Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals

Chapters 1-3

Throughout her entire life Melba has faced adversity just because of her skin color and the time period she was born. She knows from an early age that there is a line between people who have black and white skin. When she hears about the opportunity to be able to go to a ‘white’ school she signs up right away, but forgets to mention it to her family. When her name is announced that she is picked to go to the school she is faced with backlash from being chosen. She is wondering if this is still a good idea to go if her family is being threatened.

Chapters 4-6

The threat of potential violence against her family and her is scarring her and she is worried that if she continues this way her family will get hurt. She is facing adversity every turn she faces whether it be those that don’t want her to go to the high school or her own neighbors turning their back on them. She is struggling on deciding what to do, she is afraid for her life, and those that are around her.

Chapters 7-9

Every day the mobs are growing bigger and increasing the harmful environment. She is facing a growing environment of adversity because of the increase of bullies and the army coming increases the want from the mob to get rid of the kids. Everyone is facing so much adversity that they can’t go to class without a guard with them incase the kids get to out of control. She is also writing down her experience in essay. With this she is hoping by having people read them that the process will go smoother. She tries to do her best with everything that is going by asking herself the question of “will I go back again tomorrow?”

Chapters 10-12

The soldiers are called back, so the students no longer have protection. Which causes the adversity to grow. Before the soldiers are called back Melba has acid thrown her face. Without her guard, Danny, she might have lost her sight just because someone doesn’t want them at the school. She later goes on a date with a guy, Vince, a guy she has liked for awhile. But now that she is caught up in more danger Vince is starting to act less interested in her. The integration causes her to lose friends, who don’t come to her birthday party but go
to a Christmas party instead. She tries to stay strong but her body is starting to shut down because of all the abuse that she suffers during the day. One of her friends is suspended, which causes a new chant to be heard in the halls, “One down, eight to go.”

Chapters 13-15

 

She is facing hardship with her friend being suspended, but at the hearing she is expelled, Melba realizes that anyone could be next. She is almost caught by some of the kids in the school when she enters a different way. But one boy, named Link,  helps her by giving her his car to escape. She thinks that after what happened with Link maybe just maybe that maybe things are going to change. She also she changes in some of the other students, she is once again saved by Link when he stopped his friends in the cafeteria from hurting her. She wants to stick it out until the end of the year but she doesn’t know if she can, at times she wants to die because of what is going on. But she knows that she has to be a warrior and not give up, because if she gives up all of the stuff she went threw is going to be useless.

Chapters 16-17

The segregation that she is facing is heating up as the groups are trying to get Melba and her friends out of the school before the end of year. They want to get rid of them so that way they wouldn’t be able to register for next year’s school year. She also gets to see a side of Link that most times she would not be able to see because of the difference in their skin color. But when she sees how he takes care of his old nanny, she starts to think maybe just maybe all white men aren’t so made. Considering the amount of information that Link has given that has helped her stay safe and giving her his car, are all things that point to him not caring about their different skin color. But she faces the possibility that if she is not pulled from the school than next year her mother will go without a job. Her and her family have to decide if it is worth it for Melba to continue to go to school with all that is going on.

Chapter 18-Epilogue

Her and her family have to figure out how Mother Lois is going to figure out how to get her job back. Her superiors  are being pushed by the whiteboard to make sure she doesn’t get her job back. The only way Mother Lois and Grandmother India know how to get her job back is by going to the bishops of their town. And that works, her teaching contract is renewed. But her journey for the year is coming to an with the threat of her friend not being able to graduate, he is the only colored senior. He is able to graduate from school. When summer hits the Little Rock nine are wished away to the north where they are seen as heros because of their steps in integration. But when she comes back for the next year, they aren’t allowed back into the school because of all the lawsuits that they have to fight. So the NCAAP sent Melba and her friends to other parts of the country to finish their education. When Melba goes to the new place she is once again the only colored person in a houseful of white people, and only colored going to a white school. But here she learns the true meaning of equality and what it means to be together. 30 years later she goes back to Little Rock to meet up with the other nine, to see how much their old town had changed. They were able to see how much their suffering had allowed for change to happen. Their pain and sorrow put in motion an action that could not be stop. All of the adversity they went through paved the way for other colored people to go to school with white kids.