elijah of buxton by christopher paul curtis

Pa suggests the Preacher travel with a neighbor, Mr. Elijah offers his endorsement that the Preacher is trustworthy. He asks Elijah’s father to help with arrangements, but the Preacher offers to take the money and go to Michigan to arrange the deal himself. Leroy has enough money to pay for his family’s freedom. Leroy the money she was saving to buy her husband’s freedom. Holton that her own mother insisted Ma take a chance on escaping, even if it meant never seeing her again. Later, sharing stories of slavery, Ma tells Mrs. It shares the news that her husband, John, has died. Realizing Sir Charles is a slave owner, the Preacher escorts Elijah home but returns to the carnival alone to rescue MaWee and bring him to freedom in Buxton.Įlijah must read aloud a letter to a neighbor, Mrs. A young boy named MaWee tells Elijah that Sir Charles purchased him in America to play a role in the slingshot show as a tribal chief. Elijah wins in a contest with the carnival’s slingshot artist. The Preacher introduces Elijah by the name Ahbo to Sir Charles, the carnival owner. The Preacher plans to exploit Elijah’s rock-throwing talent there, telling Elijah this is how he will help the Settlement. The Preacher convinces Elijah to sneak away one night to see the traveling carnival camped at nearby Chatham. Leroy, Elijah decides the most impactful lessons come from real life. Elijah already knew the word wrong, but now he understands the extent to which it symbolizes hatred. Leroy’s reaction is immediate he slaps Elijah and shows the brand on his chest. Leroy, a former slave whose family still lives in slavery. Travis’s lesson, Elijah accidentally uses the n-word in conversation with Mr. Travis, the schoolteacher, gives a lesson on respecting elders, education, and opportunities. The Preacher sees Elijah do this and is convinced that Elijah’s aim can help the Settlement. Elijah puts a toad in her sewing basket as a reminder that everyone is afraid of something in return, Ma pranks Elijah with a snake in the cookie jar as a lesson in tasting one’s own medicine.ĭays later, Elijah throws rocks at fish to catch enough for several neighbors’ dinners in Buxton, everyone helps each other and gives charitably. Elijah runs home afraid, earning a talk from his mother on being gullible. A local man known as the Preacher tells them that hoop snakes, dangerously poisonous reptiles that roll after their victims, made the tracks. The story opens as Elijah investigates strange animal tracks with his friend Cooter.

Elijah of buxton by christopher paul curtis