The
Boy from Willow Bend by Joanne C. Hillhouse
Chapter 7: When the devil come calling – As usual Vere was telling stories to the Buckley
twins in their shelter under the gallery. He thought he saw something and ran
home to tell Tanty.
Chapter 8: You eat parrot bottom? – Here we find out that Vere was in the third grade
at a Catholic Primary School. Mr. Goode was the only male teacher at the
school. He did math drills every morning. During the recess, Vere would do
impersonations of Mr. Goode. Vere was probably having nightmares because Tanty
said he was knocking his head on the pillow. She even suggested going to see
Appie the Obeah woman who recommended a bush bath. Vere said he was fine. Being
the little boy that he was he always had bumps and bruises. Kim noted that he
had scratched and comment on it. He told her “mind your own damn business”. Kim
being the little girl that she was said that she was going to tell on him. This
was the first and probably the only time that Vere put his hands in anger on a
girl. Ms. Buckley came outside after she heard the ruckus. She compared him
with Franklyn’s family stating that they were all bad, including his other and
said that Vere must have had the devil in him. Ms. Buckley to him back home.
This may be one of the few times that Tanty was the disciplinarian.
Chapter 9: Boomerang – Vere sent a Mother’s Day card to his mother who was
living in the US at the time. Unfortunately, the letter came back with a red
stamp: Return to Sender. Tanty told
him that probably she had moved or something. Vere was feeling neglected at
this point. Letters were the only way that he could communicate with his
mother. That night Vere and Tany comforted each other.
Chapter 10: Report
– Vere had made it to the end of third grade. Mr. Goode was informing Tanty
that Vere was smart and suggested that he should skip the fourth grade and go
straight to fifth for that he could receive a challenge that he needed. Tanty
trusted that suggestion of the teacher. The only problem was that Tanty had no
heard from Vere’s mother in a while. She had probably moved and had not sent
her new address to them. Tanty was not sure if there would have Vere’s school
fee moneys when the new school year started. Here is where we know that Tanty
is getting down in age and not feeling well enough to do her little sewing or
cleaning that would bring in some extra funds. Mr. Goode was suggesting a
payment plan of sorts but Tanty was not even sure she could handle that. Vere
did not want to leave the school even though he didn’t see himself particularly
close to anyone there.
Chapter 11: The summer that didn’t come – This is where the first female leaves Vere’s life
and where Tanty is starting to slip away because she is ‘getting down’. On like
Vere, the Buckley twins had both their parents who were living in Canada and
that summer they were going to visit them. The old white man’s nieces didn’t
visit that summer. Vere did not really have anyone to spend time with that
summer. Tanty was getting sicker as the summer went on. Franklyn showed no
sympathy and would constantly bark at her when she moaned and groaned in pain
and Vere would prefer when he was not in the house with them. Tanty tried the
usual old time remedies to hopefully feel better. Ms. Buckley came to help around
the house. In the end of the chapter Vere and Tanty celebrated with June for
her birthday.
Chapter 12: Shake up – Vere’s mother sent his school fees by mid-September.
She had gotten married and had moved to New Jersey. He was not in fifth grade
but didn’t feel challenged. He just felt older and didn’t feel the need to do
Mr. Goode impressions. His favorite part of the day was the last period where
he could day dream about going home. He also looked forward to Monday where it
would be his first day to raise the flag at assembly. Fifth graders raised the
flag, sixth graders rang the period bell and acts as traffic monitors on the
stretch of road outside the school. Art with Ms. Travaini was his favorite
since she spoke to them about things outside of art and God. He painted a
picture that he couldn’t wait for Tanty to see at the end of the school term.
Kim and Kendell were not living in Canada with their parents. Ms. Buckley
continued to do Tanty’s house duties and Vere would accompany her if need be. Franklyn
still fussed about the money used to send Vere to school. Even though Tanty was
sick, she was strong when it came to defending Vere and his education. Tanty
started to indirectly talk to Vere about death but he didn’t want to listen.
June had moved out after the forking incident she was now living with Reverend
and Mrs. Quashie. When Vere saw her that October he informed her that Tanty was
sick. That night June and Mrs. Quashie visited and brought food but as usual
they had no electricity so it could not be stored in the fridge because the
electricity was off. June continued to visit Tanty every day and she even began
to show some improvement. Vere was hoping that she would be well enough to see
his painting in December, but June had reminded him that a person cannot run
from death. By early December Tanty was down again. She was physically smaller
with the exception of her stomach which got bigger and bigger. Vere could not
stand seeing her like this and his escape had become going to Dead End Pond.
Things
to Consider:
What is the importance of death in chapter 12?
Tanty cannot run from death. Vere’s escape in running to Dead End Pond. They live in Dead
End Alley.
Questions:
From reading, what is Tanty’s view on death and has
she accepted her fate?
What is Vere’s view on death and has he accepted fate?
June is now a baptized Christian. What is her view on
death?
(Be able to give explanations/reasons for you answer.)
