#5- is it the End, or has it just Started?

Hello folks, and believe it or not, this is the last post I am going to publish! I have finished reading Eyes of The Emperor and boy has it become one of my favorite books of all time. I forgot that this was an assignment, and really enjoyed the context and journeys the narrator takes me to. Reflecting upon the story, I really like the fact that it achieves a circle ending, yet in a way, there is no definite finish. The book ends in a very uplifting and “satisfying” end, as the narrator and his crew are finally able to join the war and head over to Europe where the real battles are fought. This was the whole point of the book. It was the goal to serve America through fighting against the Japanese and show the loyalty to this great land despite their skin color. There were many events that occurred in the last section of the book which really exemplified the power of racism, disrespect, and judgment. I feel that the majority of the book and it’s importance were squeezed into this last section. Would you like me to reminisce these situations with you?

            The first major event, would be where a skipper comes to the narrator’s island to resupply him and the crew. During the time that this is happening, a severe storm hits them and everything becomes chaotic. The skipper did not have a shred of care to risk coming to the shallow piers of the island and was just waiting. James, without hesitation hops into a small boat and rows out to take the supplies. After doing so, the skipper blatantly leaves without any further actions. Slowly James tried to row back to shore but has no strength to do so. This is when Slim jumps in the cold rainy waters and helps row the boat and James to safety. The narrator thinks and finds out that this was one of the bravest things he had ever seen. What were these courageous men doing, just stuck on this island and being dog bait? It made me realize, that these men were just as, maybe more honorable then the men fighting in real battles abroad. Which was ironic and kind of what I feel Salisbury was trying to convey. Pg. 166, “We were supposed to be fighting in this war. But here on this island, we had to look out for ourselves, because for sure nobody else was.” This quote really drives home the fact that just because of assumptions made due to them being Japs, they were struggling.

           

            Another event was when the narrator had to wear an attack suit and get attacked by the dogs for training. This hunk of clothing was described as making the narrator look like a “freak”. As the dogs surrounded the narrator in a circle, all eyes were glaring and digging into the him. I feel this scene was very monumental the message of the story and had me very emotional. The dogs surrounding and cutting off the narrator can be looked at as the rest of the world, especially other Americans who outcast and dislike the Japanese Americans. The narrator felt like a freak in all the suit, and that is how he feels against the ever growing distrust towards him just because he is Japanese. Sometimes, I too feel this way, as if it was me against the world.

           

            Upon the dogs attack, the victim was supposed to let them bite their sleeve area but nthing more. This symbolized that one, such as the narrator was tolerant enough to take some racism and negativity (bite sleeve) but when it goes too far, he has to stand up for himself and everyone like him (if anything more then arm is bitten, it is not allowed).

            I also feel that the dogs symbolized a lot. It was said that the dogs could be seemingly harmless and regular pets, but then change in one instant to a killer. The dogs most likely to me represent the white people and others who view the Japanese Americans. One moment the two are friendly and have no issues. But after one incident, the Pearl Harbor, a level of hostility can easily be felt.

           

            Another event that just blew my mind was when 2 fighter planes from the US military open fired onto the narrator and Shig. There was a black pig nearby which the two were trying to catch, but upon the planes arrivals they could only hide. Supposedly the pig was shot at for shooting practice, but the narrator doubts it.

           

            A couple times, there were references to Papa. How sometimes, the narrator would find himself behaving more and more like his father. The narrator was getting used to this idea of just doing whatever it took to do the job at hand. No matter how horrible the task, he knew he had no choice but to complete it. So if he had to, why resist? Just go with it. This outlook is very like Papa. This makes the narrator wonder if it is a good thing he is turning to be a bit like his father. He is reminded that he is here because of his father. He is here to prove his loyalty and to bring honor to the family for the cowardly sneak attack made on the Pearl Harbor. I feel that Salisbury included snippets regarding Papa to remind readers that he is the main reason why the narrator is where he is in the first place.

            There was a turning point in which Smith and the narrator were training, but when Kooch had attacked, there was no command to stop. The narrator suffered slight injuries and had enough of Smith’s ignorance and racism. As both fight, Kooch snaps at both the two and injures both. Smith is shocked that this Jap killing dog would hurt a white man. This really shut him up! At the climax of the story, high ranking Washington Generals had come to watch how effective the K-9 training was. One Jap, and 3 white men were supposed to go out and hide. The narrator was chosen, and if done correctly, Kooch would only sniff out and harm him. As it turned out, Kooch aimed at a white man and the program was a bust. There really was no “Jap Scent”. Through all this, the narrator gained one thing, especially from Smith. Respect. That is all he had ever really wanted.

            In the end, the narrator and crew head out overseas to Europe where the real battle ground lies. Although it is a brutal environment in which truckloads are dying, the narrator is happy to finaly be able to reunite with the rest of the American army and go out and show how loyal he really is. See, the ending satiated me, yet is a mystery because no one knows what will happen in the wars to come. The narrator could die, become a hero, no one knows. All in all, I really loved this book. <3

#4 - Whatup, Dawg?

The Happenings

We meet again, and the tales I have to share with you regarding this 3^rd section is mind blowing. I can feel how intense the situation in the book is coming down to, so much is going on! There’s so much symbolism but I’ll go into that a bit later. To start off where we left, the narrator and the crew are in an airplane headed to their next destination. It happens to be the Mississippi Gulf Port, and to be met by the ocean and warm salty air proved to be an amazing relief. The boys are dragged to a pier and met by Leroy the skipper. He is the man responsible for providing transportation to and from destinations needed by the narrator and crew. What I began to notice, was the amount of caution and disrespect given to the narrator and everyone due to the fact that they were Japs. As the crew was dropped off and walked to the pier, there were MPs around that hid from them (still not too sure on what MPs are, from context I am guessing they are locals/civilians/etc). The boat that Leroy owned and the crew hopped into to leave for the next island was called the Sugar Babe. As they got on and left, the MPs slowly came out and watched eerily as the boat sailed off, carrying the “Japs”. They than move onto the island known as Cat Island, which got its name from huge raccoons that explorers mistook as cats. Ironically, this island is a training ground for military dogs. Once here, the crew met a Swiss lieutenant named Franz, and Lieutenant Parrish. It’s ironic how the one man the narrator has grown to like due to the kindness and respect he shows (Parrish) has the name ‘perish’. Later on this ironic name is explained to me. Not only does Parrish explain the crew’s task, but he delivers it as if it is no big deal. The reason why the narrator and everyone else is here, is because they are going to help train military dogs. Train them to hunt and KILL Japs. The crew is looked at, in such a way that they are nothing but bait.

            After the crew is debriefed, they head back to their island which will be home to them for the months to come. The island, is small and was once occupied by Fort Massachusetts. The fishy thing is, this island was also used as a quarantine for those who had yellow fever. Which, to me is totally disrespectful and unacceptable, these are American soldiers. Not some prisoners… But it can’t be helped that they were treated as if complete foreigners. Everyone then goes back to Cat Island and is paired up with a handler and dog. The Narrator is paired with a guy named Smith, and a German Shepherd who went by Kooch. The dogs were to maintain a relationship with the handlers ONLY. While the narrator and his crew was to be the “enemy Japs” or “training bait”. The basic procedure was that the “Japs” would get 10 minutes to run out and hide anywhere on Cat Island, while a piece of horse meat was attached to them. As they ran and hid, when the dogs found them, the handlers would shoot an air pistol up and the Japs would “die”. After they fell to the ground, they were supposed to take the horse meat and put it on their throats. As this was done, the dogs would then eat it off them, potentially playing the act of training the dogs to bite and kill to the throat.

            This was done multiple times before a new rule was implemented. The dogs and Japs were getting too friendly, which made Franz establish something the narrator especially disagreed with. After they were found and “killed”, to stimulate anger and hate within the dogs, they were to inflict pain on them. The narrator had to slingshot rocks at Kooch every time, which killed him inside and slowly caused Kooch to go insane with anger. As the days go by, the crew is forced to inflict more severe pains to the dogs. It ended up with the dogs being slashed in the face with sacks. This was a truly hard scene for me to read, due to the fact that this was “for America” training dogs to protect soldiers on the battlefield; yet being so wrong.

Since the training is supposed to be done with the crew of “Japs” as the enemy, they were to go back to their island of Fort Massachusetts upon day’s end. One day, as the crew and Leroy were heading back the engine dies and they are forced to drift helplessly. A flare gun is shot out in hopes of help and a while later, it arrives. The US Coast Guard shows up, but very cautiously. As PeeWee flings himself over the boat to puke due to the rocking and sea sickness, the Coast Guards shoot and as the bullets hit the ship, splinters fly up and lodge into PeeWee’s face. PeeWee is okay, and the Coast Guards find out their thoughts on the crew being Jap Sabotages were wrong. As they are towed back to shore, the narrator is in disbelief. And so the section ends…..

Cringe?!

To start things off, there were multiple things in this section that had me out of my seat. Let’s discuss:

·         MPs~ They hide from the crew and narrator, why? Obviously it’s because of their skin color and the fact that they are Japs. What is the first thought to cross their minds? Probably, “so these are what the bombers of Pearl Harbor look like”. These are innocent, brave, and courageous American soldiers. They just happen to be Japs. The amount of brutal judgments made onto these men throughout the book irritate me, and make me want to shout out that the whole crew is more patriotic then any of you. As soon as the narrator and crew leave the island on Leroy’s boat, the MPs slither out and watch. This proves how ignorant and cowardly they really are.

·         Island of Fort Massachusetts (home for time being)~Why are these fine men assigned to live in such dishonorable quarters? First of all, the place was a quarantine for yellow fever, who knows what illness still lies around. Secondly, it is a small and unprotected island, a wave during  storm or enemies could easily wipe out all the inhabitants. Soldiers who serve America should be given better treatment than this, it is just not fair.

·         Mysteriousness~ The narrator and crew do not find out why they are there until way later on upon arrival of Cat Island. Do they not deserve information and just common respect? They are treated like slaves who have no right to know anything but to work their souls out.

·         Bait~ The narrator and crew are used as bait. Simple tools to train dogs to hunt and kill the enemy. This in itself is the epitome of disrespect. What American deserves to be treated as such, as just mere practice? Is it a coincidence that they are all JAPS? I think not, the whole task is just not fitting and puts the American Japs at such a low level. The fact that “Roosevelt signed and approved of this operation” really upset me as well. How is the president of the US going to stand for this kind of treatment? The whole idea of it disgusted me. It was said that the Japs were used due to the fact that they smelled different from the whites. Therefore stimulating what the real enemy Japs would smell like. In my head I just thought, “bull!”. Just another sly subtle way to push the narrator and crew lower just because they are Japs.

·         US Coast Guard~ The fact that they automatically assumed that the narrator and crew aboard Leroy’s ship were Jap Saboteurs was just unbelievable. How are you going to assume such ignorant things! This proves that others do not view these Japs with the same level of respect that other soldiers would get. This shows how segregated they really are from everyone else for no legitimate reason. And the fact that PeeWee got hurt because of this outraged me further. Things just seem to get more and more out of hand.

·         Forced Pain~ It’s completely immoral that the narrator and crew are forced to inflict pain upon their dogs. This action only deepens the dogs hatred and anger, while the Japs have no intentions to do so. Why must they participate in such atrocious acts?

Check out this glogster to really see! --Cringe

Symbols

·         Blue Stone~ This stone that the narrator got as a little gift from Herbie, his brother always serves as that safety resort. Whenever the narrator encounters a situation, he instinctively goes for the stone and plays around with it. The stone is like no other from the home island of the narrator. It is smooth and the hue of blue is unique. Blue signifies calm, yet sadness. The smoothness of the stone can show that during rough times, it can be relied on to smooth things out. It is a part of the narrator that attaches him to his family back home, a reminder as to why he is out and abroad. To protect his family and country which he loves. I feel that this stone brings back the narrator and helps him remember exactly why he chose to go through all this hardship and sign up for the army.

·         Cat Island~ This island is contradictory of its name. Cat, yet a facility where dogs are trained. I feel this is how the narrator and his crew are viewed in the eyes of everyone else. They are a contradiction, loyal American soldiers who happen to be Japanese. Japanese, who is the sole enemy of the war raging on. What they have to realize, is that inside, they are truly dogs. Loyal and man’s best friend, their outside may be Jap, but inside they are true to their nation of America.

·         Cow Rays~ These stingray are harmless, yet they give fear onto the narrator and crew as they wade to shore. Although the rays will not hurt anything, at first they are taken in as a threat. It isn’t until Leroy tells that these stingray are friendly that the narrator eases up, yet not completely. The sting rays symbolize the narrator and other American Japs. They are not harmful to America in any way, yet at first glance they seem threatening. Just like how even after it was known they are not harmful, the narrator and crew are looked at with caution.

·         Horse Meat~ The meat is used to cover up scent and attract the dogs. This is exactly a portrayal of what I see the training program of these dogs and all the work that is set out for the narrator and crew. It is just all a huge cover up.Just like how the horse meat covers scent, this “training camp” is all just a cover up as well to keep the Japs away from US lines. They do not trust the narrator and crew simply because they are Japanese and will do anything to keep them busy.

·         Dogs~ Just like how these dogs are trained to mindlessly hunt down and hate the Japs, I feel that this is the mentality of other American soldiers. They are mindlessly driven to the fact and assuming that ALL Japs are “enemies” no matter what. This puts the narrator and crew who are loyal Americans in a disadvantaged spot.

·         US Coast Guards~ These Coast Guards simply represent America’s ignorance towards all Jap soldiers, even the American ones. They have that mentality that no matter what, if you are Japanese you are not allies.

Check out this glogster to see what I mean! --Symbolisms

#3- Battle Rages On!

Hello again, in this blog entry we will delve deeper into the situations the narrator faces as the war between U.S. and Japan proceeds. Shortly after the Narrator and other men along with Cobra and Chik ventured out to the dense forest in search of paratroopers, it was found out that the word had only been a rumor. While the narrator was in that total darkness, he thought he had heard an enemy amongst the foliage and open fired. After the bullets flew and hit something huge, whatever had been shot thumped to the floor. Afraid there may be more enemies, the narrator solemnly stood his ground and did not move an inch. In the morning lights, he got up to see what had been killed was not a man, but a cow. At first this did not really have much significance. But as I read on, I came to realize this cow could be a great symbolism for a core conflict being faced by all Japanese Americans, such as the narrator/Cobra/Chik/ etc. The cow is an animal, peaceful and not thought of as harmful. As it integrates both colors of white and black, this represents the narrator. Throughout the story, he is faced with constant harassment because of his race, being called a Jap. Offensive as the word may be, it is not the context, but the meaning of not being considered an ‘american’ that hurts most. The narrator loves his country, and makes clear how loyal he is to it. Yet he cannot deny the fact that he is also Japanese. He is like the cow, the colors of black and white referring to his Japanese background and American culture. The cow was helpless at night as it was shot down, just like the situation has deemed the narrator helpless as he is shuffled and pushed around due to this war.

            One scene where I was struck with disbelief was when all the Japanese American soldiers; including the narrator, were asked to step out of their bunks and sleep in tents setup in the middle of a field one night. The fact that they were asked to do so was not surprising.  The fact that the narrator was met with a circle of eyes upon him as he got up and emerged from his tent burned an image into my brain. All around, was a circle of machine guns and eyes. The narrator and others were under guard. What had they done though? Nothing. It was simply the distrust towards Japs that caused this situation. If one face had to be put on this racist act and unfair treatment, would be Sweet. The lieutenant who especially despised the narrator and just had no trust was brutal and irked me. All throughout the section, Sweet would ridicule and cause the narrator to boil with anger. Sweet just did not believe any Japanese could be on America’s side. Sweet would continue to threaten and harass the Japs secretly and subtly, telling the narrator and other men that they would get shot without hesitation if they showed any sign of retaliation or move against the military. In one instance the narrator was positioned along the beach in watch of approaching Japanese invaders, while a whole line of other machine guns and men were set up right behind him. This was to ensure that if the narrator may “turn around” and go against the military, it would be no problem to just aim and kill the narrator. Each moment Sweet shows disrespect and signs of different treatment just to Japs, the narrator gets angrier and angrier. I feel as if in the future sections, Sweet will push it too far and the narrator will violently lash out or maybe even kill him.

            “To them we all look like Hirohito. They see us, they see the guys in those planes dropping bombs on them. We got the eyes of the Emperor. They scared of us. Scared.” I love when I find that one page in the book where the title of the book fits into the context or situation. Thinking on it, there couldn’t have been a better name for this book. Of course the U.S. is at war with Japan, and the Emperor is heading the war. But what I find cruel is that the reality of the situation is, all the Americans and people like Sweet just see all the Japs as the enemy. They see the same eyes as if they stared into the Emperor’s eyes. This distrust is what deeply conflicts the narrator as he struggles through the story. I was also disappointed at the fact that every time the narrator and crew were stationed to different places, they never got a position in the front lines of war. They thrived and sought for an opportunity to serve their country but just would not be allowed anywhere near the battle. Of course this also may be a good thing as well, seeing that not being near battles meant they would all always be safe and live another day. Something that made me think was the situation when Sakamaki was captured. He was an enemy Japanese soldier who had been caught from his submarine. He was deathly scared yet strict to his honor. He wanted to be shot to withhold his pride because being captured was a shameful thing. No matter how similar Sakamaki was from the narrator culturally, they were worlds apart in heart and loyalties. Sakamaki was compared to the narrator’s father, so that made me contemplate, does this mean or show how far apart the narrator and his Pops is from each other?

            http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/pearlhbr/pearlhbr.htm

This website is very helpful in supplying information on the happenings surrounding the events and setting of the book. The bombing in Pearl Harbor was a strategic move planned that took out the U.S.’s Navy battleship force. This was so the Japanese Empire’s southward expansion would not be deterred. Now America had no choice but to be involved in WWII. As the Pearl Harbor was being bombed, this was when the narrator was faced to take cover and head to Schofield barracks. As bombs were dropping and shook the whole island, he knew war was declared.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ0rxaEHZEo

This battle known as Midway was the “turning point” of the war. It was a much needed win in order to boost morale and keep the Japanese at bay. This weakened their fleets and gave opportunity for the U.S. to counterattack on the offensive. This was when the narrator and other men were cramped under the 3^rd deck of the boat on their long journey to San Francisco. After hearing the U.S. had won the battle at Midway, the narrator had witnessed the longest cheer he had ever heard. It comforted the narrator to know that his family would now be safe back at home. If the Japs had won, Hawaii might and probably would have been in danger and been captured.

#2-Segregation....In, Hawaii? WW2?

Unfortunately, to my disappointment the previous book I had chosen, The Watsons Go To Birmingham-1963 had been too easy of a read. Although the central idea of the book was intriguing, the story was just not enough of a challenge to go through and enjoy. Therefore I have chosen the book, Eyes of The Emperor to journey though instead. Written by Graham Salisbury, the book takes place in WWII era in Hawaii. Once can guess that of course Pearl Harbor will play a role in the story line, but enough of the general information, let’s delve into what I perceived through the first section.

                The setting of the book was clearly established early throughout the story. It was in the early 1900’s, 1920’s to be exact, in Hawaii. Right off the bat, the reader is introduced with the situation Japan had, and was facing. Japan was basically invading territory that was not theirs to step on, from Manchuria to Cambodia and Thailand. U.S. was getting irked by these actions and it was clear that the smallest push would spark a huge conflict.

                We see that the narrator, who is also known as Eddy Okubo, is the older brother of the family. He is the proud, solemn, strong type with a soft side with a little brother named Herbie. Herbie is an amazing baseball player and both he and the narrator are Japanese Americans that reside in Hawaii with Ma and Pop. Pop, also known as Koji Okubo, is a driving force in the story so far. He is the proud immigrant of Japan and very hardcore in the way he honors his home, culture, every aspect of where his roots reside. A traditional man, he is all about honor, glory, and the likes. Under Pop’s wings is a 2 year Japanese immigrant named Bunichi, who is learning through apprenticeship. What apprenticeship you ask? The Okubo family are boat makers, and Pop has been carrying the business ever since he immigrated. The Okubo family business was known as the best boat makers in all of Hawaii and Pop prided himself in that. Of course I can’t forget to mention man’s best friends, Sharky and Opah. The dogs are sincere companions, with Opah the house mutt and Sharky as the raggedy canine who will not leave the narrator alone after having been fed scraps. The narrator has two older friends, who he respects and is fond of, Chik (Nick Matsumaru) and Cobra (Takeo Uehara). The two are enrolled in the Army and are part of Schofield Barracks.

               

                The story plot starts to heat up at the end of the first section, but in a brief overview: The Okubo family had made a boat, Hibiscus, which took 10 months of hard work. There are rising tensions towards the Japanese, it didn’t matter if they were residents of the U.S. Because this tension is a constant factor in the book, it’s easy to assume that when the Hibiscus burns in a “mysterious” explosion at night, the ones to blame are Haoles (white men). This event is ignored and life moves on. The narrator struggles to receive affection from his father, and is revving to prove his loyalties to America, and to show that he is just as much of a U.S. citizen as the next white man. Due to these, the narrator enrolls in the Army. Not approved by Pops, the narrator heads on to the Schofield Barracks where Chik and Cobra train. On a home leave pass after 7 weeks, the narrator experiences the bombing of Pearl Harbor and is caught amidst the chaos of the situation. With Chik and Cobra, the narrator heads back to camp to receive orders on what course of action needed to be taken.

               

                With this simple, yet intricate cast of characters, it was evident to me that there were four main conflicts. The obvious one would be that Japan has attacked Pearl Harbor and in turn will result in war. This war will inflict everyone on Hawaii and not just physically. Delving a bit deeper, underneath this attack, the problem of distrust and segregation is apparent. With the burning of the Hibiscus being the second Japanese boat to be destroyed, and others who just do not look at the narrator/Chik/Cobra as ordinary Americans. Like Jack who refused to give them all a ride to boot camp at first, and Lieutenant Sweet who ordered them to dig trenches and denied real action to be taken regarding the start of the war. Another main conflict would be the identity of the narrator, and how he struggles to pinpoint it. On one side he has his father who is an all out Japanese cultured, traditional influence. While on the other, is who the narrator feels he really is, a regular and true American. Going hand in hand with this dilemma, is the narrator’s constant desire for his father’s approval. He wants to defy him and show he is independent, yet has trouble doing so, and struggles with pleasing his father. His father is the type that is cold, unloving, distant, and callous.

                To my surprise, I actually really enjoy this book. It’s the first time in years that I read a IRB that appealed to me but this one suits me well. I was really irritated at how the boot camps were divided according to race. Even in Hawaii, regarding Asians, there was racism and segregation. The fact that the narrator’s father is the way he is disappointed me and every time I read a page where he would be brutally harsh, I wanted to yell at him. The group of characters seen in this first section seems “balanced” to me, and I approve of the feel they all give. Cobra and Chik for instance, contribute to a humorous aspect, while the narrator gives the serene, persevering, and strong essence. The way Salisbury portrayed the bombing of Pearl Harbor was neat, and detailed as well, I felt as if I was there myself and applaud his ability to fabricate such an atmosphere in his writing.

                As for what will happen next, I feel as if the incessant yells and disrespect given to the narrator, Cobra, and Chik by Lieutenant Sweet due to the fact that they are all Japanese will lead to an escalated argument and maybe even fight. The crew has to venture up into the dense mountain of trees to hunt down and kill invading Japanese troops who have parachuted down. When the crew go up to hunt, i think they will encounter the enemy Japanese and see how similar yet different they are from the native Japs. After this, the narrator’s sense of patriotism is going to overtake him and drive him to the front lines of the war, where he may succeed in bringing honor to his family and show his loyalty to America, or die.

                Stay tuned for the next section !

Reading Schedule:

1^st:  1-60 (1-11)

2^nd: 62-110 (12-22)

3^rd: 111-161 (23-33)

4^th: 162-222 (24-44)

#1-Got MLK?

To all you Civil Rights supporters, this sure seems like the book for you! The book I chose to read is a novel by Christopher Paul Curtis, The Watsons Go To Birmingham-1963. Without reading even a single word, there's so much I can already infer. First off, we see that the pictures shown on the cover are a pretty obvious give away that this book deals with an african american family. A beautiful little girl is shown laughing in one photo, two boys are smiling together in another, and a clear shot of who are most likely the father and mother can be seen. Of course I can also get a feel of what the setting is going to be by several things. The title in itself tells that it is 1963, and that particular 'olden time' vibe is given off by the superannuated car shown in the background of the cover. The color of the book as a whole conveys a lot as well, it's got that aged shade of brownish tan and the font of the title reminds me of a heading in old newspapers.

Based off the back of the book, it tells of a 4th grader named Kenny Watson and his "beautiful" life in Michigan. This life style changes when he and his family venture down South into "ugliness and violence". Right here, it made me think of multiple paths that the story could take. The first thought that entered my mind was of a sophisticated african boy that was used to living the simple, easy life and then faces an array of new circumstances in the South that he has never been exposed to. Another scenario was that Kenny would see the hardships that some people of his same skin color go through, and is inspired to become someone like Martin Luther King Jr. Not knowing for sure what this time era exactly held, I typed in "birmingham alabama 1963" into google and youtube. Instantly it was clear what this era held, summed in key words; segregation, civil rights, equality, brutality, and MLK.

Here- A video of one of the searches that came up
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1AepPbYwP4&feature=related

A certain quote within the front cover of the book really stuck with me, "Birmingham, Alabama, toward one of the darkest moments in America's history." This really hit home at how severe the situations in the book may turn out to be, and has kindled a great interest to find out within me. What'll happen next?...

Reading Schedule

1st: 1-63 (1-4)
2nd: 64-99 (5-7)
3rd: 100-161 (8-11)
4th: 162-210 (12-Epilogue)