Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

In Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Cassie struggles with the fact that the adult world has laws that are unfair and hurtful to her just because of her race. In Chapter 10, after the attack on her family members, Cassie states, “It seemed to me that since the Wallaces had attacked Papa and Mr. Morrison, the simplest thing to do would be to tell the sheriff and have them put in jail, but Mama said things didn’t work that way.” How does this conflict play a part in Cassie’s coming of age and maturity? Consider these questions as you formulate a response.

• What other events occur in the novel that show the result of unfair and hurtful laws?
• How does Cassie react after observing these situations?   
• How does her struggle in this regard connect to either the theme of Racism and Violence in the United States or Land and Power? 

Teaching Suggestion: The understanding that adult laws can be racist on a systemic level is devastating to Cassie, and T.J.’s fate at the end of the novel leaves her with a very mature observation: “What had happened to T.J. in the night I did not understand, but I knew that it would not pass.