In the fictional novel, The Watsons Go To Birmingham there were several historically accurate cultures and events from the 1960’s. Most of the story is based on the mother wanting to go to Alabama, because that’s where her family is. However her husband doesn’t think it is a good idea because he knows there is segregation down in the south, and he doesn’t want his kids to see all the hatred for people of a different skin color. Their children have not been exposed the separation of different skin colors because they live in Flint, Michigan, where there is not a lot of conflicts about segregation. Yet, at some point the family decides to make the long trip to Birmingham. Before they leave for their trip, their dad goes and buys a record player …show more content…
It is also pitch black dark because there were no lights, and the Watson’s were a little bit scared. When they finally arrive in Birmingham they go to meet their Grandma Sands and that is where they will stay while they are in Alabama. One day Kenny decides to go swimming because it is so hot but he ignores the signs and his Grandma’s warning not to swim in the Collier Lake because of whirlpools. Kenny thinks the signs were put up just to not allow anyone to use the lake. This is a tactic that was used during the Civil Rights Movement by some people. But, the signs were real, Kenny did get in a whirlpool, but was saved by his brother Bryon. One Sunday Kenny sees his little sister, Joey getting ready for Sunday school. He was in the backyard dozing off when he heard a noise and heard his mother scream. Then Kenny hears a neighbor shout that Joeys church had been bombed. Thankfully Joey was didn’t get hurt, because she had went outside, before the church was bombed because it was too hot for her. Although this church bombing was fictional there were many bombing of churches in the south during the
In the novel, The Watsons Go to Birmingham- 1963 Byron was not a good person in the beginning he did not do good stuff. For example, he was using matches 2 times. Although his parents said again not to use matches. Momma said what she always did if Byron uses matches again.
Given the events and situations which Dr. Watson faced, the significant changes that his independence, use of expertise, and critical thinking skills underwent were inevitable. As the book began it was obvious that Dr. Watson was Sherlock Holmes's sidekick, and that his character was weaker. As soon as Dr. Watson reached Devonshire his character had to undergo changes such as his independence from being the sidekick. "“What, are you coming, Watson?" he asked, looking at me in a curious way.”That depends on whether you are going on the moor," said I. "Yes, I am." "Well, you know what my instructions are. I am sorry to intrude, but you heard how earnestly Holmes insisted that I should not leave you, and especially that you should not go alone
“When we are no longer able to change a situation - we are challenged to change ourself,”--Viktor E. Frankl (www.brainyquote.com). In the novel The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis, Byron (“By”) Watson changes the most. At the beginning of the novel, Byron does not seem to care about his siblings, but throughout the story he becomes more protective of his younger siblings, Joetta and Kenny. He used to be very rude, but now he is being very respectful towards his family and friends.
Have you ever been treated unfairly? Well, in the book The Watsons go to Birmingham in 1963 they were in the middle of the civil rights movements, they were fighting to be treated equally. The main theme is stopping segregation here are three examples ,the Watson family couldn't go to the same school as whites, they couldn't use the same restrooms, they couldn't go to the same church in peace.
Sometimes siblings fight ,but in the end, they usually make up. In The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 by: Christopher Paul, Kenny and Byron get in lots of fights both physical and verbal. While they are mean to each other in the beginning, by the end they seem to forgive each other and are much nicer.
The Watsons go to Birmingham was an amazing book and movie, but I personally think that the novel was better. The novel is better because it has more character depth, it shows theme better, and you can get your own understanding. The movie lacked many things including character depth.
What character changed the most? Do you ever get surprised when a character changes drastically? In “The Watsons Go To Birmingham” there are many characters. The two that changed more than others are Byron and Kenny.
After all, the book The Watsons Go To Birmingham-1963 was only historically accurate in the end because the author focused on the fictional part of this historical fiction story. While the author did talk about the bombing on the 16th Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963, he didn’t really tell anything other
In The Watsons go to Birmingham, 1963, the Watson Family travels down to Alabama to teach Byron a lesson. The Watsons take a huge risk by traveling down south. Because there are so many negative possibilities, it was not worth it for the watsons to go to Birmingham.
Published in 1995 by Christopher Paul Curtis, The Watsons Go to Birmingham is a story of an African- American family living in a town of Flint, Michigan, having a journey to Birmingham, Alabama in 1963. The movie came out in 2013, similar to the original novel. This loving family consists of five members: Byron Watson, an official juvenile delinquent, Kenneth Bernard Watson, ten years old boy with a lazy eye, Joetta Watson, an obedient youngest Watson, Wilona Sands Watson, Momma who always look after her kids, and lastly, David Watson, a thoughtful reliable dad. In fact, the movie is quite different from the novel, because the plot events don’t match with the movie, there is fused resolution, there is some missing and different characters, and the focus of the theme are slightly different.
In the novel The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis the author uses personification when he writes “The lights knocked some of the darkness out of the way and we felt safe again.” (pg. 97). With this metaphor the author is comparing the car to a fighter and the headlights are his fists knocking the dangers out of their way. With this personification the author is showing how fearful and threatened the Watsons feel at the rest stop in Appalachia. The Watson’s are afraid that if the people in the Appalachian “caught [them] out here like this they’d hang [them]” (pg. 96). During 1963 this is a realistic fear. The author’s use of descriptive language and personification helps to bring this fear to life in his novel.
In 'Ballad of Birmingham,' Dudley Randall illustrates a conflict between a child who wishes to march for civil rights and a mother who wishes only to protect her child. Much of this poem is read as dialogue between a mother and a child, a style which gives it an intimate tone and provides insight to the feelings of the characters. Throughout the poem the child is eager to go into Birmingham and march for freedom with the people there. The mother, on the other hand, is very adamant that the child should not go because it is dangerous. It is obvious that the child is concerned about the events surrounding the march and wants to be part of the movement. The child expresses these feelings in a way
The book I read was The Watsons go to Birmingham in this novel there were many characters and lots of problems for the family.For my opinion I think the most interesting character was Kenny a ten-year-old.The most interesting thing I know about Kenny is that he was intelligent,active,and caring.My favorite character is Kenny also because he told the most of the story and he was a really important and funny character.If I could tell Kenny some advice ill tell him to think about his actions and how it could affect him if things go wrong.For example when he went to see if the whirlpool was true and it was so he almost died so he should be more safe next time and not to wonder of in places he dosen’t know well enough.
In the poem “Ballad of Birmingham”, by Dudley Randall, many different things can be analyzed. The difference in the two translations; one being a literal translation, telling the true meaning of the poem, and the other being a thematic translation, which tells the author’s theme and symbolism used in his/her work. Another thing that all poets have in common is the usage of poetic devices; such as similes, metaphors, and personification.
Dudley Randall’s “Ballad of Birmingham” is a look into the effects of racism on a personal level. The poem is set in Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. The tone of the title alludes to the city of Birmingham as a whole. The poem gives the reader, instead, a personal look into a tragic incident in the lives of a mother and her daughter. The denotation of the poem seems to simply tell of the sadness of a mother losing her child. The poem’s theme is one of guilt, irony, and the grief of losing a child. The mother feels responsible for the death of her child. The dramatic irony of the mother’s view of church as being a “safe haven” for her child is presented to the reader through the mother’s insistence that the young girl