Warriors DonT Cry Analysis

In the book Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals, the author describes what her reactions and feelings are to the racial hatred and discrimination she and eight other African-American teenagers received in Little Rock, Arkansas during the desegregation period in 1957. She tells the story of the nine students from the time she turned sixteen years old and began keeping a diary until her final days at Central High School in Little Rock. The story begins by Melba talking about the anger, hatred, and sadness that is brought up upon her first return to Central High for a reunion with her eight other classmates. As she walks through the halls and rooms of the old school, she recalls the

In her memoir Warriors Don’t Cry, Melba Pattillo Beals describes her experiences as she became one of the first nine black students educated in an integrated white school. She and her friends, who became known as the “Little Rock Nine”, elicited both support and criticism from their family members, friends, community members, military troops, in addition to the President of the United States. Melba’s experiences, while heartbreaking and sobering, highlight the strength to overcome that individuals can have over a system intent on keeping them down.

At the beginning of her journey she had problems with the mobs outside of Central High School, yelling, threatening words and telling her to go home. “Two, four, six, eight, we ain’t gonna integrate! Over and over, the words rang out. The terrifying frenzy of the crowd was building like steam in an erupting volcano (36).” Melba

On September 25, 1957, Nine african american students entered Central High and made it through a whole day. They are called, “The Little Rock nine.” The names of the students are Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, Jefferson Thomas, Terrence Roberts, Carlotta Walls LaNier, Minnijean Brown, Gloria Ray Karlmark, and Melba Pattillo Beals. These nine had a hard time getting through the mobs of people, but they made it the front doors of Central High. They volunteered themselves to try

Transferring to a new school is a hard experience for a normal kid alone. Going to a new, all-white school as a black student in 1957 makes the experience even tougher. In the memoir Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals, Melba and eight others, known as the Little Rock Nine, risk everything in order to attend their local high school, Central High. Living in Little Rock, Arkansas, these students take the courageous step to attend an all-white school in a society filled with segregationists. The Little Rock Nine battle the bullies of Central High, trying to avoid acid in their eyes to eggs in their hair. Through this rough experience, the Nine graciously receive important help from many allies. Throughout the memoir, Melba receives protection

History is filled with stories of dedicated human rights activists that risked their lives to fight for what they believe in. Three good examples of human rights activists that never gave up are Melba Pattillo Beals, Mahatma Gandhi, and Mother Jones. Melba Pattillo Beals and Gandhi actively worked in fighting for racial equality while Mother Jones worked to improve children’s and workers’ rights. These determined human rights activists never gave up when fighting to improve the rights of persecuted people facing discrimination.

Throughout history, Colored folks and White people do not seem to get along based on appearance.Men and women of color weren't treated fairly, no matter where they're at without being looked down upon. Most Americans have divided themselves into non-mixed neighborhoods. The “Jim Crow” laws on the state level stopped them from entering classrooms, bathrooms, theaters, trains, juries, and legislatures.Also, In the case of “Plessy v. Ferguson” in 1896, the U.S. Supreme court said that racially separate facilities are equal, it does not violate the Constitution. Segregation, the court said, was not a discrimination. Segregation supported the legal system and the police, but beyond the law, violence was going on around the citizens. The Ku Klux Klan, Knights of White Camellia, and other terrorists murdered thousands of African-Americans, to prevent them from voting and participating in public life. In Arkansas, Central High School was one of the firsts to integrate. Nine teenagers got together to go to Central High, they did not go in to protest but to get a better education. The Little Rock Nine didn't see it as a way to bring in violence, but it all started in Arkansas, in 1957, a conflict against two different points of views. However, In Warriors Don't Cry Melba Pattillo Beals presents the idea that emotional strength, Determination, and confidence are necessary to gain freedom and equality for all.

Jim Crow was a set of unfair laws that kept African Americans and whites segregated. Jim Crow had started in 1877; The book Warriors Don't Cry is a memoir from the Battle to Integrate Little Rock’s Central High which occurred around 1941. In the event of Jim Crow whites were fighting for power and African Americans were fighting for equality. The Little Rock Nine were nine African American students who finally come to possession of integrating with whites. It was the first time any African American students went to Central High with whites, let along any school. Little Rock Nine has more power because after a long time of being segregated and enslaved, they still succeed to integrate schools with “non colored” and it impacted their Community as well as them.

In the book, Melba states that “the segregationists had stolen yet another piece of my life.” Explain what things Melba was robbed of throughout her experience. Though she lost a great deal, she still saw her experience as “a positive force that has shaped the course of my life.” What did Melba gain as a result of her experience? Do you feel that Melba was right to attend Central High? What difficult or painful experiences have you gone through that have helped shape your identity? Use examples from the book to support your answer.

Melba also presents the idea of her faith and religion throughout the book. At the end of chapter four Grandma India reminds Melba that “God’s warriors don’t cry”. Beals is having to use her faith to fight for everyone of her color and race. Grandma India describes Beals as a “warrior” which means she is very strong and

A woman called Melba a nigger. The teacher soon starts with class. The same woman called Melba a nigger again. Soon Melba meets Mrs. Pickwick. Somebody asks what they are going to do about the nigger children. Soon they start speeding to get away from the people calling them niggers. Melba continues listening to the newscast that is currently happening. Soon the phone started ringing off the hook with angry calls from people. The chapter ends with an angry, mad mob in front of Central High.

May 24, 1955: The Little Rock school board adopted a plan to limit intergraton to Central High School. One day at school the teachers asked student at Melba’s school who wanted to attend Central High School. Melba raised her hand, she felt that if they opened the school to her people she would have access to other opportunities.

“A boy’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. A strong hand grabbed my wrist and doubled my arm up behind my back” (Melba Pattillo Beals, Warriors Don’t Cry, Page 141). The novel, Warriors Don’t Cry, written by Melba Pattillo Beals, is a heartfelt memoir written to express her true story about the struggles she faced attempting to integrate to a school called Little Rock’s Central High. Born on December 7, 1941, young Melba would have no idea the life ahead of her. Her first tragedy starts young when she was seven and her parents got divorced. This began to shape Melba as her grandmother and mother raised her and gave her the strong independent roots she would carry on throughout her life. Melba Pattillo Beals wrote this novel for inspiring women all over the world that they are strong and capable enough to stand up for themselves and what they believe in. She wants people to know that no matter how bad your situation seems you can still be a warrior. Throughout out the novel Melba is bullied, assaulted, and harassed because she chose to integrate to a former all white school. She faces many challenges, epically because she is a lower-class citizen. Because of her gender the public likely targeted her as weak or incompetent. However, she is able to push it all away and focus on what she believes in and live up to becoming the strong independent woman she is. In the novel, Warriors Don’t Cry, written by Melba Pattillo Beals, the author uses multiple quotes throughout the novel

Imagine you had to fight a war against a formidable army that outnumbered you tenfold; you had very few friends and hardly any weapons at which you could use. This is a great analogy for Melba Patillo Beals’ battle for integration into Central High School, but Melba’s army composed of segregationist and students whose mission was to keep her out of the school. Upon her shoulders Melba carried the responsibility of being one of the first African Americans to integrate a high school in Arkansas, a feat that could only be accomplished by an individual with a strong inner character. In “Warriors Don’t Cry”, Melba Patillo Beals presents the idea that both independence and despondency are necessary character traits in her fight for freedom and equality.

It started off as a peaceful morning in Meller Sota for Roe Hunderson. The sun was shining brightly casting warm rays of sunshine over Meller elementary school. He was having a great day and more over he loved his school! He loved everything about it. He loved the hamburgers the kind lunch ladies served in the cafeteria.He loves the teacher in his art class. He even loved his math class. But there was one thing Roe didn’t love about his school. His bullies.