2nd

2. A great example of this is the conversation David Logan had with his daughter Cassie. In this he talks about how people are really just people but he can�t bring himself to treat them like it. He doesn�t want to be racist but those feelings are just too deep in him. An example of the distrust is every time a white person came to the farm the children would run to their parents to let them know of the incoming white folk. The fear is evident in the warnings the children were given to stay away from all white people even the nice ones.
B:
1. The major theme throughout this book is that of hope while there is no hope. They enduer many a tribulation: T.J.�s trial, the communist union, Stacey leaving, Suezella, a family member, wanting to be white, having their father leave for months at a time. All of these events seem hopeless and some were. T.J.�s, Suezella�s, and the union�s affairs were hopeless. The entire family knew from the beginning to the end that there was no chance of anything else happening. Yet, it didn�t matter that they knew they were beat; they kept up their fighting, won�t stay down attitude. Stacey and his fathers leaving were not hopeless, but the closeness of the family part made it very hard to endure. For the most part, these occasions when they happened were hopeless. Once again, though, the Logan family never gives up hope and keep fighting. In this day and age, beign black made it very tumultuous to even exist and live. Not only do they endure that, but they have to deal with all those other problems that are extremely stressful. Most importantly, through all of it they never give up hope. Truly the them is hope.
2. The title of this book is also a title of a song. A portion of it is sung by the Logan family. The song is about someone�s mother dying and how she is going to a better place. This fits in perfectly with the theme. It is a sad situation that causes lots fo grief for all those involved, but still people are finding a sad joy in it; they have the ability to be happy through all the tribulation. It fits so well with the rest of the sentiment that for lack of a better word it is a perfect title.
3. The conclusion of this book was very dissatisfying. It just ended very rapidly which did not allow it to do justice to the Stacey problem. After he came back, the book just ends; it does not go further to give any intimation as to how the family will react and deal with his return. Also, the quick ending leaves several plot points incomplete: Cassies�s intermittent feelings of her growing feminimity, those who were evicted of their plots lot and their futures, and what was going to happen with the Logan�s money situation are all examples. With all of these things taken into consideration, the ending is disappointing.
C:
1. This book was very good in the introspective and interpersonal ideas. It gives a glimpse into another culture in another time. It helps because these people had to go through things that we never had to deal with. They undergo a persecution, segregation, and general lower class treatment because of an irrational, undeserved thought that people of color were inferior. No one in this country has to deal with this today. Sure, some people are still racist but you can still get away from it and find people who aren�t. In this time it doesn�t really matter what color or where you are from people are racist. In the north we see that a marriage is broken up between a black man and white woman because of segratist feelings. In the south there is a legal slavery with share cropping going on, and segregated schools, and denying black people rights that whites have. And its not from just white people, black people don�t want anything to do with white people. They just as much want segregation. The whole point is that the times were very different in thought, and it is a good glimpse into another thought. In that aspect it is a good book.
2. This book doesn�t really have any well written parts. But one that stuck in my mind is a sweet part of the book. It is after the Logan�s boy, Stacey, ran away to find a job; this caused Mary Logan to get very upset. Her feelings welled up and were unable to be kept inside. All of the pent up frustration flowed out, and David got the brunt of all of it. She becomes quite cantankerous and short tempered, and this causes it to seem she isn�t in love with David anymore. Because of how Mary now treats her husband, Cassie asks if she still loves him. This bothers Mary quite a bit, so when David is about to leave to go searching for Stacey, she stops him to talk to him to clear up what has been happening. The entire conversation between Cassie and her mother is related, and this causes David to ask what the answer is. When asked if he doesn�t already know, he replies it�s hard to tell. It all ends with her in his arms crying. This part isn�t �written� particularly well. What makes it a good passage is the climactic build up of all the emotion. The technical aspect of it is not enthralling, but rather the feelings that are conveyed to the reader make it worth reading.
3. As for a recommendation� I would not really recommend it because as a book it is not engaging. It deals with four or five different climactic stories. They are all moved through rather quickly and have no attention or development to each. As a book to be read by someone with a reading level of a fourth grader it might be challenging, might be. The story, or rather stories, just does not challenge one with its plot or word choice or even sentence structure. Overall, no, I would not recommend this book.
D:
The experience I had while writing this book report was better then a normal book report. It was much more enjoyable then just reciting the bland facts of who, what, when, where, why and how. I do not learn much from just reiterating the plot: also, I find it pointless because one could just pick up the book and read it. But this I enjoyed. The chance to relate and dissect the material.