Novel Study: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry: Discussion Guide #3

Support critical thinking and literacy development with these discussion questions related to the final chapters of Mildred D. Taylor’s Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. With a focus on chapters 9–12, this discussion guide asks readers to recount the event at the mercantile that brings racial tensions to a head and asks students to think about the role that each character plays in the events that follow. Learners will also be guided to discuss some of the major themes in these chapters, like the importance of the land and how families rely on each other in hard times, and to analyze cause and effect relationships in the text, such as the consequences of Papa’s boycott and the consequences of T.J.’s relationship with the Simms brothers. Click “View answer key” to see sample student responses and context. And be sure to check out the full set of related novel study worksheets!