The spring house is where Waller
prefers to carry out his whippings
. He typically whips his slaves in the spring house in the evening after forcing the punished slave to hang in the sun all day. He makes sure that all the field hands will be around to witness the attack.
What did Waller do to Nightjohn?
In Chapter 5, Waller chains Mammy up,
whips her clothes off her, forces her to wear a horse harness
, and subsequently whips her until her back is raw. As the chapter begins, Sarny talks about the excitement of learning her letters and numbers from John, another slave.
What is the setting of Nightjohn?
The novel is set on
the Waller plantation in the Southern United States in the early 1850s
. The narrator and protagonist of the story is a young female African-American slave named Sarny. Sarny first sees Nightjohn when he is brought to the plantation with a rope around his neck, his body covered in scars.
For what was Alice used on the Waller plantation?
On the Waller plantation, Alice is
used as a breeder
. In the book, Sarny relates that Alice initially worked as a field hand, “picking and hoeing.” As Alice is “addled in the head,” Mammy surmises that the master will eventually sell her off.
Where did Nightjohn take Sarny at night to teach?
We also learn that Sarny is sharp and observant. When Nightjohn comes to
the plantation
, he begins to teach Sarny at night, at first for a trade of some tobacco. She is a good student and learns quickly, beginning to put letters together to make words.
How does Sarny find out that Nightjohn is coming?
Sarny first sees Nightjohn
when he is brought to the plantation with a rope around his neck
, his body covered with scars from many beatings. Sarny is drawn to Nightjohn when she learns that he had escaped North to freedom, only to voluntarily return to the South.
What did Sarny trade Nightjohn for letters?
“Nightjohn wants to trade letters for
tobacco
.” “He wants some of the narrator’s (Sarny’s) tobacco, but he doesn’t have anything to give her back. He offers to teach her some letters as trade for the tobacco.”
What is the theme of Nightjohn?
The theme in The Arrow and in Nightjohn is that
it takes bravery to educate other people
.
What grade level is Nightjohn?
| ATOS Book Level: 3.8 | Interest Level: Middle Grades (MG 4-8) | AR Points: 1.0 | Rating: | Word Count: 10801 |
|---|
What is the setting of the story?
Setting is
the time and place an author chooses for a literary work
. … Setting also includes the physical landscape, climate, weather, and the societal and cultural surroundings that serve as a backdrop for the action. Setting is revealed through the exposition of a story.
What has happened to Sarny since NightJohn left?
What has happened to Sarny since NightJohn left?
Sarny has been thinking of new word with the letters she learned
, but also she has been scared of getting found out.
How much money did Clel Waller pay when he bought NightJohn?
How much money did Clel Waller pay when he bought Nightjohn? What does this tell you about NightJohn? He payed
$1000 dollars
for NightJohn. That shows NightJohn is a talented slave.
Why does Sarny think it is bad to run?
According to Sarny, it’s
bad for a slave to run away because “nobody ever gets away
.” … Waller, the plantation owner, had set his ferocious dogs on Jim once he heard about the slave’s escape. Jim had run as far as he could, but he had to eventually climb a tree to get away from the baying dogs.
Who is the main character of Nightjohn?
Sarny
is the main character in Nightjohn. In the story, Sarny is a spunky, perceptive, and resourceful young girl.
How does Nightjohn end?
Thinking she will never see John again, Sarny is surprised when he returns for her one night a few months later. He takes her to a secret camp where he is teaching slaves to read. The story
ends with the knowledge that Nightjohn has returned
. He will bring hope to the slaves.
How does sarny feel about Waller?
Sarny witnesses at first hand just how vicious and nasty Waller can be. The man has no redeeming features whatsoever, and so the only appropriate emotion toward him from any slave is one of hate. And Sarny expresses her hatred of Waller using such colorful insults as
“nothing
,” “dog droppings,” and “pig slop.”
