his entitled manhood, as well as a spark of freedom he did not previously have.

The most electrifying moments in Douglass’s narrative was seen when Douglass decides to fight Mr. Covey back. Douglass gets the courage to fight Mr. Covey because he had the magical root in his hand. In the Narrative, there are many instances where violence is being depicted but in most scenarios it is seen when the slave owners discipline the slave. The roles were never reversed until this moment. After this fight, Douglass longed to be free more than ever. Though this act of violence is not what Douglass wanted, it did help him stay motivated. This act of violence can be seen as an act of resistance against slavery.

A heroic person is undaunted by fearsome situations and uses courage when it is needed. When a hero sees someone in danger, they aren't quite a hero yet. They are just a regular person that springs into action to save someone. At the Primrose Daycare, a car crashed into a fence, almost running over some children. A teacher that was nearby “tried to shield the kids, [and] she got the brunt of it,” (NBCDFW, Injured in Crash at Frisco Daycare). This woman is a prime example of courage and her quick actions saved them all. Similarly, Frederick Douglass displayed this amount of courage as well. Frederick Douglass was a slave that had to be brave and escape himself and others from the wrath of slavery. This is what the people saved by Douglass think about him, “When it is finally ours, this freedom, this liberty, this beautiful and terrible thing...this man, this Douglass, this former slave, this Negro beaten to his knees, exiled, visioning a world where not is lonely, none hunted, alien, this man shall be remembered,” (Hayden 81). Frederick had to be strong and stealthy to make the journey to the North. Both of

The young adult novel Nightjohn depicts the plight of enslaved African-Americans from the point-of-view of an adolescent so that readers can feel as well as learn about the difficulties experienced by slaves in the antebellum south. The book revolves around the prohibition of teaching slaves how to read. In the novel, a former escaped slave named John teaches a young girl named Sarney how to read. John or 'Nightjohn' as he is called, slips into the slave barracks at night when the whites of the plantation are sleeping, and attempts to spread empowering knowledge to his people. John could have remained safe in the north but he chose to return because of his belief in the power of the written word.

Moreover, every other character in the story can be said to have courage, especially Atticus. The book revolves around Atticus and how he has no fear to defend a black man. Atticus is a lawyer that always had justice and never accepts injustice. He defends a black man named “Tom Robinson” who is accused of rapping a white girl whose own father had infact raped. “I’m simply defending a negro his name’s Tom Robinson” “The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this country in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again” (Lee,100). These quotes show that Atticus is not afraid and is brave enough to hold his head up in town even if he defended Tom, an inferior in their society. It also shows how well educated and mature he is that he even connects his job to his kids and he always tries to be good to be the best in his kids’ eyes. He wanted his kids to get along with other people and for them to learn courage from them like Mrs. Dubose, for example.

Night by Elie Wiesel is an book about the author a Jewish boy and his life during World War Two. The story begins with him getting captured by Nazis and gets put in a several concentration camps, with his father. Wiesel just fifteen years old and has to leave his humanity behind to survive. And if that wasn't enough he also has to surpass a lot of challenges like starvation, losing hope, and getting beat constantly. This is an true story that ultimately ends up with him surviving. Although, Wiesel does end up a changed boy when loss of hope starts to set in, suggesting that people change because of violence some changes are lose hope in God, humanity, and innocence

(3) When first reading these narratives one would often assume, by what history tells us, that slave owners were cruel, hated men who often beat slaves severely if they committed even the slightest infraction. While this depiction does stand true for some slave owners, I was surprised to find that most of the former slaves interviewed in the “Slave Narratives” often held their masters in high regards, referring to them as kind and good. Former slave Harriett Gresham even goes as far to say that her master, Mr. Bellinger was “exceptionally kind”. Many slaves in the narratives described their masters as good to his slaves and never whipping them unless it was absolutely necessary. However, when the former slaves spoke of the “paterollers”, white men who roamed the roads in search of runaway slaves often beating them and returning them to their owners, they were described as being very cruel to slaves showing no sympathy to any slave found running away from a

The books The Boys in The Boat and Night have two common characters that go through similar struggles in their lives. The Boys in The Boat is written by Daniel James Brown. This story is about a poor college student who has to live without a family at a young age. He depends solely on his spot on the college rowing team to be able to support himself. Together, he, and his teammates fight through the struggles of rowing and life, rowing their way to the Olympics. The novel Night was written by Elie Wiesel. This book is about a young Elie Wiesel, whom is sent to a concentration camp with his father, who he struggles to keep alive. He has to learn how to live in his conditions and make it out alive. Joe Rantz and Elie Wiesel demonstrate resilience by questioning their faith in both God and teammates and being separated from both their families at a young age.

In Nightjohn by Gary Paulsen there is a theme that flows through the whole story. That theme would be that reading and writing are crucial. This is shown throughout the story, and example of this would be, “We all have to read and write so we can write about this-what they doing to us. It has to be written.” (paulsen 58). This quote is clearly showing that writing and reading is very important to everyone. They want to learn no matter the cost, even if it is to lose a their thumbs. Similar to this it states, “He put the chisel to the middle toe and swung the hammer. Thunk.”(Paulsen 74). This quote is showing the effects of learning how to read and write, even though this is happening Nightjohn still wants to teach others about reading and writing.

Courage is strength. Courage is honesty. Courage is standing one’s ground no matter what. Courage is standing up for others. In Harper Lee’s classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout and Jem Finch, along with their father Atticus, live in Maycomb County, a small, mainly racist town in Alabama during the Great Depression. The Finch family’s neighbor, Mrs. Dubose, and Atticus display acts of personal courage in the story. Specifically, Mrs. Dubose displays courage in her honesty and strength, and Atticus displays courage in his responses to racism based threats and keeping others safe.