Reading Log Questions #1

Louise Castillo
ENGW 1001
2/4/16
Prof. Young

Reading Log Questions #1

Part I. 

1.) The meaning of the good lord bird is that it can bring understanding. "They say a feather from a Good Lord Bird'll bring you understanding that'll last your whole life."(McBride, 33). I believe that the good lord bird connects to the title because the bird itself is black-and-white and it can represent the tranquility one day of blacks and whites together.

2.) Henry's new nickname is Onion. John Brown took out his good luck charm which was an onion. "Dried, dusty, covered with feathers, cobwebs, lint, and other junk from his pocket.(McBride, 23). Henry did not know what to do with the onion when John Brown gave it to him. He mistakenly thought that the Old Man wanted him to eat it. When Henry bit the onion, he described, "That thing tasted foul as the devil."(McBride, 24).

3.) Henry wanted to continue with the lie that he is a girl because his "arse" was on the line. Henry even states, "Plus, he was an outlaw, and I was his prisoner."(McBride, 28). He did not want anything to happen to him or to anger John Brown. John Brown gout out a dress and bonnet for Henry to change into from the potato sack he was wearing.

The Flaws Of Lies

Louise Castillo
English 1101
2/1/16
Prof. Young

The Flaws Of Lies

There is always a valid time and place to do everything. Other times it can be acceptable to act upon some particular actions and say certain things. When it comes to lying, it can bring a great amount of danger and trouble. It can be permissible to lie at times only if it is necessary in the situation. Like in the book The Good Lord Bird, Henry is caught in a sticky situation. When John Brown goes into Dutch Henry's Tavern for a haircut, he was speaking to Pa and reciting bible versus to drop hints that he was going to help set all the blacks free. The slave owner Dutch Henry Sherman notices John Brown and starts asking questions on if he needed work and what he name was. A gun was pulled out and John Brown remained calm but started to grow angry once Dutch Henry says the Good Lord names in vain and curses his name. John Brown pulls out a gun and tells all the slaves to skedaddle and that they are free to go. All the black in the barber shop ran except for little Henry and Pa. Pa is confused and not really wanting to leave his slave owner due to Pa being Dutch Henry's first slave so Pa has always been privileged because of it. When John Brown tells Pa to come along with him and for Pa to bring his daughter, Pa tried correcting him by saying, "Massa, my Henry ain't a-" but he got caught off with all the commotion happening. John Brown only heard the last part of what Pa said and it sounded to him to be Henrietta. Pa dies unfortunately in the barber shop by having part of the door that was shot hit him in the chest. John Brown runs out with Henry and now Henry is in this lie that he can't get himself out of because all his life all he has grown up to knowing was to always follow orders from white folks. Henry goes along with the lie that he is a girl for his own safety, but wouldn't you if you were kidnapped by a man that was known for killing people?