As you read Act IV silently, please share your observations and insights on the blog.
Please post at least twice by Monday.
You can earn credit by asking a question, answering another's question, making a connection or prediction, reflecting on a focus question, or making observations about a theme you see.
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This counts in lieu of an AP chart for this act.
Happy thinking!
One question I'd like to discuss is "what effect does Esther have on Sara"?
ReplyDeleteI think Esther shows Sara an innocent perspective on the events that are happening. She just accepting things and never questioned them until Esther came into her life.
DeleteI think Esther is a distraction to Sara. Sara almost is able to forget what is going on outside her and Ether's life, and just focuses on their relationship. Sara is the mother figure in Esther's life.
DeleteI think Esther helps Sara see that the KKK is bad and that they are just trying to hurt everybody else that isn't like them. I also think Esther brings out the motherly side in Sara.
DeleteI wonder if Sara and Mr. Hirsh expected Mr. Hirsh's death. Was making Esther happy by taking her to the fair forshadowing?
ReplyDeletetest test 123
ReplyDeletehey it works!
ReplyDeleteWhy does Johnny Reeves' mom think the klan could "Lead him back to God's pasture?"
ReplyDeleteThe Klan is like a cult, everyone who's not apart of it will suffer. that's
Deletethe mentality of it's members.
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ReplyDeleteon page 100 /leanora says "i don't like being seen with white folks, but mr. field is different." It seems that he may be a good influence on her similar to the role of Sara Chickering.
ReplyDeleteQuestion:
Do you think that Mr. Field and Sara have similar roles in Leanora's life. How are they similar; how are they different?
@Michael, I believe these two characters appear similar in the fact that they treat Leanora as any other person. But these two have largely differing roles in her life. For example Mr. Field and Leanora's relationship is more of friends, while in Sara Chickering's case she takes on the role of her lost mother and helps her discover her true self and what she can become if she puts her time into it.
DeleteTo answer Michael's question: I think that Mr. Field has the same role to Leonora as Sara has to Esther. I think that both the adults in this situation make the kids feel safe and loved. For example Sara to Esther is a mother figure and treats her like family. She would do anything to protect Esther. But for Mr. Fields to Leonora, I think that their relationship is a little more complicated because Leonora already has a father figure in her life, but she doesn't have any friends. I think that Mr. Fields will be more of a friend to her than anything.
DeleteYes I think they both have similar roles because they both show her that they don't care about the color of her skin. Leanora doesn't have very many friends so Mr. Fields befriends her and makes her feel welcome. Then Sara was more of a motherly figure by making sure she was okay and treating her like Esther, but they both showed that the color of her skin didn't matter.
DeleteWhat I found really ingesting is, in act four Leanora makes a comment at the end of one of her monologues about her relationship with her dad " first time we're right together like that since mamma's gone" (126). I think her mother pasting put a strain on their relationship and her dad might blame Leanora for her mothers death. So I think Mr. Fields and Leanora's relationship might be both a father and a friend. She needs someone to be a guide in her life and her father seems to be mentally absent when it comes to raising her, so she goes to Mr.Fields and Sara.
DeleteWhen Percelle says "'l'll Have to protect them from themselves," he blames them for the fact that African Americans are hunted for being black, which is something they can't help. This shows that he is too ignorant to see beneath their outer appearance.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this, but I also think that when Percelle says "i'll have to protect them from themselves" he is talking about how he can not protect the African Americans from hurting each other, and how its a problem when they go against each other.
DeleteI agree with this, but I also think that when Percelle says "i'll have to protect them from themselves" he is talking about how he can not protect the African Americans from hurting each other, and how its a problem when they go against each other.
DeleteLeanora- "i never do like being seen with white folks" (100).
ReplyDeleteObservation and Questions
African Americans can be racist towards white folks as well. In Leanora's view, every white person is just as horrible as the KKK. Almost like she build's up walls around this topic because she has a chance of really getting hurt, especially in this town where the KKK have such an influence on the towns folk. Could helping Mr. Field get her in trouble with the KKK in the future due to her close relationship with him?
I think its interesting how we mainly focus on how the whites influenced the African Americans and not vice versa.
DeleteYour right about racism going both ways. But Lenora's racism was born because of the hate that has been focused on her.
DeleteI think there is racism going both ways, but I believe it all started with white people discriminating African Americans. For example I don't think Leanora would've said that she "doesn't like being seen with white folks" if they didn't treat or look at her in a certain way. Leanora is probably scared that something will happen if she is around white people because there is no trust. So helping Mr. Field will put her at risk with the KKK because the KKK doesn't like seeing African Americans with white folks.
DeletePercelle seems less like a lazy man that would rather not be involved. In the beginning of Act Four, light is shed on his real personality and intentions. He is taking it upon himself to protect 200 African-American workers building a dam from the Klu Klux Klan. Does this foreshadow a bitter end for Percelle?
ReplyDeletelet me answer your question with a question. What do you think he means by "protect them from themselves"?
DeleteWe said earlier that Percelle was part of the KKK because the KKK elected him as the town constable, but I think that he only said he was part of the KKK so that he would be elected. He says on page 101 "I will have to protect them from the KKK" I think that Percelle isn't part of the KKK and only said he was so that he would be elected but I think he fears that his true thoughts will be revealed when the 200 negroes come to the state to build the dam.
ReplyDeleteI think Percelle was just appeasing the Klan in order to gain his elected position, but as time goes on he begins to realize that he disagrees with their ideals and actions. I think that even if he is influenced by the Klan that he can't allow people to be killed.
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ReplyDeletebecause the Klan expressed alot of contempt for them housing with Sara so Johnny thinks if he kills them then he will be forgiven. these people follow crazy logic, you can't reason with crazy logic
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ReplyDeleteQuestion: Leanora Sutter explains how Mr.Fields is this strange man who paints and seems to see her like any other person in the world This brings up the question how will Mr.Feilds get involved in helping Leanora in the future as he seems to have a liking too her, witch is very unordinary in the time or Mr.feilds being a white guy and and Leanora being young black girl. (pg.99)
ReplyDeleteMr. Fields is an old, blind man. This being, he cannot tell that Leanora is black. All he knows about her, is that she is a lovely and kind person.
DeleteI don't think that he's going to help her as much as she realizes something from him.
Prediction:“The Klan is in our homes, our schools, our factories, says Reynard Alexander” (pg.103). This quote is interesting in how Reynard is among to this conclusion of, like we talked about in class, everyone is drinking the Koolaid and now there is this awareness that none can be trusted and there are Klan members everywhere. He talks about how he never thought it would become a “problem” in Vermont, witch id interesting because he is opening against the Klan witch is a very dangerouse place to be in this time. This brings up the prediction of Reynard challenging the Klan.
ReplyDeleteOn page 102, Harvey says, "It felt so good breaking that glass." This shows that Harvey and the members of the KKK get pleasure by doing the bad things, whereas you should gain pleasure by doing good things.
ReplyDeleteI think from his perspective that was a good idea to break the glass because he is apart of the KKK. His ideals do sway to the KKK and they believe that they are doing right by breaking things and burning and killing. So they do get pleasure from doing good things but it depends on how they see the situation at hand and what they believe is good and bad.
DeleteOn page 100 Leanora talks about how she does not like to be seen with white folks but then on page 126 she mentions in passing the the klan is giving a bad name to white folk. Im a little confused on her true thoughts on white folks?
ReplyDeleteQuestion: On page 116 Johnny says "there is only one way i can redeem myself with my klan brothers." We can assume that he is referring killing Esther's dad. Why is being accepted by the klan so important to Johnny?
ReplyDeleteI think being accepted by the klan is so important to Johnny because it is the only thing he has. His mother said "maybe you men could see to helping him, lost lamb that he is, maybe you could lead him back to god's pasture"(page 112) if he is accepted, he will have a place in society.
DeleteIs Merlin having an internal battle between good and evil? If he was asked to poison Leannora in Act 1 he would have jumped at this opportunity to get rid of her. What is changing him? Was he like this all along? Does he act so evil to be excepted into the KKK?
ReplyDeleteI feel like Merlin acts this way because he want attention.
DeleteI think that Merlin changed when Mr. Alexander gave him the keys and got him out of jail (Page 87, Act 3). I think that Merlin now see's that someone cares about him and cares about what he does and it makes him question his actions now because someone will notice and care now.
DeleteLeanora says, "i guess that comes of being around since civil war days. i have a lot more seeing to take in before i can sit down and rest with it" (pg.100). I thought this was an incredibly wise comment from Leanora, and another testament to her intelligence. However, I also think that this could be foreshadowing. Leanora essentially says that she has a lot of life left to live. Is this hinting that she will die before her time? Or should it be taken literally, that she will live a full life.
ReplyDeleteway to read between the lines, if this is foreshadowing that could be interesting, two murder attempts in two acts. We will have to wait and see...
DeleteOn page 115, Merlin finally gives us a glimpse at his more honorable and rational side. he realizes that the Hirshs are just living with Sara, also he doesn't want to kill the Sutters
ReplyDeleteWhen Merlin said "that's when the roar started inside my head" (pg 115) I think he truly begins seeing the negative and destructive side of the Klan. I wonder how this will influence him? After deciding not kill the Sutters he runs away. Will he leave forever or will he come back?
DeleteA common motif I see in this book is death. It has occurred multiple times in the book each with different causes. It is interesting to see each character react to it in a different way. Some characters fear it, for example when everyone was on edge after the murder of Bobby Franks; while some characters walk fearless in the face of death, for example when Esther decided she wanted to go visit her mother, she stood directly in front of an oncoming train. But I have also noticed that death hasn't occurred, currently, to anyone who plays a key role in this story. So, my question is how will characters react, both those involved and not involved in the klan, if someone important dies.
ReplyDeleteI feel like Esther's death is inevitable now. Only because she has come close to dying so many times before now, and her father is gone gone along with her mother. She does have Sara, but Sara can only go so far, as to replace a parental figure. Esther's ride on the train to heaven going to happen. Soon.
ReplyDeleteObservation/Question: Throughout the book so far we have seen Sara stepping up as a mother figure to Esther and always doing what's best for her. In the previous act, we see Esther's father and Sara take Esther to the fair just tom make her happy. Did Sara somehow know Mr. Hirsh would be killed?
ReplyDeleteObservation: It is interesting to me how clam Esther acts when she sees her dead dad. She is so young but all she does is sit down and talk to him as she watches the blood rushing out of him (Page 117).
ReplyDeleteI also find this interesting, but I do think that this is because she is so innocent and she doesn't know that her dad is dead.
DeleteI found this interesting too, her reaction seemed like she know it was going to happen, and now it finally happened there is a sense of relief.
DeleteI think that just like with the train incident, that she almost doesn't comprehend what is happening, she has been taught that death is peaceful even though the few times she has been exposed to it, it has been very violent. So event hough Esther was quite calm I think it is a result of her lack of knowledge ad comprehension of the situation.
DeleteI agree with Michael. Esther sees the situation and she is in the moment, but at the same time she doesn't fully understand anything deeper.
DeleteHow long will it take for the Hirshes to realize they need to leave, after the dog it killed, and Ira is shot? it's hard to understand why theya re still in hte town, afterall what do they have to stay for?
ReplyDeleteI had the same question. Perhaps they believe that things will improve if they hold their ground and are brave in the face of discrimination. They have already swayed Sara Chickering's mind and may do so with other's.
DeleteIt could also be just that they don't want to leave home. They probably have a lot of memories in this town. Leaving would be too hard.
DeleteI have noticed that since Merlin was given a little power (the keys) that he started really questioning the Klan and with what we talked about yesterday in class that groups go to people that want power; is that the reason Merlin went to the Klan? since he no longer needs it from the Klan does he no longer wants to be in the Klan?
ReplyDeleteDo you think that he just wants to get out of the Klan and be done with it or do you think he wants something more? Do you think that maybe he wants more power? So maybe to take over the Klan or get rid of the Klan all together?
DeleteFor being a little girl, to me, Esther is the strongest character in this book. She doesn't let other people, like the Klan get to her head and she doesn't seem very afraid about them. I believe she dislikes the Klan, but she isn't afraid of them. She is not afraid of death, like when she was trying to see her mother, she wasn't afraid of getting hit by the train, she just wanted to be with her mother. Also, when her dad got shot, she did not panic or cry, she remained calm and was trying to calm her dad. One word to describe Esther would be fearless.
ReplyDeleteIs this a case of bravery or ignorance? Esther seems to have moments where she is very ignorant and moments where she is very well informed.
DeleteOn page 103 Reynard Alexander states "it has worked its fingers through the fabric of state and if we do not mend the rents soon, we'll fall to pieces." Here Reynard is talking about how the ku klux klan has made its self part of the community and how member of the kkk are everywhere. My question is, Is Reynard trying to say that if the people do not do something quick then the kkk will not be stopped and they will have the freedom to do whatever they want?
ReplyDeleteYes, I believe that is what Reynard is implying when he says: "if we do not mend the rents soon, we'll fall to pieces" (Hesse 103). I also think that on page 101 Percelle Johnson is implying the same thing when he says: "more than 200 negroes have moved into the state...i'll have to protect them from the ku klux. i'll have to protect them from themselves." I think they are both saying that the klan is spreading from just a few people in the town to nearly everyone (except the minorities) including possibly the people you trust. They go on to say that if something isn't done to prevent the klan from spreading, no one will be safe.
DeleteWhen Harvey gives Merlin the poison, he says " it will make them pretty sick"(page 115) What would poisoning them accomplish?
ReplyDelete"I'll have to protect them from the ku klux" (101).
ReplyDeleteWhy would Percelle say this? He didn't save Leanora's mom, but now he's willing to help all the African-Americans coming into his town. This is so different then the Percelle we met at the beginning of the book.
What is causing him to change?
Does Johnny really know why he was kicked out of the Klan?
ReplyDeleteWhy does the Klan kick him out for fooling around with a young girl when they have people apart of the Klan killing and hurting people?
Page 123, "I did come out in my chore clothes to help her and she had smiling for me." I don't think that Esther understands what happened to her dad.
ReplyDeleteHow is she going to react when she finally realizes what happened to her dad?
DeleteOn page 121 Merlin Van Tornhout says, "when i couldn't put the poison in sutter's well, i went to harvey. he said they'd come after me, the klan would. i don't have any choice but to run." From this one can gather that Merlin Van Tornhout was the one who shot Mr. Hirsh, but what confuses me is when Harvey said they would go after Merlin. Clearly the reader can tell that they aren't afraid of killing someone, as previously Harvey handed Merlin the poisoning for the Hirsh's well. But my question is: Why would the klan kick Merlin out for killing Mr. Hirsh? Wasn't that the original intention? Do they just not want to seem like actual murderers or do they want to make it difficult for them to find the killer?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I can tell that Harvey Pettibone has some power within the klan, as he was the one who kicked out Johny Reeves and he decided Merlin would kill Ira Hirsh. But, Merlin confessed to Harvey that he had shot Ira and warned him about what the klan would do. So, do you think that Harvey will tell the klan about Merlin? If so, what are his intentions? If not, why would Harvey protect him?
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DeleteOn page 101, Percelle Johnson says, "this job sure doesn't pay enough." This line made me begin to think that Percelle was a decent man, but he still was concerned with keeping himself fed and alive. This is still how many people in this time act, worrying about themselves. I am certainly guilty of this action, but this seems nearly selfish of Percelle. Has he always been more selfish than neutral?
ReplyDeleteMerlin says , "when i couldn't put the poison in sutter's well, i went to harvey. he said they'd come after me, the klan would. i don't have any choice but to run" (pg 120). What is going on in his head? Does he plan to return? If so, when? Does he know that a murder is being pinned on him? If not, where does he plan to go? Somewhere the KKK isn't?
ReplyDeleteHarvey shows on pg 113 shows that the Kaln does have a compassionate side. He's shows this when he says, "we threw johnny reeves out of the klan. imagine a grown man a preacher forcing himself on a child." Does this shows that Harvey and the klan have a moral side?
ReplyDeleteOn page 103 Reynard Alexander states "it has worked its fingers through the fabric of state and if we do not mend the rents soon, we'll fall to pieces." Here Reynard is talking about how the ku klux klan has made its self part of the community and how member of the kkk are everywhere. My question is, Is Reynard trying to say that if the people do not do something quick then the kkk will not be stopped and they will have the freedom to do whatever they want?
ReplyDeleteWho did Esther see?
ReplyDeleteI think Johnny did it because it wasn't Merlin and Johnny says he's redeemed.
ReplyDeleteWas Johnny the shooter? Did he try to kill Ira and Esther because they were Jewish?
ReplyDeleteIf Esther saw who did it why hasnt she told anyone?
ReplyDelete"Why come after me, I am redeemed". Johnny Reeves says this in defending himself from who shot Ira Hirsh. I question what the means by redeemed...does he mean he is exempt from prosecution or he is above the others?
ReplyDeletepg 139, At the begining we hated Merlin but, I almost feel bad about hating on him now cause he's jut a kid who got tangled up with the wrong people. Merlin is a good kid in the end. THought opinions? do you agree?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Michael's statement. Merlin is just a stupid kid, but he is still a kid. He did end up being a good kid and doing the right thing in the end.
Deletepg 141, repetition, what does this symbolize?
ReplyDeletepg: 140 act: 5 Is the klan really so scary, scary enough to kill yourself?
ReplyDeleteI think that you would be scared when you did something for them and failed. Merlin ran because he could not but poison in a well. Johnny could have had the thought process of that prison and the Klan torturing and killing him was worst them him killing himself.
DeleteJohnny reeves Jumped off the bridge to his death because he was afraid of the Klan. If Johnny was the KKK biggest fan/fanatic then this says something about the Klan when even its craziest supporters feel threatened and horrified.
ReplyDeleteDid the KKK vanish because Merlin today Constable Percelle about the poison they gave him to put in the Sutter's well? If so this is why they wanted Johnny dead. He was a threat to them because he would do anything for them. It is a weird concept to think about because you would think the KKK want someone like that dedicated to their cause. But all the KKK care about is themselves and they would throw anyone under the bus to save their butts instead of getting thrown in jail. When they go into a town, they take over everything, and that makes sense because then they could get away with murder. It's why their whole Klan works. It is a total dictatorship.
ReplyDeletethe buck is the klan, it took work, but they funally git rid of it
ReplyDeletethat's an interesting idea
Deleteon page 158 Merlin speaks about when he saved the buck. Had he found a buck like that at the beginning of the book, I think he would have killed it. After the experiences he goes through, he sees the value of life, and helps save it. This demonstrates the changes he experiences over the course of the book.
ReplyDeletever y thought ful my leige
DeleteI agree that the idea of Merlin saving the buck shows the change in his character. I also think that this monologue is suppose to represent a bigger idea such as that people, good or bad, are able to change. Bad events can bring out the best in people, and make people look at life in a different perspective and that is what happened to Merlin and Percelle.
DeleteThe buck IS Merlin.
ReplyDeleteor is it the KKK? I think it just represents how everything gets a second chance, even if it doesn't necessarily deserve it
DeleteDoes the Buck have to be a person? Could it just be a theme or a meaning for something or even a message that needs to get out?
DeleteIf we want to connect the title to a main character Esther would be more representative. She witnessed pretty much everything in this book and yet stayed so innocent and Normally the first word that comes to my mind when i am thinking of a witness is Innocence.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that through the first three or four acts that the story line fallows the case in Boston and then the last act their is no mention of it. We know that one of them did get the death penalty but I wish we knew more or that Karen Hesse would have stretched it out through the entire book.
ReplyDeleteI think the scene with the buck represents getting rid of the Klan but I also believe it shows how the characters of Percelle and Merlin have grown and evolved like how Percelle at the beginning of the book did not help the Sutter's on the cold day. If this scene was at the beginning of the book, I believe that Percelle and Merlin would have just ignored it and witnessed it but this time they are actually participating and trying to help.
ReplyDeleteEsther I think has shown an innocent side and a grow up side yes she has youth but she shows threw out the book she knows what the adults know or more.
ReplyDeleteOne question I had while reading was how the story would be changes or different if the author had written it through one person's perspective instead of all the different characters?
ReplyDelete