The Watsons Go To Birmingham Essay

In the two texts, “The Watsons Go To Birmingham,” by Christopher Curtis and, “16th Street Baptist Church Bombing,” by Jessica McBirney the two authors create two different texts with the same event. The text, “16th Street Baptist Church Bombing,” by Jessica McBirney the central idea is that the church bombing impacted and angered an entire community. The text, “The Watsons Go To Birmingham,” by Christopher Curtis the central idea is that a noise that is compared to a sonic boom draws Kenny’s interest, and he later finds out that noise is the result of a church bombing. Both texts mentioned are based around the same event is history, but are very different in term of the way they were developed.

In the book The Watsons Go to Birmingham the author Christopher Paul Curtis uses indirect characterization to develop rufus as an honorable character. In the novel the author uses many different traits that describe Rufus. One good example of the Honest trait is on page 37. When Rufus went to kennys house to play with kenny's dinosaurs and battle together. Rufus was always honest about not stealing kennys dinosaurs and Kenny also was glad the Rufus did not cheat. Some evidence of this is on page 37. The author states “because he didn’t cheat and didn’t try to steal my plastic dinosaurs.” Another character trait that rufus has is Forgiving. In the book on page 42-43 Larry Dunn (bully) teased Rufus and cody because they have one pair of blue

In chapter 14 of the novel The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis the author uses carefully chosen words, phrases, setting and events to create a mood. The author is trying to create a feeling for the reader. In the beginning of the chapter the mood is calm and pleasant. Kenny slept in. Joetta gets ready for Sunday school.

In chapter 14 of the novel The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis the author uses symbolism when she writes about the flickering light during the aftermath of the Birmingham Church bombing. “One light from the ceiling was still hanging down by a wire, flickering and swinging back and forth.” (pg. 123) I believe that the light symbolizes the life of bombing victims as they hang by a thread, flickering on and off. The author had already equated light to life when Kenny almost drowned when he wrote “all the light and sounds from Alabama disappeared” (pg. 116).

Sometimes siblings fight ,but in the end, they usually make up. In The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 by: Christopher Paul, Kenny and Byron get in lots of fights both physical and verbal. While they are mean to each other in the beginning, by the end they seem to forgive each other and are much nicer.

In the novel The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis the author uses personification when he writes “The lights knocked some of the darkness out of the way and we felt safe again.” (pg. 97). With this metaphor the author is comparing the car to a fighter and the headlights are his fists knocking the dangers out of their way. With this personification the author is showing how fearful and threatened the Watsons feel at the rest stop in Appalachia. The Watson’s are afraid that if the people in the Appalachian “caught [them] out here like this they’d hang [them]” (pg. 96). During 1963 this is a realistic fear. The author’s use of descriptive language and personification helps to bring this fear to life in his novel.

In 'Ballad of Birmingham,' Dudley Randall illustrates a conflict between a child who wishes to march for civil rights and a mother who wishes only to protect her child. Much of this poem is read as dialogue between a mother and a child, a style which gives it an intimate tone and provides insight to the feelings of the characters. Throughout the poem the child is eager to go into Birmingham and march for freedom with the people there. The mother, on the other hand, is very adamant that the child should not go because it is dangerous. It is obvious that the child is concerned about the events surrounding the march and wants to be part of the movement. The child expresses these feelings in a way

The Watsons decide to all go to Birmingham to meet their strict grandma Sands. The trip to Birmingham goes well until one day, someone bombed the church, which makes the Watsons go back home to Flint Michigan.

Have you ever been treated unfairly? Well, in the book The Watsons go to Birmingham in 1963 they were in the middle of the civil rights movements, they were fighting to be treated equally. The main theme is stopping segregation here are three examples ,the Watson family couldn't go to the same school as whites, they couldn't use the same restrooms, they couldn't go to the same church in peace.

In The Watsons go to Birmingham, 1963, the Watson Family travels down to Alabama to teach Byron a lesson. The Watsons take a huge risk by traveling down south. Because there are so many negative possibilities, it was not worth it for the watsons to go to Birmingham.

As I watch my family pack up, I don't believe, this is my home, I couldn’t believe it. In the Watsons go to Birmingham, Byron, a kid from the novel, with a big ego. This boy Byron felt the unbelief of the upcoming chapter of his life. Byron caused this because he secretly played with fire, stole from a store and was the school bully, this proves Byron’s disobedience. All this got him nowhere (except Alabama). In the novel The Watsons go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis, Byron's disobedience brought his parents to the decision of moving Byron to Birmingham, Alabama.

The book I read was The Watsons go to Birmingham in this novel there were many characters and lots of problems for the family.For my opinion I think the most interesting character was Kenny a ten-year-old.The most interesting thing I know about Kenny is that he was intelligent,active,and caring.My favorite character is Kenny also because he told the most of the story and he was a really important and funny character.If I could tell Kenny some advice ill tell him to think about his actions and how it could affect him if things go wrong.For example when he went to see if the whirlpool was true and it was so he almost died so he should be more safe next time and not to wonder of in places he dosen’t know well enough.

Published in 1995 by Christopher Paul Curtis, The Watsons Go to Birmingham is a story of an African- American family living in a town of Flint, Michigan, having a journey to Birmingham, Alabama in 1963. The movie came out in 2013, similar to the original novel. This loving family consists of five members: Byron Watson, an official juvenile delinquent, Kenneth Bernard Watson, ten years old boy with a lazy eye, Joetta Watson, an obedient youngest Watson, Wilona Sands Watson, Momma who always look after her kids, and lastly, David Watson, a thoughtful reliable dad. In fact, the movie is quite different from the novel, because the plot events don’t match with the movie, there is fused resolution, there is some missing and different characters, and the focus of the theme are slightly different.

In the poem “Ballad of Birmingham”, by Dudley Randall, many different things can be analyzed. The difference in the two translations; one being a literal translation, telling the true meaning of the poem, and the other being a thematic translation, which tells the author’s theme and symbolism used in his/her work. Another thing that all poets have in common is the usage of poetic devices; such as similes, metaphors, and personification.

Given the events and situations which Dr. Watson faced, the significant changes that his independence, use of expertise, and critical thinking skills underwent were inevitable. As the book began it was obvious that Dr. Watson was Sherlock Holmes's sidekick, and that his character was weaker. As soon as Dr. Watson reached Devonshire his character had to undergo changes such as his independence from being the sidekick. "“What, are you coming, Watson?" he asked, looking at me in a curious way.”That depends on whether you are going on the moor," said I. "Yes, I am." "Well, you know what my instructions are. I am sorry to intrude, but you heard how earnestly Holmes insisted that I should not leave you, and especially that you should not go alone