Five stars: We need to remember the hate. Read to learn what others experienced...the fear, the anger, the violence, and the despair. Remember and Learn
Imagine being hated, beaten and cursed, because of the amount of pigment in your skin - because of your race, your ethnicity, or your religion.
Fire from the Rock is fiction, but the events in the book reflect the history of Little Rock, Arkansas and the racism rampant in the South during that time period. In 1954, a landmark decision was made by the Supreme Court in Brown v/s the Board of Education. The ruling stated forced segregation of schools based on race denied equal educational opportunities.
Though the setting of Draper's book is 1957, three years after segregation became illegal, many citizens, both African-American and Causcasian, were still attempting to prevent students from other races to attend school together.
Sylvia Patterson never would have imagined herself involved in the center of this race controversy. She was a pretty, smart girl who made good grades, loved her family, never got in trouble, and had a happy life. Next year, she would be entering high school, and she already had a dreamy, romantic boyfriend.
When Central High School is forced to allow African-Americans to attend for the very first time, Sylvia is handpicked to be one of the chosen group. At first, she's flattered and thinks of this opportunity as an honor - recognition for her diligence and her sensible personality. Soon, though, Sylvia finds her life in constant turmoil. Sylvia and her siblings are physically attacked, stalked, threatened, and her parents find their jobs in jeopardy. Sylvia's boyfriend, Reggie, and her brother, Gary, both believe its time to stand up for themselves and fight back. Is this the answer? Or will standing up lead to their permanent downfall?
Will Sylvia become an advocate for racial equality and embrace the opportunity to be provided the best educational opportunities possible - despite the hardships she will face in a predominately white high school? Is losing Reggie, leaving her friends behind, and the threatened violence towards her family worth the risk?
Sylvia knows there are no easy answers, and no matter what decision she makes, she will lose and sacrifice.
Important book to read - Sylvia's experiences and words reflect the helplessness and shame others must have felt during this time period, and reminds us all of the cruelty inflicted upon people of other races- hatred projected in acts of violence and spiteful words, all because of the color of their skin.
You can learn more about Little Rock, Arkansas, the real Central High School, and the first African-American students to attend (called the Little Rock Nine) by watching video clips in United Streaming. See Mrs. Symborski for the passcode or to view on the media center computers.
Little Rock Nine: The first African-American students at Central High School form a study group
I believe this was a very heart warming book. I am writing a report on this book. It really displays (in detail) The horrible triumphs that blacks faced daily.
ReplyDeleteFire From The Rock was a great Historical Fiction book. I think This book was wonderful because it shows what people went through to get schools intergrated and people to think everybody was equal.
ReplyDeleteSylvia Patterson was choosen to attend a school that was only for white students. People in the community thought it was absurd to let black students attend a this school. People from both races told Sylvia that what she was doing was crazy and dangerous. But Sylvia blocked out the people and listened to her heart. She followed her dream.
I loved Fire From The Rock.It was a great historical fiction book for someone who likes more fantasy.The things described in the book are so real compared to what ive read in history class.Its really sad that the mayor of Little Rock gets gaurds to stop the African-Americans from entering an all-white school.This author brought vivid imagry of the story in my mind.Id recomend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the Little Rock Nine or anything about htis time in history ;-)
ReplyDeleteI loved this book it's a very special sincere story that I will never forget. Sylvia is a very admirable person who has a unforgetable experience and who I admire. I hate how racist people where and I'm glad they got shot down.
ReplyDeleteI Love, Love, Love, Love this book! :):):):):):):):)
This book was so amazing because in Little Rock it was like a World War. But it had a shocking cnclusion when Sylvia Faye erased her name off the list.
ReplyDeletei cant believie that they r not taking to her b/c she is a diff. color it dont matter what color she is and little rock is like WW.
ReplyDeleteWHAT HAPPENED IN THE END..did she go?
ReplyDeleteno she decided not to because she thought it wasnt her turn to make a difference in the world which i thought was a stupid idea by the author. If She did go the book would have been better and there would have been more to write about.
ReplyDeleteNope, she didn't go
ReplyDeleteIts hard to imagine how so much hate could develop because of something as simple as skin color.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading FFTR. It illuminated the unlawfullness of the south in the Civil Rights Movement. There were some good and exciting parts of the book. However, I was dissapointed when I learned Sylvia didn't go. It seemed like a lot of buildup for a lot of nothing. While it is still a riveting book about the horrors, friendships, and triumphs of the movement, I would like to see Sylvia, the CHS Student.
ReplyDeleteI loved the book however I was upset that Sylvia did not go to central. I am glad that Reggie was in the book however I hated him. He just was stupid... he dated Sylvia and then started flirting with Candy. Last he still thinks he can have Sylvia. Pure stupidity
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this book. It was very entertaining. However, there seemed to be a lot of build up for a sentence, when Sylivia said she won't go to CHS. I'm dissapointed, becase going into the book, I was excited to learn about what it was like to integrate CHS. That never happened. I enjoyed reading about the process and how it caused violence, but the end was kind of a letdown.
ReplyDeleteI thought this was an great story. It portrays views from different kind of people all in one home, the mother and father are non violent, religous people. Gary is a hot-headed fighter, and Sylvia and DJ are stuck in the middle of it, and are all confusd.
ReplyDeleteI was conpletely shocked by how cruel the crandalls could be, and ho wmuch power the whites actually had at the time, I had no clue that someone could immediatly put someone out of a job, even if they werent there boss. And really? Who is evil enough to train dogs to attack other people, just cause of skin color. I found that awful.
If Sylvia didn't go to central. what school did she go to?
ReplyDeleteSeveral comments were made above about Sylvia NOT going to Central High. I teach this book to 7th graders and as I was reading about her (the author Sharon Draper) on her personal website - I discovered an interview. She explains why she had Sylvia take her name off the list and NOT go to Central High.
ReplyDeleteQuote:
"I have enormous respect and give all honor and appreciation to those nine students who actually underwent the indignities of those days. There is no way I would ever try to lessen their importance and impact on history by inserting a fictional character into their reality. They "own" that piece of history, and rightly so. Therefore, I never had any intention for the main character in the book, Sylvia, to actually be one of the Nine."
BRAVO Sharon Draper - I think it was a great decision NOT to make Sylvia go to Central. Sylvia is a fictional character and the nine students who entered that high school were not fictional.
Fire From the rock is a good biook. it is about a girl who tries to go to a school closer to home but it is for white kids only. she is a smart girl. if she gose she might just change everything about littel rock. I give this book 5 stars ***** :) . she is a srtong and brave girl to go to that school. After she gose other black kids start to go as well. This book is great book about history :) .
ReplyDeleteThis book freaking rocked and i am so glad i read it, although the story would have been sooo much better if she went to the school but i totally understood her decision
ReplyDeletei love this book. it reminds me alot about drama. i think this is one of the best books read in school. sylvia is a good person as well as sharon draper. thx
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