In chapters 9 and 10, Conroy talks about the trip to Washington, DC and how it all came about. "Throughout the week they [the children] played with the neighborhood children, spent the rest of their money buying candy and other trinkets at the large drugstore up the street, and rode bicycles for the first luxurious time in the lives down a paved hill."
The trip to Washington, DC was supposed to be educational and full of historical onlooking. But for Conroy's students, the most memorable moments were spent doing regular things in a neighborhood full of children. Playing with other boys and girls, and riding bikes. Riding a bike is something that so many of us take for granted, yet here were these children who had never ridden one before in their lives. It made me happy to see that they had enjoyed their trip to Washington, DC even if it was not the Lincoln Memorial or the Washington Monument that made them so happy.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Last 2 chapters
There were so many sentences and quotes that stood out to me in these last two chapters that it was hard for me to just pick one... so I'm going to mention two.
"During the entire period of my banishment and trial, I wanted to tell Piedmont and Bennington that what was happening between us was not confined to Beaufort, South Carolina." This was mentioned in the chatper where Conroy was undergoing the trial. It really angered me to see that this was how his end on the island was going to be. From the outside, it may not look like he did much for the students on Yamacraw island, but for anyone that reads this book it is clear to see that Conroy devoted those 2 years to teaching the children the basic necessities of life on the island. If it had not been for him, none of them would have known about trick or treating, been to the other side of the island, and they certainly would not have ever seen Washington, DC. I commend Conroy very much for doing all that he did for those students. I would like to think that I would have done the same thing if I had been placed in that situation. The other quote that was my favorite from these last two chapters was the final sentence in the book; "For them I leave a single prayer: that the river is good to them in the crossing."
I feel that this so eloquently sums up Conroy's feelings for the children and families that he encountered while teaching on Yamacraw. It was so hard for him to leave them, and by the detail of his writing you could feel his heart breaking because of it. But he had to, and this was the prayer he left them with.
For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. It saddens me to think of the actual island on which Conroy has turned into Yamacraw for the purpose of this book. Especially since not many things have changed there over the years. Teachers should read this book to have an example of what to do in certain situations. I feel that Conroy is a hero of sorts because of the time that he spent teaching the children on Yamacraw island.
"During the entire period of my banishment and trial, I wanted to tell Piedmont and Bennington that what was happening between us was not confined to Beaufort, South Carolina." This was mentioned in the chatper where Conroy was undergoing the trial. It really angered me to see that this was how his end on the island was going to be. From the outside, it may not look like he did much for the students on Yamacraw island, but for anyone that reads this book it is clear to see that Conroy devoted those 2 years to teaching the children the basic necessities of life on the island. If it had not been for him, none of them would have known about trick or treating, been to the other side of the island, and they certainly would not have ever seen Washington, DC. I commend Conroy very much for doing all that he did for those students. I would like to think that I would have done the same thing if I had been placed in that situation. The other quote that was my favorite from these last two chapters was the final sentence in the book; "For them I leave a single prayer: that the river is good to them in the crossing."
I feel that this so eloquently sums up Conroy's feelings for the children and families that he encountered while teaching on Yamacraw. It was so hard for him to leave them, and by the detail of his writing you could feel his heart breaking because of it. But he had to, and this was the prayer he left them with.
For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. It saddens me to think of the actual island on which Conroy has turned into Yamacraw for the purpose of this book. Especially since not many things have changed there over the years. Teachers should read this book to have an example of what to do in certain situations. I feel that Conroy is a hero of sorts because of the time that he spent teaching the children on Yamacraw island.
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