The
Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963
I
agree with the fictional storyline of the Watson’s trip to Birmingham, since it
really made me feel connected with the suffering of Kenneth and his family
after the 16th Avenue Church bombings. Of course, the lessons to be
gained from reading this book is that of the “separate but equal” laws in
America that hid much of hideous assaults on black people and their communities
in the South. I really liked the main character, Kenneth, since his curiosity
and intelligence provide a balanced view of Byron’s delinquency and his
parent’s authoritarian mindset. I feel that Curtis created Kenneth as a middle
ground in which a narrator can get all sides of the story. I agree that this
book would be appropriate for the classroom of middle school students because
they can understand how history tends to underscore the violence aimed at black
people the South. For instance, the fear of being stopped by white “redneck“
locals and/or the police in the Deep South is one such danger that forces
Kenneth’s father to keep driving non-stop into the night (Curtis 146). I feel
that students can really get a historical insight into the danger that black
people faced against violent white southerners. I disagree with the combative
nature of racial language in the book through the usage of the N-word and
redneck dichotomy between blacks and whites. While the racial tensions are real
and we understand the hatred is mutual between the two races, it does not
provide a means to understand the Civil Rights Era mentality of equality
through Martin Luther King Jr. I think that this book can be really effective
in making history come alive through the experiences of the Watson family in
Birmingham.
Why do you think that this book "does not provide a means to understand the Civil Rights Era mentality of equality through Martin Luther King Jr.?" I am confused by that comment. Can you clarify it sometime soon?
ReplyDeleteI trust that you are aware of the fact that this bombing of the church in Birmingham really did take place. This is a fictional account of the innocent people who may have been victims /or near to the victims involved in that bombing. One of the things that stood out to me while reading this book was the closeness of this family. Curtis allowed us to see a beautiful family......a family in which the parents truly cared for their children, a family in which the father worked very hard in order to provide for his family, a family in which the mother was attentive not only to her own children but to their friends as well............and then these people that we learned to love are not being treated well by others. Were you shocked by that? How do you account for the change in Kenny and his brother at the end of the story? Who was your favorite character in this story?
Yes, I am fully aware of the reality of the bombing of the Church, but more importantly the fictional interpretation that Curtis implies with the Watson family. I felt that Curtis could have done a better job of connecting Byron’s delinquency to the reality of racism that existed in Flint, Michigan. In my opinion, I could not understand why Bryon was not “street smart” about racism and the problems that African American children faced in the 1960s. To assume that Flint, Michigan did not have racism and that violence against African Americans was obsolete is stretching the boundaries of Curtis' ideal family environment. In this way, I enjoyed the Byron character because his ill-begotten behavior was the primary motivation for the family to go to Birmingham to “escape” a corrupt urban environment. While the family is certainly loving and caring for their children, it is hard to comprehend that the children absolutely nothing about violence aimed at minorities during this period in history. While the experience of witnessing the aftermath of a bombing would be a terrifying incident for nay child, but Byron’s realism defines the growth of Kenny after witnessing the terrible event: “He [Byron] was very right when he said I was too smart to believe in magic powers lived behind a couch” (Curtis, 1995, p.205). Bryon, after all, was the “troublemaker” of the family that allowed them to experience this event and truly understand what it means to be a loving family.
DeleteYou make a good point about Byron not being "street smart" and aware of racism that probably existed in Flint, Michigan at the time. Do you think that he was probably not aware of this because they lived in a black area of flint, surrounded by African-American neighbors. These children probably went to school with children exactly like themselves and did not come into contact with many "white folks" over the course of a week or month. Byron was frustrated, I totally agree and this could have been a result of what he saw a his second class status due to the color of his skin.
DeleteWould you use this novel in your class and how do you feel your students would react to it? There are some very funny parts to this story and I have always found that my middle school students relate to some of the antics in which Byron takes part. He is, indeed, a very funny character. I would like to know what you think your students would learn from reading this book. Dr. Ries
I agree. I thought that livening in a predominantly black neighborhood could have frustrated Byron, which had inspired him to test the authority of the parents. For instance, when Byron is caught playing with matches, Momma is so angry she tries to strangle him in a show of mock authority. I felt that students would find this hilarious as Kenneth explains Byron’s fear when Momma leaves to get the matches and teach him a lesson “Old Mr. Cool still had great big bug eyes” (Curtis 69). An incident of this kind would teach the student that every family has a “Byron”, regardless of skin color. If all of my students were white and they did not know Bryon was black, they would hardly know the difference in the antics that he pulls throughout the novel. This is one important reason why I would teach this book in my class, since Curtis captures these experiences in the commonplace incidents of growing up in American life. Through the insular view of the Watson family, Byron is not unlike any other American teenage boy even though the overarching focus of the book is about race relations in African American communities. By not having contact with white people, Curtis really let’s the young reader know that Byron and other black youths behave the same as other kids no matter what color they are in American society.
ReplyDelete