Sounder William H. Armstrong

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SounderWilliam H. Armstrong
Introduction Background Discussion Starters
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SounderWilliam H. Armstrong

• Images provided by Jupiter Images and
  Shutterstock.

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SounderWilliam H. Armstrong
Sounder might come home again. But you must
learn to lose, child.
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Sounder Introduction
On a cold October night, a very poor boy, his
father, and their dog, Sounder, stand on the
porch of their cabin and listen to the wind.
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Sounder Introduction
Sounder is a great hunting dog.
But they will not go hunting tonight.
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Sounder Introduction
Instead, the father goes out alone . . . .
and the next morning, sausage is sizzling on the
stove, and ham is boiling in the pot.
Stealing meat is a desperate act, and a risky
one, but the family has to eat.
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Sounder Introduction
A few days later, the sheriff and his deputies
arrive at the cabin.
They violently handcuff the father and throw him
in the back of their wagon.
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Sounder Introduction
When Sounder chases the sheriffs wagon, one of
the deputies shoots Sounder.
Sounder disappears.
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Sounder Introduction
The boy is left alone.
His beloved dog is gone.
His father is in jail.
His mother and younger siblings are depending on
him.
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Sounder Introduction
How will the boy cope with the loss of his dog
and his father?
Will he be able to help his family survive?
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Sounder Background
One hundred years ago in the southeastern United
States, African Americans

• had fewer rights than white people and were often
  treated unfairly

• did not have many chances to learn how to read
  and write

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Sounder Background
After the Civil War, many freed slaves became
sharecroppers. These farmers

• didnt own the land they farmed

• had to pay the landowner a large part of the
  money they made

• often had to borrow money to survive until the
  crops were harvested

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Sounder Background
Most families of former slaves became trapped in
a cycle of debt, while landowners became
wealthier.
In many ways, these people were still enslaved.
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Sounder Background
Around the middle of the twentieth century,

• farm machinery began to replace laborers

• the sharecropping system eventually fell apart

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Sounder Background
Sounder is a mix of two dog breeds
bulldog
Georgia redbone hound

• muscular, determined
• bred to fight bulls
• powerful jaws

• bred to hunt raccoons
• smart and fast
• loud, melodious voice

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Sounder Background
Dogs like Sounder provided many valuable services
to rural families

• helping catch animals for the family to eat

• warning the family of danger

• providing love and companionship

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Sounder Background
During the time of this story, prisoners didnt
just sit in jail. Instead, they were often

• forced to work on dangerous jobs, such as mining

• overworked and poorly fed

• whipped or beaten badly

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Sounder Discussion Starters

• Discuss (1)
• What, in your opinion, would be an appropriate
  penalty for stealing some sausages and a ham?
• Why do you think the father in the story receives
  such severe punishment for this minor crime?
• Do you think such a harsh injustice could take
  place in todays legal system? Why or why not?

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Sounder Discussion Starters
Discuss (2) In Sounder, the boy and his family
labor hard and constantly, but still they barely
survive.

• If you lived this way, how do you think you would
  feel?
• What might give you comfort in such a situation?
• Would you be able to find hope for a better life?
  If so, how? If not, why not?