Analysis Of Nightjohn By Gary Paulsen
Speak Your Mind, Even if the Voice Shakes
To make a difference in life, you have to have courage. Most people have the ideas of making a difference, but don’t have the courage to do anything about it. In the story NightJohn by Gary Paulsen, NightJohn shows us how to have courage, when everyone else would turn the other way.
Foremost, NightJohn had escaped from slavery already, but came back to teach slaves how to read and write (page 55). NightJohn could’ve just stayed in the North where it was safer, but instead he came back, because he realized how important it was for slaves to read and write. He wanted them to document the awful experiences they encountered. The masters didn’t want slaves to learn to learn anything - “To know things, for
us to know things, is bad for them. We get to wanting and when we get to wanting it’s bad for them. They thinks we want what they want” - NightJohn (page 39). NightJohn has the courage to go behind the master’s back, and teach slaves about the alphabet and numbers, while everyone else stayed to themselves.
Moreover, Mammy had the courage to stand up to the master - Waller. Sarny was so overjoyed about learning the alphabet that she wrote the word “bag” all over, not paying attention to what she was doing, got caught by Waller. She ran to Mammy, and Waller followed her. Waller questioned Mammy, she kindly spoke “I didn’t know nothing about reading and writing” (page 70). Unfortunately Mammy was punished for not giving Waller an answer, but she knew she couldn’t give NightJohn up, because he was doing such an amazing deed. Mammy had the decency to lie to Waller in order to protect a friend.
On top of that, NightJohn went against Mammy’s wishes, and told Waller he was the person teaching to the slaves. Waller made all the slaves watch Mammy’s punishment, NightJohn couldn’t bare her getting hurt because of him, so he yelled to Waller “”Let her be. She didn’t know nothing about it. It was all me” (page 72). Sadly, Waller was so furious with NightJohn that he chopped of his middle toes with a chisel (page 74). While this happened NightJohn didn’t scream, because he didn’t want Waller to feel satisfactory after what he did. NightJohn shows us that having the courage to come out and tell the truth, may be bad in the beginning, but will get better soon.
To end, Gary Paulsen shows us that having the courage to do things others won’t is good. It shows us we will be okay with accepting change, and we don’t have to follow the same path all our lives. Over half of the people who read something similar to this won’t change - will you be the one that changes?
To make a difference in life, you have to have courage. Most people have the ideas of making a difference, but don’t have the courage to do anything about it. In the story NightJohn by Gary Paulsen, NightJohn shows us how to have courage, when everyone else would turn the other way.
Foremost, NightJohn had escaped from slavery already, but came back to teach slaves how to read and write (page 55). NightJohn could’ve just stayed in the North where it was safer, but instead he came back, because he realized how important it was for slaves to read and write. He wanted them to document the awful experiences they encountered. The masters didn’t want slaves to learn to learn anything - “To know things, for
us to know things, is bad for them. We get to wanting and when we get to wanting it’s bad for them. They thinks we want what they want” - NightJohn (page 39). NightJohn has the courage to go behind the master’s back, and teach slaves about the alphabet and numbers, while everyone else stayed to themselves.
Moreover, Mammy had the courage to stand up to the master - Waller. Sarny was so overjoyed about learning the alphabet that she wrote the word “bag” all over, not paying attention to what she was doing, got caught by Waller. She ran to Mammy, and Waller followed her. Waller questioned Mammy, she kindly spoke “I didn’t know nothing about reading and writing” (page 70). Unfortunately Mammy was punished for not giving Waller an answer, but she knew she couldn’t give NightJohn up, because he was doing such an amazing deed. Mammy had the decency to lie to Waller in order to protect a friend.
On top of that, NightJohn went against Mammy’s wishes, and told Waller he was the person teaching to the slaves. Waller made all the slaves watch Mammy’s punishment, NightJohn couldn’t bare her getting hurt because of him, so he yelled to Waller “”Let her be. She didn’t know nothing about it. It was all me” (page 72). Sadly, Waller was so furious with NightJohn that he chopped of his middle toes with a chisel (page 74). While this happened NightJohn didn’t scream, because he didn’t want Waller to feel satisfactory after what he did. NightJohn shows us that having the courage to come out and tell the truth, may be bad in the beginning, but will get better soon.
To end, Gary Paulsen shows us that having the courage to do things others won’t is good. It shows us we will be okay with accepting change, and we don’t have to follow the same path all our lives. Over half of the people who read something similar to this won’t change - will you be the one that changes?