Sometimes the roll of thunder doesn't hear your cry

Sometimes, too, the biggest concepts comes in the smallest and humblest packaging. My clear proof is a worn paperback children’s book I picked up for 25 cents, a book that rocked my world after several years of sitting on the shelf unread. You probably own a similarly well-used copy of this book – it tends to sneak into home libraries. Want to know what it is? Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Surprised?

If you’ve ever read this book, you shouldn’t be. Written by Mildred D. Taylor, Roll of Thunder follows a year of nine-year-old Cassie Logan’s life in Mississippi during the Depression. Her family takes pride in the land they own and work themselves, a rare privilege for people of color at that time. Secure in her family circle, Cassie begins to “grow up” when she starts to feel for herself the intense persecution that came from being black. She sees how her friends and neighbors are abused and mistreated, and feels the sting of prejudice herself in the attitudes and behaviors of most whites in her town. The injustices throughout the story climax in a wrongful accusation of murder against one of her friends. Despite the frightening events around her, Cassie, like her parents and grandparents before her, takes strength in her pride and in the land that was theirs no matter what.

It might be labeled “juvenile fiction,” but Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry should not be dismissed just because it’s easy to read, or given to young kids because it features a child as the main character. Beneath its simple, plainly written surface, this leisurely novel is startling and disquieting in its hard-hitting message. It’s even more powerful than To Kill a Mockingbird, because here you actually see the story from the eyes of someone who grew up in a time when being black meant being ostracized.

The story by itself is a good one. The book focuses on the escalading events of prejudice and happenings in the black community that the Logan family lives in. Even though the central plot doesn’t always ring through, the many side stories don’t fall into the “episode trap.” They rather feel like different aspects and tales of the same larger story – the story of Cassie’s introduction to the real world. This is not always uplifting either; as my mom says, truth can be depressing. On the other hand, the strong relationship that the Logans have with each other is warm and encouraging, and the scenes that take place on their farm are a pleasant contrast with the harsh world outside their family.

With Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, you can really slip into the culture and community that existed in the 1930s South. Of course, this provides a side of the story not often told – a black neighborhood during the Depression. It was hard living, but not as hard as surviving the torments of their white neighbors. Cassie’s young eyes see it with the simple indignation of a child, and she tells her story in first person with a conviction and willpower that’s endearing to read. She describes how she and her brothers cope with the curveballs life throws at them; for a nine-year-old, Cassie can be very wise sometimes, though usually very foolish and in character with her age.

The language in this book is authentic to the time period and isn’t whitewashed like a lot of historical books for children are. That means that you will encounter the “n-word” a whole lot of times and a great deal of racist language. You will have to screen this book for yourself and determine whether your child is ready for this and won’t be influenced by it. This isn’t the kind of book that most people would feel comfortable reading aloud, because of the abundance of racist terms. And just reading it silently will make some people squirm. But it still is important to know the truth of history, and reading this very emotionally charged novel will make you feel the attitudes and slurs like you’ve never felt them before.

I took one star away from Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry because in a way I didn’t enjoy reading it. It was so matter-of-fact about what takes place in the story, so blunt about the bigotry and injustice, and almost all of the story is unpleasant and distressing, especially when you’re used to reading books that make you feel satisfied. This one definitely won’t. It shook me up but also opened my eyes, got down into my soul, and got me interested in a time of history that I hadn’t ever studied before. The realities of the way black people were treated before the fifties and sixties was real to me through reading this book. To Kill a Mockingbird opened the door on the subject, but Roll of Thunder actually put you in the middle of it. And yet in a way I don’t think I would have been as impacted if I hadn’t read Harper Lee’s novel first. The two books really go together and are marvelous to read one after the other.


With the land to hold them together, nothing can tear the Logans apart

I was held a willing audience to the spell told in this story of the Logans’ determination and courage. While it wasn’t a thrilling or utterly captivating book, it pulled me into its persuasive tale and really made feel a part of the story. Their faith in each other and in the land they own is a central and intriguing storyline in Roll of Thunder. Most of the book was interesting, and even the unexciting parts weren’t all that boring. I think most readers will find it an easy to read and definitely worthwhile novel. Well, easy to read from a comprehension point of view. Not at all easy on a deeper level.

The writing style is rather simple: a matter-of-fact, lazy narrative that hides the enormous power just underneath. I usually am not wild about such stark writing but somehow the plainness makes the message of the story stand out more, as if Mildred Taylor wanted everyone to understand what she was talking about. She seems to enjoy writing dialogue, since there’s a lot of conversations throughout the book – in fact, it’s mostly made up of dialogue, carefully shaped in understated dialect. The southern accent isn’t obtrusive, although it’s certainly there! I wouldn’t call the writing deep or beautiful, but it’s a fine basic and authentic narrative style that suits the story.

I liked the personal feeling that the first-person narrative brought to the story. It helps that Cassie is an especially endearing heroine, determined and impetuous and acting exactly as the reader would have done in her case, or at least would feel like doing. She’s a delicately developed character, even though she doesn’t describe herself much; we get to know her through the story. Her brothers are less fleshed out; I thought that Ms. Taylor could have done a better job letting us get to know Stacey, Christopher-John, and Little Man more closely. She does expand their personalities and get us acquainted, but doesn’t really let us become friends with them. Mama and Papa are priceless as characters, as is Cassie’s grandmother Big Ma. The author gives them courage, dignity, and a healthy dose of love as the anchor of Cassie’s life. The other incidental characters aren’t elaborated on much, but they are amusing sidenotes.

You can almost believe that it’s really a nine-year-old telling the story, though the writing dynamics are well-developed. I guess the author managed to capture the feeling of a child’s storytelling without letting the book itself become childish. I can’t say this enough: the main character and writing style may be young, but that does not mean this book is appropriate for young children. I don’t think kids under ten could handle the disturbing topics covered in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. If you save it for a little later, I think you’ll find it’s a great book to discuss with your older preteens or teenagers.

Some themes to explore from the story might be the attitudes of blacks being inferior that still lingered after the Civil War; looking at the rights that African-Americans did have back then and contrasting them with the rights they didn’t have (for instance, voting rights, as well as subtler issues of equality and fair treatment); and how our lives would be different if we were growing up in the 1930s, white or black. The complex subjects of race, justice, and attitudes that Taylor sneaks into this simple story are astounding, and the subdued yet powerful way she presents them will shake you to your soul. There is no nice neat ending here; no sense of completion or justice to the conclusion, since that’s often the way it is in real life. It might not be a comforting experience, but it will be one that you’ll remember and draw upon throughout life.


Bottom line

A true classic, and one that should be read by both preteens and more mature readers. I have no doubt you’ll be amazed how powerful a “children’s book” can be. It’s also a great way to launch a study on Civil Rights. If you’re interested in continuing Cassie’s story, check out the sequel Let the Circle Be Unbroken. There’s also a prequel called The Land, which is a more intricate and more enjoyable book about Cassie’s grandparents. Nevertheless, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is a book that should not be missed and might – no, will! – change your view on a lot of things.

Other books by Mildred Taylor

Let the Circle Be Unbroken
The Land