Choose a short passage from your novel that made an impact on you as you read it, that made you stop and think maybe even say "Oh wow" to yourself. It may have made you stop and think because you made a personal connection. It may have made you wonder and ask a question. It may have made you react in some emotional way to the words on the paper. In your response, quote the passage and list the page number that it can be found on. Explain, in detail, why you chose this passage, what reason did you have that made you stop and think or had you reacting in some way. Include your feelings and emotions as well as state any connections you made (text to self, text to text, text to world). An example from another novel of how to start is this:
"Big signs were posted at the pool saying"No Jews or Dogs Allowed". pg 14
As I read this passage I couldn't believe that this could happen. How could the Jewish even be compared to dogs?"
So far in what I have gone through you can see that Harriet has gone through a lot in her lifetime and has to help take care of a baby, which I know is really hard to do. She does mainly all the chores and helps out, even though she's a slave, she one day hoped to get away and be free. Someday she plans to save everyone else to.
ReplyDeletePg. 7, "Although Harriet had not yet passed her eighth birthday, there was no running and skipping for her, no rolling in the grass or climbing trees."
ReplyDeleteI used this statement because I thought that as an eighth year-old, you shouldn't be working in the fields, making dinner and being whipped. I know when I was eight, other than school I would be always outside playing with my friends. This was something no eight year-old would have to endure. . . . Then again, this book wasn't based in 2007, it was based in the 1820's.
@Hercula - I guess you can't really say that she's been through a lot, maybe you could say that she does things that kids from a different racial background don't.
@Matt -I think that you have good examples but, even though it was based in the 1820's doesn't mean that they still should have endured that. There is no reason for any kid, or innocent human being to be treated as nothing just because of who they are. Even though that has happened doesn't mean it was right.
DeleteHarriet is a strong willed and powerful girl who isnt meant to be a slave. With having to now start working in the fields with her family, she learns to work long hours in the hot sun. At the age of eight, Harriet has learned how to do many things and has everyone keeping hope that they one day will be free. With alot of work, she will find a way to be free from slavery and risk her lifes to help others to.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Harriet is a very strong willed and powerful girl and she definitely does not deserve to be a slave. If I was in her position I would hate it and I wouldn't be able to do all the things she has done. Would you?
DeleteThis book (although I have read many on the topic) is really entreating. I was up at
ReplyDelete12:45 reading it last night. After the master died, I thought that all the slaves would just scatter and leave only the overseer and Miss Sarah to catch them. Another part that left me shocked was when the weight was thrown on top of Harriet’s forehead and the guy from the other plantation just threw her on the bed and said, “she’s dying.” I actually didn’t know whether to be shocked or sad because she probably had a concussion, or brain damage and the master just threw her on the bed.
I got very sad when that happened because they weren't treating her like a person they were treating her like an object that can be thrown around. I was so surprised because they were being so horrible to Harriet even though she probably had a very bad head injury. I think that nobody should be treated the way that Harriet was treated.
Delete"There were bumps all over her body, and her head ached. Paying no attention to her complaints, Mr. Cook took her with him to the marshes to watch his muskrat traps" Pg 10
ReplyDeleteThis part of the book made me go "oh wow" because that is so cruel, Harriet's sick and tired but they still expect her to work. It makes me very sad because I wouldn't want to be living in a place that no body cared about my health or anything about me and just wanted me to work. Im glad after a while they let her mother take care of her but still for that period of time she was suffering.
That's what my reply to that was too. Its just not right, and they are all catholic so their all saying, "Does God want this?" Its just really sad to think that your best friends great grandpa could have been working on a cotton plantation
Deletepg. 142 Slavery is a state of war"
ReplyDelete-John Brown
I believe that this is a very compelling statement as the slaves are fighting in a war which they have no weapons, nor allies. (until the Underground Railroad is made)****SPOILER ALERT**** I'm glad that Harriot is safe and everything but its still sad that you would think that people can just take other people and just throw them in front of a tobacco plant and say "Work or get whipped!".
And another thing if any of you have read this far, who is the Nalle person, because I read that Harriot and him/her were fighting and I didn't know who he is...If you know thanks in advance :)
"Muskrats thrived in the swamps along the Bay, and their skins brought good money in the Cambridge and Baltimore markets. But all muskrats belonged to Master, and it was worth thirty lashes for any slave caught trapping and eating one." Pg.20
ReplyDeleteThis paragraph definitely made me go "Oh wow" because it is so unfair that when they try to get food for themselves or for their families they get whipped. Compared to my life the slaves lives were so much worse because they don't get the right to do what they want, they were basically controlled by their masters and they weren't even treated like people. It is so sad that when they try to get food they end up being whipped, nobody deserves to be treated like that. That's why the paragraph made me go "oh wow".
I don't get how the world could be like this. How one group of people can just go to a shore a long way from their home, (though it really doesnt matter) capture them, take them to their homeland and make them do their own dirty work. Even if I did escape from slavery, I would never be brave enough to came back and rescue people, let alone about 300 in 4 years like Harriot did.
ReplyDeleteMatt I don't understand the first part of your question as the black people did not sail to America, The Americans sailed to Africa and captured them there. You also have quite a bit of spelling errors.
Deletepg 78
ReplyDeleteIm sure Harriet is happy to be free but how is she feeling? Sad, scared, angry? worried? I would feel very scared, in fact I don't even think I would be brave enough to try and escape. Can anyone tell me how they would feel if they were in Harriet's situation?
@tweetybird I agree with you I would be very scared, I would feel alone and wouldnt have the courage to move forward. I would most likly head back to slavery because I would feel like there is nothing for me to accomplish out in the world because of my skin colour.
DeletePg 129
ReplyDeleteHow do the people putting up the wanted signs now how Harriet looks like? Did they make up the picture? Did they see her while she was helping the slaves escape? Could anyone tell me?
What was Harrits plan? Did she ever think about what to do next? Or if she would ever be caught? Or even if she would have a family on her own? These are some questions that have been forming in my mind.
ReplyDelete-Just Started Reading-
ReplyDeleteSomeone Correct Me If I Say Something Incorrect. :)
ReplyDelete"Those black-his tone was contemptuous- haven't any more feelings than an animal". Pg. 113
ReplyDeleteWhen I read this part of the book I felt very angry at the same time very sad. How could the sheriff compare African slaves to animals? They are the same as the sheriff and every other human being in the world the only difference is their skin color. I was wondering when he told this to his wife, does his wife agree with him? I think she probably would because a lot of people hate African slaves because they think they are better then them but they are very wrong. I think no human being deserves to be compared to an animal. What do you think?