Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry

Mary asks Stacey to fetch his new coat. After hesitating, Stacey confesses that he gave his coat to T.J. after T.J. suggested the coat fit him better than it did Stacey. Mama orders Stacey to retrieve the coat, but Uncle Hammer stops Stacey. He tells Stacey that he does not deserve the coat if he did not have sense enough to see through T.J.’s trickery. Cassie decides never to upset Uncle Hammer. The children attend the last days of school before Christmas break. Cassie dislikes passing Lillian Jean but does not act on her feelings. She also dislikes seeing T.J. in Stacey’s coat.

On the night before Christmas Eve, Cassie’s father comes home. The family prepares a Christmas feast the next day. David and Uncle Hammer tell fun stories from their childhood. As the storytelling goes on, though, it becomes upsetting. Mr. Morrison tells how White men attacked his home and killed his family one Christmas when he was six years old. When Mr. Morrison refers to his parents as “breeded stock,” Cassie asks what he means. Mr. Morrison explains that his parents were slaves, and their parents were selected to produce children together based on their desirable physical traits.