Paper-of-Many-Parts: Warriors Don't Cry
Summary Paragraph
Melba Pattillo Beals recounts the historical experience that made her a
heroine throughout the country; the story of risking her entire family’s safety
in order to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, along with nine other
African American students. Shortly after a family trip to Cincinnati, Ohio,
where Melba witnessed racial equality, she signed a paper expressing a desire to
attend the all-white Central High School, hoping, but not expecting to get the
call that would be the first step toward an integrated city. That phone call
came ,and many more as the NAACP, the school superintendent and school board,
devised plans to keep Melba and her friends safe from the segregationists both
surrounding the school and inside the classrooms. Using her own diary entries
from that year, as well as newspaper clippings and great detail, the author
describes her entire year at Central High among "her attackers" who were
relentless in calling her names, harassing, following, and threatening her.
Through her grandmother’s faith, and help from Danny, a solider assigned to
protect her, Melba toughens up, becomes a "warrior," and avoids injury, in order
to complete the year at Central High where she rightfully belongs and changes
history.
Character Descriptions
Melba: contemplative, fearful, courageous, pioneering, daring
Grandma India: religious, encouraging, soothing, cautious, realistic
Link: sly, conflicted, sensitive, protective, informed
Danny: watchful, wary, motivating, reliable
Discussion/Essay Questions
In the beginning of the book Melba’s family was overcharged in a grocery store. The adults in her family timidly brought it to the attention of the white grocer, but still paid full price. If this event had happened again at the end of the story, how would the adults react differently? Would the grocer have over charged them at all? Explain.
After Minnijean’s suspension, Melba hopes she will come back so she can be a better friend to her. Write a possible conversation between the two friends, as Melba gives Minnijean advice.
Think about a time in your life when you were the "odd man out." What sort of adversity were you faced with? What obstacles did you have to overcome? How do those obstacles compare to Melba’s?
Key Passage: from page 191(telephone conversation):
"Who’s Nanna Healey?" [Melba]
"My nanny. She’s colored - like you." [Link] He had often spoken of her, but this was the first time he had told me was not white.
"That’s the reason I’m attending Central is so I don’t have to spend my life being somebody’s nanny." I said in a tone to match his indignant manner. [Melba]
Key Passage Explanation
This passage explains the "reason" Melba wants to attend Central High
School. The reason was so important she sacrificed her safety and the safety
of her family. She was called a heroine and was recognized throughout the
country and the world over. "Being somebody’s nanny" is a metaphor for being
beneath a person, having to serve them. In Little Rock "her people" (as Melba
often refers to the African Americans) are cooks, or hostler’s helpers at
railroads (such as her father) who serve others. That is not how she wants to
"spend her life," as she is not inferior to anyone else; she hungers for
racial equality. Having a desire, going after it, and wanting to instill
change motivated Melba to become the warrior she was all along. Melba’s faith
in God and her ability to stand tall like a warrior (themes of the book)
helped her to the find the strength to fight for that which is important and
just (another theme).
Recommendation
I highly recommend Warrior’s Don’t Cry. Headlines from newspaper
articles as well as entries from Melba’s diary add an even deeper depth of
reality as well has set a stable time frame. I loved how the book challenged
me to think about how Melba and I shared so many thoughts ranging from dating
and a desire for a social life, to wanting to succeed in school, yet she was
considered to be different and worthy of torment. That was the way of thinking
in the south only fifty years ago. This book had me feeling every emotion:
frightened and worried for Melba’s safety, excited for Melba when she was
asked on her first date, apprehensive that the violence would lead too far,
and triumphant as she finished what had to be the most threatening school ever
imaginable.