The Watsons Go to Birmingham
Chapters 1-4
In the first chapters of The Watsons Go to Birmingham, we find out a lot about the weird Watsons. I love how Christopher Paul Curtis jumps right into the Watsons life, allowing us to see them bundled up in their cold house, Byron the “lipless wonder”, and his sister can be very emotional. One particular part in the book stuck out to me was when Kenny’s mother is talking about Birmingham, Alabama and how it might be warmer than Flint, Michigan. Kenny’s dad reminds her about the “colored bathrooms downtown”. What do you think Kenny’s father meant by that reminder?
How was life different for African Americans in the 1960s in Birmingham, Alabama then in Flint, Michigan?
Do you think the Watsons are going to travel to Birmingham? Why do you think that?
What are some of the challenges the Watsons might face?
4 Comments
November 10th, 2011 at 9:08 pm
In this book Mrs. Watson wants to go back to Birmingham, but Mr. Watson doesn’t want to go because of the colored bathrooms. I think colored bathrooms means, there are different batherooms for different races. Mabye Mrs. Watson had a okay life, but enjoyed the warm weather there rather than the cold winter in Flint. I think the Watsons are going to go to Birmingham because that is the title of the book. Also, they might get tired of the freezing cold weather and travel down south. Although, the Watsons might face some challenges like a crash because of the cold weather, or get stuck in the ice. I wish the best of luck to them if they go to Birmingham!
November 10th, 2011 at 9:55 pm
I think that Kenny’s father that in Birmingham it was very segregated. Flint may have been more friendly to Black people than Birmingham. I think the watsons will go to Birmingham because that is the title of the book. They could face anything from nice people to racist people since Mississippi and Alabama were very racist states.
November 10th, 2011 at 10:51 pm
I think when she was reminding him she was reminding him that African Americans can’t go in the same bathroom as white people, and I believe that’s not the life she wants to live. Now a days everyone can go in the same stall or school or dink out of the same fontain, all over America. I do believe the Watson’s are going to go to Alabama, vecause of the cold weater. They be just ready to just get out of the cold. On their way they might face snow storms or even emotional challenges. For, example maybe Kenny will be sad leaving Rufus. They might have their car break down on the road or they don’t take enough money with and they becom short on cash. There are many obstacales they could face on the way to Birmingham.
November 11th, 2011 at 12:23 am
I think that when Kenny’s Dad reminded his Mom about “colered bathrooms” he ment that there were two different bathrooms. one for aferiacan amercains and one for white people. Life was different for aferiacan amercains in Alabamma because the Civil Rights Movement was going on there, but that wasn’t going on in Flint in that time period. I think that some of the challenges the Watsons might face could be not being used to aferiacan amercains not being with white people or not being used to the weather. I’m pretty sure that the watson will go the Birmingham becuase the tittle is called The Watsons Go To Birmingham, it is way below zero in flint, and Kenny’s Moms relitives live in Birmingham and Kenny, Byron, and Joey/Joetta havent met them yet.