Background Time

Period
- Many of the early settlers in Appalachia were poor
farmers who
were seeking cheap land.
- In the 19th century, most of the Appalachian economy was based on
farming and agriculture.
- In addition, the educational system in the Appalachian region was
weak due to lack of government funds and the mentality of the
Appalachian inhabitants.
- In the 20th century, a real change in education began in Appalachia,
sometimes conflicting with the regions traditional values
- Early 20th century writers portrayed the regions inhabitants as
uneducated people who often engage in impulsive acts of violence

Background
Jesse Stuart
- bornand raised in Greenup County, Kentucky USA.
- second of seven children
- His father was a coal miner and a tenant farmer and even though he
himself was uneducated he always wanted his children to have the
best education that they could
- Became a teacher at 19 - taught in a rural school, which was
changing from the traditional type of education to learning by
doing.
- He then became a principal, then a superintendent
- Was highly involved in the changes in education.

Setting
Hill country Kentucky
- Many mountains which separate the area from
civilization
- A lot of poverty
- The population values honesty and hard work, not
education
School vs. Farm

Characters
Prof Herbert

Pa/Luster

Dave

Speaks English
perfectly

Uneducated
jist hep

- Speaks English
with poor
grammar
I says

Middle aged
big wears a
suit and
glasses
He is not
young or
weak

Wears overalls,
big boots, a blue
shirt and a
sheepskin coat
and a slouched
black hat gone
to seed at the
top
His gun is in his
holster
He has brown
skin grey hair

A student in
high school
A man in
size

Speaking

Appearanc
e

Characters
Prof Herbert

Pa/Luster

- At this time
violence was used
to discipline
- The prof doesnt
want to hit Dave
for breaking the
tree
- Youre too big to
whip

- When Dave is late

- Dave doesnt
Disciplin
pa threatens to hit
make excuses e
him with a hickory
for being late
- He accepts his
stick
- He makes us mind
punishments
him until were 21 - I never said
- Kids at this time
anything
respected their
elders

- Open minded
- Old fashioned
- Patient
- Kind hearted
- Polite he calls the - he doesnt want to
father Mr. Sexton
kill the snake he is
and covers the gun
not actually violent
- He doesnt judge
Pa for being
uneducated

Dave

respectful

Personali
ty

PLOT
1.

Dave breaks the tree with six kids climbing after a lizard

2.

Daves punishment is to pay a dollar but he doesnt have the

money so the teacher pays for him

3.

He has to stay 2 hours twice in the week and work for the
dollar

4.

Dave stays after school and is late for his chores on the farm

5.

His father is insulted by Daves lateness make a

gentleman out of one boy in the family and this is what
you get, send you to high school and get too ornery for
the buzzards to smell

6.

After Dave tells him about the punishment he is even more

PLOT 2
1. Dave and Pa walk to school. Dave doesnt want to go to school
with his father. Ashamed of your old pap and thinks the
two men will not get along.
2. Pa threatens the Professor by bringing a gun. (his way of solving
problems is through violence) his gun has always been a
friend to him
3. Prof Herbert is patient and polite and explains the new way of
learning to Pa.
4. Pa calms down and takes a tour of the school with the Professor.
They eat lunch together. He learns about germs.
5. Pa understands the punishment his son was given and stays to

Plot
Climax (turning point)
Pa puts the gun away He is open
to hear about the new way of
education

Complication (problem)
Pa doesnt understand Daves
punishment or the new way of
education

Resolution (solution)
Pa helps Dave clean the
school. He accepts the new
way of education