Synopsis
August 20th, 2008 | Uncategorized |
In this episode of Roots, Toby (Kunta Kinte) goes through a lot:
He runs away from his owner in order to try to find Fanta, the girl he knew from Africa. He finds her, but learns that she does not share his dream of running away together. Although she wants to be free, she wants to stay safe even more and refuses to run away with him. While they are arguing, Toby is discovered by slave-catchers who chase him down and capture him. The slave-catchers tie Toby up and cut off part of one of his feet to keep him from running away again.
Toby’s wound gets infected and he spends most of a month unconscious. He is nursed back to health by a slave named Belle. When he wakes up, he finds that he, Fiddler and a couple of other slaves from his master’s plantation have been sold. He now belongs to Dr. Reynolds, the brother of his first master.
He feels very sorry for himself and wants to give up, but Belle taunts him until he gets angry enough to get out of bed and start living again.
Several years pass. Toby eventually becomes Dr. Reynolds’ driver and marries Belle. His life gets better, but he never gives up on his dream of freedom. On one of his trips with the Doctor, Toby meets another African slave who has a plan to run away. He gives Toby a signal to listen for – a particular rhythm on a drum. When he hears the drum, Toby is supposed to run away with the Drummer.
Belle and Toby have a baby girl named Kizzy. At about the same time, Fiddler dies. It is a very emotional time for Toby.
A few weeks after Kizzy is born, Toby takes her out into the night to officially give her her name, just like his father did for him back in Africa. While he is holding her up to the stars, he hears the Drummer calling him to run away.
He returns to Belle and tells her that the plantation where they live will never be a home to him, but that he loves her and Kizzy too much to run away from them. He decides to stay and pass on his dream of freedom to his daughter.
Please remember to post your comment with your name (first name + last initial), your Block and the name or description of the character you are blogging as.
Shannon M.
Block D
Fanta/Maggie
When I quietly came back into the barn that night, there he was, standing there waiting for me. I still remember his name after these long, many years, Kunta Kinte. It was nice to see him for a change, but I knew something was up. For him to run away from his master and come all this way to my plantation was a lot, just to see me. I stroked his cheeks, and then touched his shoulders, realizing how happy I was to see him. He looked so different and had changed into a strong, well built man.
As I walked behind him and took off his shirt, I uncovered the many large, horrid scars he had all along his back. I knew he was always a man who would stick up for himself and not cooperate sometimes. He was stubborn, but charming. I carefully hugged him when he started speaking Mandinka. He assumed I still knew my old language, but he guessed wrong. I erased those words from my head, knowing that I would never need to use them again in my life. English is the only thing I understand now. He also called me Fanta. I have not used that name in awhile and will not go by it anymore. My name is Maggie and always will be. His name is now Toby. As he talked about how the white men took away everything from us, I knew he was right. I wanted to be with him and he wanted to be with me, but it wasn’t possible. I belonged to Master Calvert.
In the morning Toby was planning out how we would escape, but I knew there was no way I could do it. Even if we did get to freedom we wouldn’t have anywhere to go or any jobs to do. The white men’s’ work is different up North. They don’t have jobs for niggers. The more Toby went on, the more foolish he started to sound. Thinking that we might be able to find a way back to Africa is just crazy. He needed to leave me alone and let me be. As long as I’m safe and alive, I’m fine with staying here my whole life. I didn’t want him being in my way. He needed to leave this plantation now and move on.
[Congratulations on being the first to comment this time! You did a good job of summarizing the scene where Toby (Kunta Kinte) meets up with Maggie (Fanta) again. I would like to see more about what she was thinking and feeling. You included a couple of really nice examples of that - "I knew he was a man who would always stick up for himself". I'd like to see more of that. - Mr. Fladd]
Riley K
Block C
What would slaves on a plantation do?
The men would do the yard work like farming in the gardening and farming the fields and some of the woman do it too. The woman would do the stuff inside like cooking, laundry, vacuuming and house work.
[Riley - Thank you for this. You have been working really hard in Social Studies lately. I'm proud of you. - Mr. Fladd]
Sean C
Block B
Dr.Reynolds (after Kizzy was born)
Well today has been a long day of baby delivering, I am very happy that Toby and Bell had a baby that is a girl because Bell can teach her how to cook and some day she will take over Bell’s cooking duties. That will be nice cause Bell is a very intelligent girl and I can only hope that Kizzy is the same way. Also Toby is a good man to help raise her to be strong and push her to learn like Bell so she can be a smart girl and not a dummy like some of the slaves. I only hope he doesn’t teach her to run away like himself because then I will have to sell her and I know that Bell would not be very happy with that.
I hope that one day me and Mrs. Reynolds can one day marry and my daughter will know who her real father is instead of thinking my brother is. I do feel bad because she is married to my brother but he doesn’t pay any attention to her because if he did he would know what was going on between the two of us. He doesn’t even deserve her she is so beautiful and such a charming girl that a man like my brother shouldn’t be with her, he is a mean, rude, dirty drunk.
[Sean - A very good job. I don't know why, but the line, "Well, today has been a long day of baby delivering" makes me smile. Keep up the good work. - Mr. Fladd]
Kyle C.
Block B
Dr. Reynolds (when Toby wakes up)
I am a happy man now that Toby is up. Knowing that soon he’ll be up working in the fields. I can only imagine if I lost Toby, that would a large sum of pay back money I be losing. Then also losing a young buck like himself would be a hard thing, he’s a good worker. The only issue with him is that African runaway blood. Although I think that his little foot chopping should give him that second thought before he decides to runaway. If he does run away I’m probably going have to put him in some chains to that African animal contained. I will probably have to find a job that will keep him from running to the hills of the North. Though I strongly believe that my influence will keep from running, because I know how to handle slaves better than my brother. I at least treat them with some respect when they prove their loyalty to me. That is the only time I would give be willing to give them some. Like Belle for example she is a slave that I can trust to a certain extent, because every white man knows you can’t trust a negro fully. I only she could rub off some of that loyalty on to Toby. Then Toby could be a well behaved Negro. Then I would have one the best slaves in the whole county. In all certainty I have no doubt that I can turn Toby around and show him that it is not all bad being a slave. Though for right now it is only a hope, only time can tell if Toby is going to be a runner or a worker.
[Kyle - This is very good. You do a good job of climbing around in Dr. Reynolds' head. - Mr. Fladd]
Josh P.
Block B
1/20/10
Hey my American name is Toby but call me Kunta Kinte. One day I was driving my owner and Fiddler to a music meeting. They both went inside and now I’m by myself waiting at the wagon. So I felt I had to do something so I fed the horse that was pulling the wagon. Then I herd this noise. I was not sure what it was at first then I knew. I knew it was a drummer from Africa playing the drum. I knew the beat he was playing I was familiar to it. So I started going towards the sound. I went under the fence and bolted in the woods. I was unsure what I was doing and if the owner would think I was trying to run away again. But that didn’t stop me I just kept going towards the sound. I get in the wood wondering where the person was, because to me it sounded really close. Now I finally get up to the person. It was a drummer from Africa. When I met Botang Boderiakko (the drummer) I was shocked to see him. He started talking to me about where he was from. Then he was saying that when the time was right he would run away up to the northern part. He was talking to me about coming with him. I really wanted to go with him when he went. I was really thinking and thinking hard about going with him. It was all sounding good to me because I really wanted to go back to my home land. So he told me when the time was right I will play this beat again. When I play it again you will follow the sound. Then when you found me we would make it up to the northern part.
[Josh - tell me more about what Toby is thinking and feeling and less about what he did in the movie. We all saw it; what we're interested in is what was going on INSIDE him. You do that a little - "I was shocked", "It was all sounding good to me..." - expand on that. - Mr. Fladd]
Travis D block B
Fiddler while Toby is sick after getting his foot chopped off.
When I walked into to see young Toby lying in his bed sick, dam that made me sad. When I saw him lying there, there was nothing I could do but pray. As the days went on while I was working one sunny day I heard a yelling coming from Toby’s room. I walk in and to my surprise I see Toby lying up in his bed a little and all that I could come up and say “You’re alive, I thought them slave catchers would catch and kill you but you alive” I was so happy to see him up and speaking until he said to me” why don’t they just kill me fiddler” and so I tell him the news of our new owner Dr. Williams, and how we were how Dr. Reynolds paid Dr. Williams back with us. I saw how he didn’t answer to Bell when she talk to him because he think since he only got one foot he aint no man . I told him with a slight smile on my face that he can’t run no more and he could try but he can’t run and that’s that. Then he said something that just made my heart drop and made me sad and angry. I had a lot of mixed emotions. He told me he wouldn’t run no more but that he would just lay in his bed and die. That left me speechless I had nothing more to say. I was sad but I knew inside Toby was strong and all he would need is a push to get him goin again I just didn’t know who would push him to get him up and make walk again. So with nothing more to say I just got up and grabbed his crutches and said these for you and walked out the door.
[Travis - You are headed in the right direction with this. Please keep two things in mind - 1) You should be writing with your best spelling and grammar. Even though Fiddler wouldn't have spelled things right or had good grammar, you need to. 2) In a couple of places, you start to describe Fiddler's emotions, but you mostly narrate the action of the scene. Tell me more about what he feels and thinks and less about what he does. You are a good writer and have a good way of using details - I like that phrase "I told him with a slight smile on my face"; I can see Fiddler very clearly when you write like that. - Mr. Fladd]
Connor R Block C 1/21/10
How Do Friends Act?
I want my friends to be friendly and I try to be friendly to everyone else. I like to have fun with my friends. We ride bikes together. Sometimes I have friends over to shoot basketball hoops and to play video games. We also watch movies together.
Fiends are polite to each other and not rude. I like to be kind to my friends so they’ll be kind to me, too.
[That sounds like a good way to act. - Mr. Fladd]
I have Fiddler when Toby and Belle get married.
Fiddler was happy on this day. He was excited when they got married. He played the fiddle and danced around. He smiled all day long. Everyone thought Toby was going to die when he got his toes chopped off so Fiddler was happy he made it to this day. He feels like a father to Toby so he is proud when he gets married. He thinks Belle is a good woman for Toby. He is so thankful that Toby made it to this day and isn’t dead or trying to run away anymore.
[I think you're right. - Mr. Fladd]
Nick B.
Block B
Kunta Kinte on his wedding day
Ah, what a fine day it’s sunny out and I’m getting married. This day is as almost as fine as the day I came back from my manhood training (and became a man). Everybody was happy and how could you not be, even Dr. Reynolds was happy! Fiddler was having a great time at the good ole hoedown too! When the lady with the broom came to Bell and I and said “let this fine couple have wonderful young ones and not do anything bad to get them sold from each other” I know I can not do anything stupid. I have a beautiful wife who gave me the charisma I needed to walk again, with even half of a foot! There was only one thing that seemed wrong. That I was with my wife under a tree on white folks land. I just wish I could talk to Bell about my land home in Africa. I told her about how I Kunta Kinte am a Mandica warrior and she nearly jumped down my throat. If only she knew my family, my people, my land oh how things would be different. When she told me I belonged to her and she belonged to me, the only thing I could say was “and we both belonged to Dr. Reynolds”. I just wish I could escape with Bell that we could be free. Just a taste of freedom would make me happy. I’ve tried twice to escape and look how far that’s got me: A bloody back and half a foot. The emotions that run down her face when I talk about Africa makes her all glum and miserable. It’s understandable that she told me that she didn’t want to hear any African talk on her wedding day. I just wish my family could have seen this wonderful day with me.
[You really described this well. Good work. - Mr. Fladd]
Kristin O.
Block D
Mr. Trumble – the slave catcher who gets hit with a rock
That damn ni**er just making it harder for us, he knows we’ll catch him and when we do he’ll learn his lesson. Like he thinks he can out run our horses. He won’t run ever again when we’re done with him, he’ll just have to learn to stay put. After throwing that rock at me he will feel pain. He’s going to need to learn who owns him and where he belongs. Once we catch him in this net he’s getting tied to that tree to be taught a lesson.
Once we caught him we tied him to a tree and hacked off his foot, since we were told to let him live. If it were my slave I would kill him so I wouldn’t have to deal with him running away again. Boy did that look painful I couldn’t imagine having my foot cut off, but that’s what you get when you run away from your owner. Mr. Reynolds (first owner) paid good money for this here nigger and I doubt he wants to loose this strong one. Reynolds will need this one for all his work, I doubt he would want to loose this nigger he’ll be good for breeding, making strong young ones. He won’t run away any more, and that’s a guarantee.
I wonder what he was even doing at that plantation it’s not like he knows anyone outside of Reynolds plantation. He must have thought he could stay there for awhile. That dumb ni**er must not understand. He belongs to Reynolds and that’s where he will stay until he’s sold or dead.
[Short, but to the point. I'd like a little more about how he feels about things. - Mr. Fladd]
Isaac D
Block B
Belle (when Toby proposes)
He sure has a funny way of expressing himself. I knew what he meant and what he was asking just from how he was acting and the gift he gave me. I sure liked the gift. It really should help in the kitchen. I had known how to get under his skin and in his head ever since I meant him. It’s not the easiest thing to do, but I guess we just clicked. It really does help that I get him since he gets stuck on what to say. He was just stuttering, but luckily I understand his body language and the way he acts. I just kind of wish he wasn’t so closed. If he could just think of the words quicker it would help him and our relationship. I’m just so happy though. I have liked him ever since I laid my eyes on him. He’s just made me like him even more. I really just couldn’t believe it when he proposed. I was almost as tongue tied as he was. It’s just; I don’t think that I have ever been this happy before. Maybe I’ll even get to have a kid and I have almost always wanted one. One of my own, a man of my own. I just can’t believe that he actually proposed though. It doesn’t really seem like him. Usually he tries to act like one of those African warriors he always says he is. I don’t know I guess I was sort of wrong about him. I know that I really understand him, but I think that there are some things that nobody understands about him besides his African family. Maybe they don’t even understand him. It’s so hard to know when he is so closed and how he doesn’t tell anybody about himself.
[I really like your last sentence; it really sums Toby up. - Mr. Fladd]
Cheyenna S.
Block:B
Toby-When Kizzy is born.
Well I never thought I would be stuck here with a wife and baby but I guess it just happened. I was always told everything happens for a reason. Well I guess it does, because My wife Belle is beautiful and we now have a bautiful little girl. I believe I will call her Kizzy. She is so beautiful she remindes me of you Belle. I have always thought I would beable to get away from this place, and be free again. And go back to my home in Africa. Now I have a family so I guess I will stay and make the best of it. I had amde a deal one night arter the master had left the carriage to go to the feast. The deal was with another slave who wanted to be free too. So when he played a special beat on his drum I was to meet him in that very spot and we were going to run free together. I told Belle about this, and when I took Kizzy out to the naming saramonie I heard them I heard the drum playing it was my chance right then to be free what do I do? Well I finished naming Kizzy. While I was walking back to my house I saw Belle, standing in the middle of nowhere crying. i said what is the matter?
She said “I heard the drums I thought you were going to run”
I said “No”
She said “Thank you, this is your home now Toby.”
I was so mad that she said that. I said “No this is not my home, but this is my child and I love you both so I will stay.”
We went back to the house and went to bed.
[You do a good job of describing the action, but I'd like to read more about what Toby is thinking and feeling. - Mr. Fladd]
Stephanie Z.
Block B
Fiddler as He Dies
I have had one difficult life. Working for the white men is never what I had intended to do, but since my life was controlled by them, I figured I might as well listen to them, and do good work so I could have some respect, and some wider boundaries. I wish Toby did that. I wish he would just accept that he now belongs to the white men, and stop running away! If he keeps that up, he won’t have any legs left! I think he has finally got a little bit of sense whipped into him, from all his harsh punishments, but I can still see that he has the urge to take off every second. Despite how many people tell him he belongs to the white men, his name is Toby, and this is his home now, hi still gets angry and defensive, saying his name is Kunta Kinte, and his is from the Mandinka tribe. We all try to get him to accept who he is now, but he just won’t. He is so stubborn! He has definitely kept me busy, how I had to watch over and take care of him. I can’t even count how many times he has run off to try and free himself, each time getting caught and having to go through a brutal punishment. I wouldn’t doubt if he tries to run off again, but I just hope he doesn’t get killed from it. Before meeting Toby, I think we all underestimated how much love a man could have for his family and his home.
These past few years have been interesting to me, with Toby and all. Even though he still can’t stand it here, I think I have taught him to appreciate and respect the land and people a little more, or at least he pretends to. Hopefully he has learned his lesson to not mess around with the rules of the white men.
One of the important lessons I have learned from being a slave for so long is that the more you obey and give the white men what they want, the more rewards and “freedom” they will give you. I hope Toby will realize that also, and will start behaving better so he doesn’t get himself hurt. He has really made me think about my own life and family, and what is important to me that no one will ever be able to take away.
My great skill of fiddling has brought joy to many, as it has for me. It gives me a feeling of peace. I am glad I could spend some of my last moments fiddling. I am also glad I could spend my last few moments with my great friend, Kunta Kinte. As I take my last breath, Kunta’s last words to me echo in my head: “Now you be free, Fiddler. Now you be a free man!”
[I wonder if that's what he would actually think as he lay dying. This is extremely well-written. - Mr. Fladd]
Hagen D.
Block D
Slave Catcher Who Cuts Off Toby’s Foot
I was sent by Master Reynolds to catch one of his runaway slaves. We knew that it was his sceond time running. He was a fighter. He thought he could get away and be free. He didnt even like to go by his name. So that day we went out on the horses to see if we could find him. We road and road for a long time. When we got to the next plantation. We saw a guy standing by the fence so we asked for a drink. We also asked about the runaway that’s name was Tobey, he said that he hadn’t seen any run away. That’s when we heard yelling in the barn. The man went over o see who/ what it was. He stopped at the door and asked Maggie who’s in there with you then opened the door and there was a tall black man in there he looked very strong. He saw us and ran. I ask if it was his or if he had seen him before when he said no I knew that, that was our man. We thanked him and jumped back on the horses and went after him. Boy he could run he hit my partner before he went into the woods and I kept on him. He stopped and looked like he was going to fight. When my partner caught up we pulled out the net and he ran again. We were right on him. He was right in the middle of us, right where the net would be. We dropped it on him he didn’t duck run into a tree or zigzag. He was caught. I knew that there was only one way to keep him from running again. To cut off the front of his foot. We got him tied up and I asked him what it would be. He picked foot so… I picked up the ax and let it fly. Off went the front of his foot. I pick up the ax and thought well look at that one man. Well I get a good pay today. I walk to the horse and brought him back.
[Tell me more about what he is thinking and feeling and a little less about the action in the movie. - Mr. Fladd]
Alan S.
Block D
Dr. Reynolds- when Toby wakes up
Well, now that my heart has stopped racing I think I can finally say that I don’t have to worry about Toby anymore. He gave me quite the scare when it took him three weeks to come out of the sickness. I can’t stand those slave catchers, they are no better than animals. What they do to the slaves is a terrible thing; they ruin good pieces of property. Now that he has awakened he can now go back to the fields where he belongs. Hopefully this event and the rest time I have given him haven’t made Toby weak. He is one of the strongest bucks I have on my plantation therefore if he is useless to me I have just lost a very valuable piece of property. I am so grateful that Dr. Williams was kind enough to give me Toby, I know that if he had been given to me as a good negro not a slave without runaway blood he would’ve paid the debt very nicely. But you can’t win them all. I just hope that Belle can talk some sense into that thick skull of his, to take his mind of running away. Although I think that his foot will discourage any hope of leaving this plantation. I can’t believe that he came so close to being free. All I can say is that I am hoping that what happened to Toby will keep any other negroes from escaping from this plantation.
[You did a good job of getting into Dr. Reynolds' head. I'm pretty sure he would think more-or-less exactly what you've got here. - Mr. Fladd]
Griffin K
Social Studies
Block C
Belle-When Toby is out in the night with the sound of drums
My name is Belle. I live on a plantation owned by Dr. Reynolds. I have already had people take away one of my children. Having a child with Toby, I want to protect my child. One night, Toby came in and said that I should teach this child the old ways like what was taught in Africa. I did not know how to react so Toby took our child and went off into the night. Then, all of a sudden I heard drums and I started to get nervous. I ran out of the house and wandered around wondering where Toby was. All of a sudden, he came limping towards me and I told him this is our home and he said this will never be my home. Toby then said that this is our child and we are family and that made me feel good inside.
[Well done. - Mr. Fladd]
Zander F
Block C
Mr. Trumble
Toby should have got a worse punishment then getting his foot cut off.
He threw a rock at my head! I was about ready to shoot him right then and there. I’m going to have a huge welt on my head now. His master told me that this was his fifth time running away. I think he probably should have been killed a long time ago. But, then again, Dr. Reynolds would have lost money that way. If Toby runs away again, there really aren’t any other punishments that Dr. Reynolds could use besides death. Except Toby is married now, and he has a daughter. That could be used to Dr Reynolds advantage. I think he is going soft on the slaves. Just whipping them? That won’t get your point across after two or three whippings. Cutting off a finger or two always works. Or even a toe. I don’t know what we were thinking cutting that big of a chunk of his foot off. The more digits he has to cut off, the better. That way, if he runs off again you can cut off a few toes. It doesn’t take the slave as long to recover, and it still proves your point. It sets a good example for the other slaves too. If you run away, this is what is going to happen to you. Well one thing is certain. If Toby runs away again, I will be back. He will be taught to stay put.
One way or another.
[I'm not sure that a slave catcher would have kept up on what happened to a slave he had caught years before, but otherwise this is pretty dead-on. - Mr. Fladd]
Maya W.
Block C
Fiddler-when Toby and Belle get married
I’m standin’ here playin’ on this old fiddle and everywhere people are dancin’, laughin’, and celebratin’ my boy Toby gettin’ married to Belle. Finally, Toby is settlin’ down. I hope this means that that boy ain’t ever gonna run again now that he’s got a good woman at home waitin’ for him. That boy may be desperate to leave them white folks and this plantation, and become free but there ain’t no way he gonna abandon his young woman like that. I’ve been waitin’ for a long time to see Toby so happy. Belle is good for him and she’s gonna treat him well and teach him everything I couldn’t. I am happy for them and everyone else here is too. The runaway Toby is finally stayin’ put. I see Toby and Belle dancin’ and smilin’ together and feel so proud of him for stayin’ strong and findin’ a nice woman to take care of him. He’s had so many struggles to go through and it’s been hard for him to accept this new life but he didn’t turn out too bad in the end. There ain’t a doubt in my mind that they’re gonna raise a nice family together and make old Fiddler so proud. I remember when Toby first came and let me tell you, that boy was as stubborn as a horse. He promised me he would never be a slave and he would become free. He still hasn’t given up on his dream but now he’s becomin’ a real, strong, married man. I can see it in his eyes that he’s growin’ up. That a boy Toby. That a boy.
[Well done. You did a good job of getting into Fiddler's head. - Mr. Fladd]
Tyler L.
Block: D
1/21/10
(Toby after he found Fanta.)
I was very happy to find Fanta but I have to try to run now. I am running away but they are to fast they came up and through a net around me and I fell and could not seem to get away. They took me and put me up against a tree and said I would never be able to run away again. One of the men came up with a hatchet and cut the tip of my foot off it hurt a lot! I could not walk for days I just had to lay down in the cabin till my foot recovered. I am angry at myself for even thinking about running away it was good to see Fanta but it was not worth all of this pain and misery. I am very happy that bell is helping me recover. It will be hard to work but it is a good thing I am only a driver now so I don’t have to do that much work with my foot. I don’t like this way of life I wish I could be back at home with my parents and my little brother. My only friends here are fiddler and bell. Fiddler is starting to get very old I have known him for a long time now. He was the first man I talked to that was away from home. He did not speak my language I had to learn everyone else’s. Even when I was not acting the way I should Fiddler helped me.
[This is pretty good. You make a lot of good points here. I think you could take them and expand on them to write a more complete essay, but you've got the basics down. Well done. - Mr. Fladd]
Kunta Kinte/ Toby when he decides he wants to live.
Block D
Caroline S
I don’t want to walk. I don’t want to work. I want it all to be over. To go back to Africa, the way my life was before all this. But I need to; I need to be able to walk again, maybe even run. I don’t care. I am going to run away again and this time I will succeed. Belle is right, I wasn’t acting like a warrior man, and a warrior man would actually try to learn to run. So that’s what I will do. I will do whatever it takes to get out of this place. The new master is nice I guess. But my life is my own, I shall not be owned by anyone, but for now I will try. I will act so that he will trust me, and then maybe I shall runaway and be free. I hate this feeling of having someone running my life, though the whip hurts I still try to be African, I don’t want to give my culture up. My foot still hurts, it throbs with pain at times but I can’t let that stop me. I do feel like less of a man but I guess that Fiddler is right, I am only less of a man if I think that I am less of a man.
[Short, but to the point. Well done. - Mr. Fladd]
Tyler K.
Block D
The slave catcher: man who chops off the front of Toby’s foot.
Slave Catcher: “Hey Mr. Reynolds, we are the men to catch that runaway of yours.”
Mr. Reynolds: “ Well I don’t want him back so you’re best to dispose of him.”
Slave Catcher: “ Well Mr. Reynolds sir a fine young buck like that can make you some fine earnings, an my boy and I can get that for you.” some mighty fine earnings I thought to myself
Mr. Reynolds: “Yes, yes I think that would be best.”
Slave Catcher: “Hello gentlemen, have you seen a runaway slave, he’s a big buck?”
Men on Plantation: “No not that we know of.”
Slave Catcher: “Well would you mind if we used your water?” for I was quite thirsty after that long restless ride
Man on plantation: “No sir take your fill.”
Maggie/Fanta: “No my name is not Fanta its Maggie an I will not be a runaway I be a good slave.”
Man on Plantation: “Maggie are you ok in there? Who else is in there Maggie?”
Maggie/Fanta: “Kunta run!”
Slave Catcher: “There he is let’s get him.” I could feel a rush of excitement, which was unusual but there was something about this slave.
Slave Catcher: “You can’t run forever, so be a good n***** now, an stop running so we can take you back to your master Toby.”
Slave Catcher: That a boy you came to your senses an stopped.
Toby/Kunta Kinte: “My name isn’t Toby, it’s Kunta, KUNTA KINTE!!!”
WHACK!
Slave Catcher: “Awe what happened to me head?” It was killing me but if the slave could see me I didn’t want to show weakness.
Slave Catchers assistant: “The runaway got wise and threw a rock at your head, he got you pretty good.”
Slave Catcher: “Did you catch him?”
Slave Catchers assistant: “Yes sir, he is tied to that tree up there, and his ppunishment is up to you.”
Slave Catcher: “Well we can’t kill him,” even though I wanted to “but we can make it so he can’t run anymore, so let’s chop off his toes.”
Slave Catcher: “Hello Dr. Reynolds here are your slaves, your brother told us to drop them off as payment.”
Slave Catchers assistant: “This one’s foot be infected an damaged.”
Dr. Reynolds: “What happened?”
Slave Catcher: “ He got wise so I made it so he can’t run, and he may die from that nasty infection.” Which in one sense I wanted him to.
Slave Catcher: “Well, another slave caught, an boy could he run.”
Slave Catcher: “Yes he could sir, he was a prize buck but he got you good with that rock of his, so you best make sure you don’t get it infected.”
Slave Catcher: “ I ain’t got time for infections” I told him that even though my pain was almost too much to bear, and I thought I might take a break from the slaves for a bit an find myself a good job in the north.
[You really paid attention during the movie! Please tell me what your guy was thinking and feeling and not so much what was done or said. - Mr. Fladd]
Ben.M
Block B
Toby at his wedding
In episode three of Roots, Toby is a grown man he lives on Mr. Renolds, Toby dicides to run away to find his old friend Fanta. After he runs away Mr. Renolds sends slave catchers to get him. Mr. Renolds them that he wanted him alive. So when they caught him they cut off half his foot so he couldn’t run agian. When the slave catchers took him back to the plantation he said to Fiddler that he felt like less of a man because he had half a foot. He was nurse buy a slave named Belle. She kept on telling to stop being such a baby. So she started tormmenting him until he got up and usd the crutches. A couple years later Toby, Fiddler, and Belle go to be slaves for Dr. Renalds. To go work on the plantation for Dr. Renolds. They were givin to Dr.Renalds because mr. Renolds needed to pay him back so he gave him some of his slave (Toby, Fidler, Belle). As they are working there Toby becomes Dr. Renolds driver, at first he thought that it was going to be a bad jod. But Belle calmed him down about it saying that it might not make him want to run away so much because he’ll see the world. Over time Belle and Toby start to get infatuated with her and they gt married. I am going to right about how Toby felt during his wedding.
I think that he felt very happy that he found a beutifull woman, but he always wondered how his family was doing in Africa. He kept on talking about how old his brother would be and how his father is doing in the tribe. Also how his life would have been if he had stayed in Africa. After te wedding they had a baby girl and kuntia named her the way his father named him. Well that’s all I have to say and I thought that this was a pretty good episode.
[I like your second paragraph pretty well, Next time, I'd like you to spend more time talking about how your character feels and what he thinks, and a little less time reviewing the events. - Mr. Fladd]
Tiffiny W.
Block C
-Belle, when Toby proposes.
When Toby walked in today I knew it was coming. I could see it in his eyes, he had something very important to say. As he started naming all him flaws, i still thought he was perfect. He don’t need to eat pig meat and he might not always be easy to be with but i’m not always either. He’s the only one i love and the only guy i want to marry. I was so happy when he asked me to marry him, i had been waiting for this to happen for what seemed like forever. I dream about how perfect our family will be and how beautiful our children will be. How our wedding will be the best day of my life, and how we will grow old together in this village. I’ve always loved Toby, since the first night i saw him, laying in bed with half his foot gone. If it wasn’t for what i said that night, he might not be who he is today. Toby will be a wonderful husband, he will always protect me and love me. Sometimes he can be confusing, most men would have just came out and said “will you marry me?” but Toby has a different mind. A mind of a creative man, and i love that about him. I cant wait to tell all my friends and family, i cant wait to see the looks on there faces. Today is a day I’ll never forget, the day Toby asked me to marry him. The look in his eyes will be stuck with me forever.
[Good work. Thank you for getting this in. - Mr. Fladd]
Jessie Bean
Block D
Fiddler after Toby got his foot cut off.
Oh the sight of Toby, awake and alive, is astounding. Me, well I’ve got the biggest smile upon my face right now, Toby is alive! Well isn’t it just fine! Toby doesn’t seem as happy to be alive as I am. The tears streaming down Toby’s face sadden me. He keeps on saying, “Fiddler, look what then done to me, look what then done. What kind of man would do that to another man? What kind of man? Why don’t they just kill me, why they don’t just kill me?” I can’t think of words to say to that, so I just go on telling him that now we belong to Dr. Reynolds, and that we aren’t at the Squires no more. Toby asks me what kind of man our new Massa is, and before I can get a word out of my mouth the cook walked in and says, “He’s the best, that what he be. “ She walked right over to the bed and started explaining how she was Dr. Reynolds’ cook. I was telling Toby that she was the one who helped him through the fever. I told Bell (that is the cook’s name) that Toby thinks he’s not a whole man no more, now that he got half a foot in all. I look at Toby with his big brown eyes. All I see is defeat and sorrow. Bell just talks away and as shes about to leave she just says, “Well tell your friend Toby, that half a foot don’t make a man less a man.” I tell Toby he can’t run no more, he can try but he can’t run no more, that’s all there is to it. He isn’t going to be a runaway no more. Toby just lay there and say, “If I can’t run no more, I might as well just lie here and die.” I got up just staring down on Toby, hoping and praying he wouldn’t think that no more. That he wouldn’t think that he wants to die. I walked over to the corner of the room and pick up the crutches Bell had made him. The thought of Toby, Kunta Kinte, the Mandinka Warrior, on crutches, was just so hard to think about. Toby used to be so strong and never gave up, but now he has changed and I don’t know what to do. I walked back over to his bed side and as I left I told him that the crutches were for him, and he just looked away in disgust. I walked out of his cabin, and felt his pain, and wish I could do something more.
[Well done. You did a good job of getting into Fiddler's head. Just one note on mechanics, though: please keep to one tense throughout your blog post - past or present; pick one. - Mr. Fladd]
Leyan L
Block D
Kunta Kinte/Toby—when Fiddler dies
Noooo!!!
I was just talking to Fiddler about my baby Kizzy and he was playing his music when it happened. I didn’t notice until I turned around and saw that he wasn’t there but on the ground. I knew something was up, and knew when he took his last breath too. Lord, why it happen to him? Why him? He was such a good man! He was one of the best! First man I trusted since I was captured. But I guess it was time. The Lord knew that it was time.
It must be fine to be free, though. What is it like to be free again, I wonder… Fiddler knows. He knows now. He knows what I have always been talking about. He knows now what it is like to be free. Oh, how I wish I were free, Me Belle, and Kizzy…but I’m not going to run no more. I’ve got a child now. Me and Belle got Kizzy.
Oooh, but I’m going to miss him. He taught me many things. He was like a father to me. He helped me. Yes, he helped me many times, and many ways. He understood and connected with me better than no other man ever will, except for father. When Fiddler passed, I think he took part of me with him. He took the part that he, himself, filled when I first became a slave. I tried to explain this feeling to Belle, but she couldn’t understand. She doesn’t feel the way I do. I didn’t expect her to though. She is an American after all.
Me and Fiddler, we had good times. We did many things together. I thanked God for letting me get to know him. He changed my life. But he is gone now, he is gone for good, and I will be moving on. I will never forget him though. Kunta will never forget him. Fiddler meant a lot to Kunta, and Fiddler always will.
[Well done. Do you wonder what it would be like to feel that for real? To lose your only friend and wonder if Freedom feels as good to him as you remember it? - Mr. Fladd]
Anna R.
Block D
1/21/10
Belle when Toby/Kunta Kinte has Kizzy and the drums are going.
As I watched Toby take our baby Kizzy, I thought about all his African talk. I thought about all his talk about running away. I thought about how my last husband did the same thing. About how when he tried to run, he got caught. About how my babies were sold away from me forever. (Sound of drums) Oh, lord. Toby told me about those drums. He told me he met another African man. Told me how the drums mean its time to run. He has my baby! I can’t stand to lose my family again. I may have a good place on this plantation, but I wont be able to do this alone! Not after I’ve found Toby. Master Reynolds is a good master, and Kizzy needs a family. A place to live. It wouldn’t be right for her to grow up away from her mama or on the run. I ran outside. Lord, if he’s gone, I don’t know what I’ll do! I looked around, searching for Toby. No! He aint there! He said he’d take my baby up to the hill, just like his father did to him. All his African talk! He’s probably already running. No. No! He wouldn’t go just like that. He couldn’t. I could feel hot, salty tears down my face. My baby. My poor, poor baby. I ran around almost blind in the dark, stumbling and sobbing. Those awful drums kept gettin’ louder and louder in my ears. They almost matched the beat of my heart that was going oh so fast with fear. I wailed louder, hoping to cover those awful beats. Hoping Toby didn’t think about being a “real African man” and being free. I looked up to the hilltop one more time. The stars were shining bright, like little flecks of silver in deep water. Suddenly, I saw Toby runnin’ down the hill.
“Oh Toby! My baby!” I cried. “Don’t go, Toby, don’t! You belong here, with me, with Kizzy. This is your home!” Slowly, he looked at me.
“This is not my home. This will never be my home! Africa is my home!” I felt my face pinch all up with hurt. He was going to leave.
“But,” He said. I looked up. Was he goin’ to stay? Stay here with me and our baby?
“This is my child. And this is my family. So I will stay.”
Oh lord! Lord, thank you. Now I know I will be with my Toby and my baby. A joy like no other filled me. Toby will stay here with me and our baby. Thank you lord, now I can rest easy.
[This is really good. Did you get all tense while you were watching this scene in the movie? This was a really adult moment; not the kind of thing you see in movies very often. - Mr. Fladd]
Zoe B
Block D
Wild Card (the Fiddler sitting at the tree before he dies)
MY fiddle. MY most prize possession. MY only possession.
It’s beautiful. And its mine.
Oh, what the white people have deprived me of. What I haven’t been able to do or have in my long life. I’m just glad that Toby has something of his own now. Maybe he won’t run away again. If Belle can’t keep him here Kizzy will. He’s determined to be free, but he understands responsibility, and loves Belle and Kizzy too much to leave them.
I hope he behaves for the doctor when I’m gone. I’m not going to last very much longer, I’m old and weak and not much use anymore. I just hope Dr. Reynolds let me die by myself and doesn’t help me move along to the waste land for dead blacks.
Hm. The sun is so nice on my old wrinkled face. The dirt I’m sitting on seems softer than dirt usually is, and Toby seems to be getting quieter and quieter. I’m only semi- conscious of what he’s saying.
As I finish cleaning my fiddle, I see how it shines in the sunlight, and think about how it sounds when I play.
I don’t want to play the white man music. I want to play what I want when I want. I want my music to be free, even if I’m not.
If the only place I can be free is my grave, then I’ll go without looking back. Playing my fiddle the whole way there. Not those white man songs, but free black man songs.
I no longer hear Toby. I no longer feel my back against the rough tree bark, or the ground under me. I now longer see the bright green of the grass and the blue of the sky; I only see the faint outline of my fiddle.
I know I’m falling over, but I can’t call out, or stop myself. I look at my fiddle one last time, and then everything’s gone.
Everything is white, but somehow my body seems to know where to go. My fiddle is in my arms, and I play like I never have before.
Finally, I’m free.
[Zoe - This is spectacularly good. I like how you picked up on the theme of Fiddler desperately wanting personal choice. I'm proud of this. - Mr. Fladd]
Victoria W
Block B
January 21, 2010
Belle while Toby (Kunta Kinte) was delirious and unconscious
Master Reynolds brought home an african man named Toby. I was told by master that he tried to excape. Half of his foot was cut off in his failed attemppt to excape. He was then given to my master in place of a financial debt. I have been told that I have to take care of him. He is unonscience but he seems to be speaking some weired african talk. He must be delerious. Everyone be wondering if he gonna live or die. I sure hope he survives his feverous infection. He better not try to run away again for who knows what the slave catchers would do. Also master would sell him once he been caught. It would really be sad if he did run away. I might even get in trouble since I be takin care of him. Its hard takin care of him and nursing him back to health while still having to do my other household duties like cookin.
*****************************
His fever is getting better every day but he still be talking that strange african talk I don’t understand. I made him some crutches in hopes of that he will walk again. First he has to live. I sure hope he lives cause he looks like a wonderful man and I sure have gotton a liking towards him.
*********************************
He woke up today! He be alive when I come in to check on him eairlier and it gave me excitement. He seems to still be very tired but now I don’t have to fret no more about him livin or dyin.
****************************************
He seems to have found the crutches I made for him, but when I brought him some boots with one half filled with cotton he told me he never gonna walk again. How ridiculas. I try so hard to keep him livin and he don’t even want to walk. He even said he don’t want to live. Some african warrior cant even get passed the fact that he is missing half a foot. He almost seems ungracious of what I did for him. He is a very stubborn man. So I made fun of him to get him up out of bed. When I did he got on his crutches and up in my face. I couldn’t hold back my joy and I shouted” I think you are gonna live and walk.” So now everthing seems lookin great with Toby and I hope he likes me.
[You did a great job of getting inside Belle's head. In the future, please use your best spelling and grammar for these posts. I know Belle would have spoken like this, but for this particular project, I'd like everyone to use conventional writing. Overall, a very good job. - Mr. Fladd]
Tre R.
Block D
Slave on Plantation -Thinking about Toby Running Away
he ran done!!!! and he thank that he needed to get out of there he went to see fanta she was dif but stil liked him ha ha ha lol she did not want to leave how stupid i wulld runm a long time ago DANG!!!! NOW IN DONE STOP TELLIN ME WAT TO DO!!!!!!!!!
[Is it the slave telling his master to stop telling him what to do, or are you telling me? - Mr. Fladd]
Block C
Fiddler before he dies
I’m tired, weak and old. I’m dying, this tree suddenly feels a lot more comfortable than before, and I think I will stay here for a while. I sit and shine my fiddle and play a song I want to here. I’m sick oaf the same old white people songs I play. Toby sitting next to me and talking about what his baby should be named and an excuse for kizzy. He’s a grown man and he’s married and got a baby, time goes by so fast. I remember when I first met that boy. He was angry and scared. I picked him for a good field hand and that he was. Well, until he tried to run away again. Those dang slave catchers don’t care bout the money sometimes, it look like they have more fun hurting the runaway slaves. Well when they caught him they chopped off his foot. Toby wanted to die, says it made him less of a man but he learned to walk. He’s walking fine now too. I got more comfortable in my spot in the grass by the tree and started to play a song. It was my favorite and I wanted to hear it. My fiddle sounded the best I ever heard it and it was so polished I can see my face on it. Toby was still talking about his daughter and the name for her. That’s when I finally figured that I was like his father. All those years I loved him like a son. And I am happy he is the man his is now. Even if he’s still got some that running blood in him. Then I started to get tired and dozed off to Toby Talking. I guess that’s when I died.
[I like the comfortable feeling you describe. I can feel myself slipping away a little. - Mr. Fladd]
Samantha*
Block B
Kunta Kinte/Toby On His Wedding Day
We both jump over the broom and I kiss her. We are now married. For a little while, I even forgot about my lack of foot. I step back as all of the women come over to congratulate my bride. I am feeling very happy; after all, it is my wedding day. I feel very lucky to have her. It proves the feather I carry around works. And Fiddler thought it was silly.
Speaking of Fiddler, it is an honor to have someone so good at fiddling playing at our wedding. It really adds to the mood. I enjoy watching him do what he is so good at. His family must have been very proud of him.
Ah, family… I smile as I think of the family Belle and I will soon have together. I bet we will be very proud of our younguns, just as Fiddler’s were of him and my parents are of me.
Wait…my own family. I stop smiling. My family…my village…what has come of them? I hope they are not suffering from the same intolerable fate that I am. I miss them so much. I absentmindedly wander away from the wedding and sit in the shade of a tree. I think of what I remember of Africa. My father… he’s at least fifty now. And baby brother has already gone through manhood training! He has become a warrior, and is now…
Warrior. I am a warrior. And I should not be living like this! Nobody can control Kunta Kinte, no matter how much Dr. Reynolds tries! And my name is not Toby! It is KUNTA KINTE! I want to be free to live my life with Belle in freedom. I don’t want to belong to anybody. I have rights and I should be a free man! Today is supposed to be the time of my life, but because we are slaves to the white men, it is different.
I was getting so worked up, I didn’t even notice Belle approaching until she was right next to me.
“Why aren’t you participating in the wedding? It’s yours, too, you know.”
I explain my thoughts to her. I’m glad she understands me so well. I was a little afraid that she wouldn’t understand what I was saying earlier, when I was proposing. I didn’t really know what to say at first, and I’m glad that she knows me so well. I am very glad that she loves me despite my flaws. Just like Fanta did back home so many years ago…
Ah, Fanta… I can’t believe she didn’t want to run off to freedom with me. And she forgot our language! And she goes by Maggie! She doesn’t even care about her real name. I can’t believe she goes by all the laws of the white men without a fight or anything!
Oh well, Now I have Belle. Maybe she’ll run off to freedom with me instead. Now Fanta’s just an old friend, an old memory. It’s time for me to move on with the one now love. Belle really is a good influence on me. She’s already got me staying put more, and not trying to escape as often. I think I’m finally accepting that this is where I will spend most of my life. I hate to admit it, but I also think that I’m adjusting to the name Toby. Belle’s just that great a person. Who knows what tomorrow will bring for us.. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see, and take it one day at a time. I am slowly realizing that I may never know freedom as well as those days back home in Africa ever again, and that I need to focus on my new family instead. My days as Kunta Kinte, the great warrior, have drawn to an end. I am now Toby, and I live on a plantation here in America with my beautiful bride that I love with all my heart.
[Very well written. You definitely understand the sorts of things going through his head. Try to keep one tense throughout the piece - past or present. Overall, an incredibly strong piece. - Mr. Fladd]
Cody M.
Block B
John Reynolds
I am p**sed that Toby ran away. After all those whippings, he should know that he isn’t allowed to run away. Someone better find him alive. When he is found, I will beat him so much he will know never to run away again. I don’t know why he keeps running away. He should learn that when he runs away, he will get beaten. He is not human; he doesn’t deserve to run away. I’m going to make sure he never runs away again. I don’t know how I will do it, but I will do anything to make sure he never runs away. If he runs away again, he better make sure he doesn’t get found. I think I might just sell him if he runs away again, because the whipping we are giving him don’t seem to be doing the trick. I wonder who will take a slave that keeps trying to run away. I know that I wouldn’t buy a slave that keeps running away. What should I do so that Toby never runs away again? But I need to do it so he can still work for me. I could whip him, but that hasn’t worked before. I could burn my initials into his forehead so that when he runs, everyone will know that he is mine. The only downside to that is that it wouldn’t stop him from running. It would only prevent people from stealing him. I know what I could do to make sure he doesn’t run away again. I could cut off the front part of his foot. This would work because he wouldn’t be able to run and I would know that he is my slave because he has half a foot.
[Cody - I don't know if I've ever read a paragraph with the phrase "run away" in it more than this one. You seem to have looked at this from many different angles. I like that you used information that we learned in class, as well. - Mr. Fladd]
Jamie Roy
Block A
Toby—when Kizzy is born
I waited in anticipation outside the room. The good doctor was inside, tending to my wife. I rubbed my hands together, waiting. Fiddler was pacing around the room, just as anxious. I felt excited, anticipating my first child. I could already see myself going through the ceremony. I would walk up the hill, raise the child to the air, and announce her name. I only wondered what gender the baby would be. I had always wanted a little girl. I wanted a cute child, one that looked like her mother, but had my eyes. The door suddenly opened and I jumped up. The doctor came out and nodded his head. “Congratulations Toby, it’s a girl.” At first I just stood there in shock, and then I was yelling in excitement and hugging Fiddler who was just as proud. I walked into the room to see my firsty born child. My wife was cradling her gently, and she was just as I pictured. Sweet, innocent. I picked her up softly and held her in the fold of my arms. I rocker her slightly, looking at her soft face. She was everything I could have hoped for. And then it was all crushed when I realized where she would grow up. She wouldn’t be at my home. My real home. She would grow up where Toby was raised, not where Kunta Kinta was born. But as she grew, as she matured into the woman I knew she would someday be, I would tell her the stories of my home. I would tell her what it looked like, what everything meant. She would know where she really belonged, and one day she would reach that place. The sadness washed away as quickly as it came, because it was hard to feel sad around a child as precious as the one I was know holding. For now, I would be happy, and I would enjoy having my family around me. For now, I will live in reality. Just for now.
[This is really good. I'm with you and Toby - I'll try to live in reality. Just for now. - Mr. Fladd]
Jason M
Block A
1-22-10
Fiddler as he knows he is about to die
Well these bones are getting really frail and I could go at any minuet so I’m going to play something I want to hear. I wonder if Toby’s going to try and run away again once I’m gone. Well not much of my problem any more. Bell sure did a good job with him, getting him a driver job, the only thing I’m still wondering about is why did she do that? I know she likes him but it sure is lookin’ like Toby doesn’t like what she did with the crutches. She might be pushing him too far. I wonder what master Reynolds will do with out his fiddler; I know he would be mighty furious if I kicked the bucket in the middle of a song. But will he find a new fiddler, train someone else to do it or just for get about old fiddler. Heh, I remember the first day Toby was on the driver job, that nut left the door closed before he got in. and all the times Toby ran away I still can’t believe how far he got those times. Once just past the stream and the other he just hitched a ride on a wagon for a wile and maid it to another plantation. Well master Reynolds has been good to this old fiddler but when my time has come my time has come, just hope toby be a fool and try to run away again…
[Pretty good, Jason. I'm also glad you proof-read this before you posted it. Be careful with Spell-Check though - it can be tricky. It will suggest spellings of words you don't really want in a given situation, like "minuet" - a type of 1700s dance. - Mr. Fladd]
Gitana D
Block A
Toby/Kunta Kinte when he meets the drummer
I finally have the chance to go. I have met Botang Boderiakko. He understands Mandinka. I can leave this horrible place and go back home. He said to me when I sound the drums, follow it and we shall leave.I imagined a day like this. This is the way I can go to freedom.I want to free all of us but I cant. I will spread the word about Botang. The only thing is that I don’t want my other toes to be cut off. I hope we will not get caught. I want to be free. There is this pretty girl, her name is Belle. I think she likes me. Maybe she can come with us? Belle said don’t go or I will get my toes cut off. No one will catch me if I Run like the wind. I am a mandinka warrior. They will never take that away. I am Kunta kinte. I will always be Kunta Kinte. I wonder how Botang was captured. Was he captured like I was? I wonder where we are going to escape to… I dont know how to find my way, but Alia will lead me. He will show me the path to freedom.
[This is short, but to the point. I'm pretty sure this is how Kunta Kinte would have felt. I also really like that last phrase, "the path to freedom". - Mr. Fladd]
Morgan F. Block:A
Dr.Reynolds-When Toby and Bell get married
Well i never expected Toby to marry espeacal Belle she is a mind tricker there. They look like a nice couple i guess.Maybe now Toby wont run cause he is now loved by someone else.She will keep him here,wont she?Or will she run with him?Oh never mind this is supost to be a happy day. This beutiful little girl in my arms she is a pretty one. Hope my brother will never find out mine and his wifes secret.Oh look at that big smile she has watching the slaves dance.Where did Toby go?Oh there he is sitting by himself under that tree,i wonder why he he is over there when he was just wedded?Oh pish posh Belle will deal with him.I never thought the ni**ers could fall in love.Well you lern something new everday now dont you!I would if i will end up with a new baby ni**er on the plantation.It will be a matter of time till the new couple will have a baby.How did Belle get Toby to walk in the first place?Has she always like him?Has Toby always liked Belle?Well i guess i will never know.It is kinda nice to see how happy the ni**ers get and how much fun they have when it comes to celebrating things.Well i guess i should the little one in so my ni**ers can finish celebrating the weding and they can get back to work tommarrow.
*kiss kiss*
Lets go little one lets leave them to the after celebration of Toby and Belle.
And then they leave.
[I kind of like the way you've put his train of thought down. It seems a little random - the way it really would be in his head. - Mr. Fladd]
Rigby B
Block A
The Man who has Kunta Kinte load his wagon with tobacco-
This slave is strong, I’d certainly like him around on my property. I also think he would be good to have with me on the way home, could help by keeping guard as I sleep and such. If only Mr. Reynolds felt so kind as to allow me to borrow him. And then, I could simply forget to return him, and I’d have myself a nice, strong slave. I’m a little nervous about the long trek home. There may be thieves around here, or even worse, rabid runaways. I think that I should check my cart every time that I stop to make sure that there aren’t any there. I have heard stories about slaves that just up and killed white men.
But anyway, I’m mighty pleased about this tobacco, and all that it will bring me. All I have to do is make my slaves chop and roll it, and then it will be real fine for selling, I’m sure that I’ll have a few myself. I don’t know how those barbarian Indians came up with such a valuable, rare commodity, but it is getting me quite the sum of money. The more that slave loads, the better. I’ll make quite the profit I’m sure. Once you start this stuff, you can’t stop. Therefore, the supply and demand makes for a very nice price. I’ve often found that it’s hard to go even a day without it. If only I had the deed to this slave, if only.
p.s. Mr. Fladd, this was a very hard character to write for, and I’m sorry if it’s not what your looking for. I had a hard time deciding what he might even be thinking about.
[Don't worry. You did well. I like how you had profit as his main motive; I think that is what he'd have spent his time and energy thinking about. - Mr. Fladd]
Adam G.
Block B
Toby while he is looking for Fanta
“Fiddler I am going to get a ride out on one of the wagons that are going to the plantation. I am going to find fanta and we will run away together, we will run back to Africa.”
“Tobey you will not go back to Africa.” Said Fiddler
“Yes I must go see my family.”
“It has been nice knowing you then good luck.” I run after the wagon and lay under the blanket. I lay there under the blanket as silent as I can. I think about how Fanta is and what she will look like. I think about what her life is like on the plantation. As night falls I get tired but I know I can not fall asleep because if I sleep to long I know that the white men might find me. As the sun rises I jump off the wagon I travel through the woods and find the plantation I go into a small barn and sleep through the day. As night falls I hear someone coming. The door slowly opens a black man comes in and spots me in the corner he asks me what I am doing here. I tell him “I am looking for Fanta.”
He tells me “go wait in the barn.” I run to the barn and hide in there and wait there for Fanta. I hear someone come into the barn, it is Fanta. I run over and hug her with excitement. I tell her to run off with me and she says “no.” We start to yell at each other and the white men hear us yelling and they start to head to the barn I run out to the woods but eventfully they catch me.
[You certainly paid close attention to the action of the movie. What did Toby THINK or FEEL during all this? - Mr. Fladd]
Danielle
block A 1/22/10
Man who wants to borrow Toby to load wheat onto the wagon:
Ahhh….. what a fine looking slave that man is. Oh how I would love to have a slave like him. But his habit of trying to run away is a bit of drawback. And all of those scars on his back? They look so painful but show he is strong. I really must try to convince Dr. Reynolds to let me borrow him for a day of two.
Well, I couldn’t get Dr. Reynolds to let me borrow Toby. He said he would surely run away. I guess I have to believe him, considering after I left, they said they couldn’t find him. He must have snuck on to one of my wagons. He definitely is not dumb. I never saw him get on or off.
I’ve spoken to some people in the town and they said Toby had been caught. The damn slave catchers cut off his toes on one of his feet! It’s a cruel punishment. They really know how to ruin the value of a slave. Toby was such a strong man, he must have been a great field hand. Now, I wonder if he’ll ever be able to walk again. It will be hard, because he will most likely have to use crutches, so he won’t be able to do much. I can’t help it, but lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the man. The way those scars were etched into his skin.
I hope that I will soon hear that Toby will be able to walk again. If I could convince Dr. Reynolds to let me buy him, I would love to have another field hand.
Ah! 4 years later and Toby can walk again!
[Thank you. It seems like you've gotten a lot out of Roots, so far. - Mr. Fladd]
Bradley W
Block D
Belle while Toby is unconscious and delirious
I am stuck to help this man that is very stubborn he doesn’t want to listen to anyone besides himself. I want to help him but I am not sure what he will do. The thing I hate about Toby is when he has his mind set on something then you cant make him change his mind. I am going to try my best to get through to him that we are slaves and we are owned by Master Reynolds. Toby needs to know that if he runs away again then he won’t just get his foot cut off. He wants to be free but he can’t be. I am going to have to keep a close eye on him because he can be very sneaky. I don’t can’t let him get away because if he does get away then I am going to have a really harsh consequence. He is a tough man that can really survive through anything. I hope when Toby wakes up that is happy to be alive and is willing to work with me so nothing else happens to him. When I made him the crutches I am hoping that he will actually use them and not try to be independent like he always does. I hope that the foot doesn’t get infected, if it does then it will be really tough for Toby. I pray every night for him to be alright, but im not sure if it will be. I can only imagine what Toby is thinking right now. It frightens me to think about it. When I think about Toby I just wanna go and try and help him. I wish that is was me that got my foot cut off because I really like Toby and I wish this never happened. Toby is such a good person , he doesn’t deserve to be treated like that. I really hope that we can be friends for along time to come, and that he never leaves me.
[Belle seems to be able to know a lot about Toby, even though he is unconscious! - Mr. Fladd]
Pierce
Block:C
Wildcard- Toby after fiddler dies.
I was talking. Big grin smeared across my face. Fiddler was nice to talk to, even when I knew he wasn’t listening. I talked about what I was going to do. I talked about Bella and I. I talked about my new kid. I talked about everything. But not once did I talk about what Fiddler wanted to do, What Fiddler wanted to talk about. It was too late now. I didn’t get to say goodbye. I didn’t know that man very much, yet he knew me all too well. I was selfish and gave him none of my attention. Time was over, there was none left now. I turned my head, and there he was on the ground. I searched for a pulse. He had fallen out of a high tree. Anything could have happened to Fiddler. Anything. But this. Why? Why now? I’m going to miss him. His love, the feeling I got, because he was the only one who tried to help me, when he did. Tears began to run down my face. I was crying. I felt everything at once. But mostly sorrow. He was my friend. He was my best friend. I did not want to loose him. That was not part of my plan. The plan that I practically made him listen to. If I could have asked Fiddler one thing before he went away, It would have been, Didn’t you ever want to be free? But I’ve got a good feeling that he did. Just like I did. I think I am a spitting image of who Fiddler used to be. I hope, and wish and think, but I do not know. Unfortunately. He was the only man I know who would have done for me what Fiddler did. The only man I’ve ever known who would think to appreciate and respect me. I wonder if Fiddler ever knew how much I appreciated him and still do. I do. Or else I wouldn’t be sitting here by his side, thinking all this. But I am.
[Pierce, this is really good. You've been doing a really good job lately of writing about how other people feel. Good work! - Mr. Fladd]
ErinR
Block A
Fiddler- as he knows that he is about to die.
I’m tired of playing white mans music, for one last time I want to play what I want to play. Just one last time.I thought as I played my violin for what could be the last time that I would ever play again. I knew it was coming, I knew this was it. The end.
I was sitting under the big old tree where Tobby found me and my violin. “I’m done playing the white man’s music Tobby, I want to hear my music” I said to Tobby as I started playing one of my favorite songs, “my music” I whispered as I let my body flow with that beautiful tune. The further and further I got into the song the weaker I felt, I knew this was it. I don’t know how or why I knew, I just knew. My breathing got showler and slower, as I edged towards the end of the.
I took on last breath and felt Tobby’s warmth next to me, and then let my body drift away.
[This is very descriptive writing, but I'd really like it if you could concentrate more on what Fiddler was thinking and feeling than on the events that happened. - Mr. Fladd]
Emily L.
Block C
Kunta Kinte/ Toby- after Fiddler dies
Why Fiddler? Why now? I didn’t notice when fiddler died. One minute he was playing his fiddle and I was talking to him about Kizzy then the next moment he was on the ground dead. I knew that he was ready to go; I could hear it in his voice. It is a part of life you make an appearance and then you leave Fiddler knew that and this is the plan … had for him. Now he knows what I was talking about now he knows what it is like to be free.
I need him, especially now that Kizzy has just been born. He was my first friend since I have gotten here. I could trust him to help me and tell me the truth. I will do as he told and stay here not because it is my home but because my family is here and I would never abandon them. I couldn’t run knowing that I would be leaving Belle and Kizzy behind. I still wonder what it would be like to be free. I think about it all the time. Of course it would be different than before because I have a family now but I bet that would make it even better. I wish fiddler could tell me what its like.
Even though it must be nice to be free, I still miss him and I will always miss him. He helped me through it all the good and the bad. It was like he was my brother or a second father. He thought me how to be a good field hand and how to work. There is a tiny piece of Fiddler in me and when he died he took a piece of me with him. I need Belle and I am glad that I have her; I don’t know what I would do without her with Fiddler gone. Fiddler changed my life and I am always thankful for that. I will never forget him.
[I think you've got a pretty good handle on how Toby was feeling. Did you cry at this part of the movie? - Mr. Fladd]
Leah H
Block B
Fiddler as Toby runs away
I think of him like a son, I still remember the day years ago when master Reynolds and I took a trip to the city for the slave auction. That young 14 year old boy we bought. I remember the long trip home with the African-crazed nigger, you have to show them tough love. Tell them how it goes and whose in charge, scare them from running off. Most slaves assimilate to our ways, but not Kunta Kinte. Now about 20 years later he still hates his name, “Toby” and has tried to run away many many times. Each time my heart dies a little. He is my son, the only person who has ever truly loved me, and who I’ve truly loved. I hate to see him leave, but somehow I know deep down he will probably be back.
Most runaways don’t make it far in till they are found and whipped. He needs to learn that its not worth it. Toby is the stubbornest man I’ve ever seen in my life. I hate watching him leave. I know this sounds horrible but it is even more painful to watch him come back, after he leaves. I pray he will be safe, make it out okay and live a happy life, but that never happens. He always ends up back, with the gruesome consequences they give him. Whipping sometimes isn’t enough. They once even had to cut off his foot, so that he would never run, therefore never run away again. No matter what Toby does, I will stand by his decisions, and nothing will make me stop loving that boy. I just wish he would listen to me.
[I'm pretty sure Fiddler would have thought something like this. Well done. - Mr. Fladd]
Fiddler while Toby is sick after he got his foot cut off.
Hi, My name is Fiddler and I am master Reynolds slave and I am going to tell you about the time Toby got his foot cut off.
Toby and his crazy ideas thought he could run away and be free this time. I told that Ni***** other wise but he didn’t listen to old Fiddler. When he was caught the slave catchers cut of his foot so he wouldn’t run away. I feel really bad for Toby because I don’t think he will ever run again. When Bell starts to care for Toby they start to like each other and she made him some socks. One of the socks was a stub for his chopped off foot and the other one was for his normal foot. I told Toby he would walk again and he said “No Fiddler, I will run!” It felt good to see Toby wake up and start to walk again with those crutches. I knew Toby would walk again but I knew he wouldn’t be able to do his field work so I hope the master doesn’t sell Toby off into another plantation. I am happy Toby didn’t get a disease from the open wound. It stinks to see Toby like this but I believe he will get better soon. I don’t think he will be running away anymore. When Toby first woke up I felt a relief of hope and I think Toby will be just fine and the master will find a good suitable job for him.
[I don't want to get too picky, but just about everything you mention in this blog post happened AFTER Toby woke up. I wanted to know what Fiddler would think and feel while Toby was lying unconscious. - Mr. Fladd]
Hunter H.
Block: B
Maggie’s Owner
I had no idea that crazy African buck was here hiding out with Maggie. She doesn’t seem like the type of person that would do that. I wish I had that buck on my farm, he was so fast and strong. Maggie deserves punishment for hiding away a buck from another plantation but I don’t know if he threatened her about it. I bet that slave is getting a cruel punishment back where he came from. I’m glad not all of my slaves run away like that crazy African. Maggie told me that she didn’t want to run away with him, and for that I cannot give her punishment for that. What a crazy person thinking he can just run away and think he wont get caught. With my help around here I would find my slaves very easy. I need to be careful not to let Maggie run away and meet up with him now that that crazy African got her thinking. Maggie is a great worker and treats me with respect. That young buck needs to get his head straight before he gets killed by his owner. He just needs to forget about his crazy African life and move onto a real life here in the United States. Who knows maybe that buck got away, I don’t know he was pretty fast and those horses can’t maneuver threw trees like he could. If he got away good luck surviving out there, and if he didn’t good luck to your life back on the plantation.
[Hunter, I think you're pretty much dead-on with what this guy would be thinking, with one possible exception. Do you think he would think of Toby as a "person"? - Mr. Fladd]
Nicole C.
Block A
Belle, when she hears the drums:
Stop worrying! I tell myself Toby will take good care of Kizzy and they wont be gone much longer. Just do some cleaning until he comes back, I think. So I fold the blankets and prepare Kizzy’s bed while convince myself nothing bad will happen.
But then I heard it. I heard those drum pounding away. At first I thought I was just being paranoid but no. No that drum sound was real, and I knew what I had to do. Toby was too proud of being an African man. So you know what I did I ran. I ran like if I didn’t that baby would have been torn away from me. An in truth for all I know she might have been. As I ran panic shot through me. I had no clue where I was going or who I might run into. All I knew was that if I wanted to save my family I had to run towards the sound of the drums. The worst scenario you could think of and worse were coming into my head. What if Toby went to the man with the drums and ran away with my baby. I started to whimper and trip as I thought of being torn away from my dear little Kizzy. I wouldn’t let a baby be taken from me again, or my husband.
Finally I saw Toby with Kizzy in his arms at the top of a hill. Relief filled me, but only for a second. Only a second before I saw him look towards the woods where the drums where coming from. Then horror filled me. Horror of loosing everything I had. No! No! I thought and I started running towards him again, until we reached each other. I was crying so hard I didn’t think my words would be hear able but he heard me.
Although they were few minutes they felt like the longest minutes of my life. Each word I said coated with sadness and panic. Trying so hard to hold on and not let go. And In the end I won. We stayed a family. I kept my baby, I kept my husband. They didn’t leave me. He didn’t steal my baby away from me. And as we walked home I smiled for the victory. Only a few minutes ago whimpering with tears, now husband and baby by my side victorious.
[You write action passages very well. I can almost feel her heart pounding as I read this. - Mr. Fladd]
Sarah k.
Block B
Belle on her wedding day
Today was a beautiful day, and a perfect one to get married. Who would’ve thought I would ever be marryin’ a stubborn African “warrior” like Toby. Not me for sure. Well, I guess I just got a little attached while I was carin’ for him, makin’ sure that foot of his got better. One of the other slaves blessed us by sayin’ “May this couple have buetiful youg ones and not do anything bad to get themselves sold away from each other.” After We was all dancin’ around while good ol’ Fiddler played his music, and I noticed Toby was off sittn’ by himself and wondered what he was doin’. This was our wedding day, he should be happy and dancing around like the rest of us. He looked happy, but it also looked like something was troubling him. I went over oto see why he was sittn’ all alone. He said somethin’ about being Kunta Kinte, a Mandinca warrior. I told him that he belongs to me, and I belong to him. He just told me that we both belonged to Dr. Reynolds. A made it clear that I wanted none of this Africa talk on my wedding day. I want to get him to give up that African thing and all this talk about runnin’ away. He already lost a foot for runnin’, and I hope he doesn’t make the mistake my other husband did. He ran off with my baby, and got himself hung, and me and my babies sold off. I pray that Toby won’t make the same mistake he did. But I will have to work on that later, for this is a time to be happy, and celebrate my marriage. I need to forgat all those sad thing today and just be happy.
[I think you're right. Even on her happiest day, Belle would have been a little sad, thinking about her first man and all the sad things that had happened to her. - Mr. Fladd]
Nick N.
Block A
Kunta Kinte/Toby before running away
I’ve been here for many years and I already tried to escape when I first arrived. I just can’t deal with this any more. The white men keep telling me what to do day by day. I think about running away every day and night, and it never gets old. I’ve always hoped that my day will come. I think of Fanta and what has happened to her and where about she is. Freedom always is running through my mind. But then those terrible flashbacks also run through my mind of when I did run away so long ago. Also when I got caught, the barking dogs and the punishments were terrifying. I will do it; I will get out of this plantation. But this time I will need to do it right! I talk to Fiddler. He has always known it was my dream to be free. I planned it out with Fiddler. He said that there was going to be a hoedown and everyone will be there, and the horse and wagon that I will use for my escape are leaving for the market. I was very happy but very sad to leave Fiddler. He taught me mostly everything of how to be a slave and what not to do. I hugged him and told him that this is goodbye. The white man later told me to load the wagon, so as I did I left a place for me to ride all the way to the market so that nobody could see me. I started to feel the excitement. It was time! The hoedown started and the horse and wagon started to leave to the market. I ran my heart out getting to the wagon without anyone seeing me. Then, I was in, I did it!
[Well done. I like that line - "I ran my heart out". In Toby's case, it probably has more than one meaning. - Mr. Fladd]
Jessie S.
Block A
Belle – When Toby wakes up and wants to die
Why does Toby want to die? Why would he put himself in such a bad frame of mind? I don’t want him to die. I want him to live forever, so I can own him forever. He’s the one that I love. Even though he wants to die, and run away. I love everything about him, but I don’t have the courage or guts to tell him that. I wish that I could tell him and not have to worry about him ever forgetting because I know that he never would.
I wish that I could tell him how I feel and tell him everything. Everything that bothers me and everything that I stay up at night and worry about. I wish that I could just throw all of my troubles away. I wish that I could just forget and never remember it again.
Why does Toby want to die? Is it because of his foot and how stubborn he is. Or is it because he just doesn’t want to live with everything he has done. I wish that I could fix him and everything that he has done. Why isn’t there a cure, for people who need it. Toby needs it and I wish that I could give it to him. But I’m not sure that I can.
I’m not that sure that I can live with the fact that Toby wants to die, and not have any say in it. I wish that I could change his mind some how.
[I think you've done a good job of showing Belle's softer side - the one she doesn't show openly to Toby very much. - Mr. Fladd]
Jeremy K.
1-21-10
John Reynolds (1st owner) after Toby runs away
I bought Toby for my slave. I paid good money for him but since I owed my brother money I had to give Toby to him along with my other slave, fiddler. Toby ran away from me a couple of times so I hope he runs away from my brother as well because if I can’t have him then he shouldn’t have him.
Before I gave Toby to him I just knew he was going to run away from him! My brother deserved that. Being my brother, I shouldn’t have had to pay him back for my debt so I’m happy he ran away. After escaping several times, I can’t believe they caught him. I would’ve thought he would have a plan so he wouldn’t get caught. He escaped to a new plantation and he could’ve stayed there if he kept quiet. I thought he was going to be free from my brother for good. I just can’t imagine what horrible things they are going to do to Toby so he can’t run away again.
They are going to ruin a valuable slave by cutting his foot off. That ni**** better learn how to run with half a foot and run away again to show my brother that he doesn’t know how to handle slaves.
I’m hoping my brother won’t be able to handle Toby anymore since now he has half a foot and maybe he will give him back to me for me to own once again.
[I like that you've made John Reynolds so tricky. I'm with you that he's probably smarter than he seems. - Mr. Fladd]
Annie D.
Block A
Fiddler at Toby and Belle’s Wedding
In 8th grade social studies class we have just finished watching the third episode of Roots. I will be writing from the point of view of Fiddler on Toby (Kunta Kinte) and Belles wedding. I will be using the dialect that Fiddler speaks.
What on mighty fine day we got here for a wedding. The suns out and birds sin’in. I haven’t known Belle to long but she’s ganna be a good wife for Toby. There about to jump over the broom and be married. Toby better not try anymore free slave stuff, he ganna have a family to look after soon. Time to start the dancing, so I take out my fiddle and begin play’in. I watch Belle. As long as I’ve been here I ain’t never seen a smile that big on her pretty little face. Toby ganna have one happy wife…where is Toby? This is his wedding, he should be out here dancing with the bride. I look around into the crown of dancing slaves but he ain’t nowhere. Belle? Where she got to? Toby wouldn’t escape, not now, he aint that type of man. I look over to the big old tree that shadow spreads a feet long. There, under its shadow rest Toby with Belle in his big arms. Man they ganna be happy together. I don’t know though, if Toby haven’t settled down know I don’t think he ever will. He was born African but Bell American and Belle is one might strong women. They Balance each other out. They’ll come back to the wedding when they’re ready so for now I’m ganna give the folks so good music to dance to.
[Annie, for the rest of the blogs in this project, could you please use your best spelling and grammar. It's a little hard to follow you in this passage and it's definitely worth reading! I know Fiddler wouldn't have used conventional English, but for our purposes, could you please stick to regular conventions? - Mr. Fladd]
Ed A.
Block B
Dr. Reynolds
Another slave decides to run away. We caught him but took an unnecessary action. This slave has a hard time deciding to stay put here on the plantaion and now we had to chop his foot to slow him down. Doing so has now caused some kinda of sickness inside him. All i can do for now is watch, if he lives or dies. Toby is a hard working slave, strong and stubborn almost such as an ox. Even if I own this slave he is only a slave. Strong working but not a person. Even though the sickness will take him, Fiddler and Belle visit him often. It would be a shame to lose a hard working slave like Toby but it would mean less mouths to feed around the plantaion. He also keeps a good harvest coming in. My brother gave me these slaves as a payment for everthing he owes me, but all they do is run away such as Toby here. Good thing we settled this.
[Thank you for getting this in. I've been looking forward to reading some of your writing. I like that last line - "Good thing we settled this". - Mr. Fladd]
Richard
Block C
Dr.reynolds (when belle asks tobi to be the driver)
When belle asked me to let Tobi be the driver I had my doubts. Tobi already tried to escape before. Im going to have to think this over a lot. Im worried he’ll try to escape again so im going to make fiddler go with him to make sure he doesn’t decide to run… I might also have to get people to watch the both of them, they seem to have a bond with each other. Hopefully fiddler doesn’t try to escape to.. this is why I have my doubts about this request because I could be risking two slaves and that’s losing money. I wonder why she wants tobi to be a driver so much. this is all very suspicious. I gues I can give him one hance to do this, but if he makes one mistake then hes done with everything! Ill have fiddler get everything ready and teach tobi how to drive.
[I'm really glad to finally see some of your writing! I like how Dr. Reynolds thinks about this in business terms - losing or gaining a slave. I think he probably would have really done that. - Mr. Fladd]