A-TRAIN ESSAY
"Southern trees bear a strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black body swinging in the Southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.
Pastoral scene of the gallant South,
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth,
Scent of magnolia sweet and fresh,
And the sudden smell of burning flesh!
Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck,
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,
For the sun to rot, for a tree to drop,
Here is a strange and bitter crop."
--Abel Meeropol (aka Lewis Allan)
Analyze this song by Abel Meeropol and apply it to Tuskegee Airmen. By using the movie, connect the message above to the situation the airmen experienced.
OR
· You may produce a one-page (typed, 11 pica, 1.5 spaces, one-inch margins, name and date in upper right-hand margin) opinion piece on the movie’s quotes.
· You need to relate each quote to the movie’s principle motifs (prejudice, will, service, patience, honor, and camaraderie).
· You will compose four paragraphs with a topic sentence, three to eight sentences that support the topic in the body of the paragraph, and a transition.
· Do not type the quotes; rather, reference them as quote 1, 2, 3 and 4.
· Major Sherman Joy:
The four elements: earth, air, water, and fire. Of these, I call your attention to two: air and fire. Though it is your privilege to live in the air, you will die by fire.
· Major Sherman Joy:
You, people. Don't you know how bad we treat you, people? Serving your country? This ain't your country. You country is full of apes and gorillas, malaria, missionaries...
· Lt. Glenn:
Friends die in our business, and for a lot of reasons. And the only protection you have against losing one is not to have any.
· Lt. Glenn:
[Cadet Johns has just died in a crash] Cadet Lewis Johns just taught you the most important lesson you'll learn here at Tuskegee. If you don't believe in God, you'd better find a damn good substitute.
Due Date: Tuesday, November 8th at the completion of class.
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black body swinging in the Southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.
Pastoral scene of the gallant South,
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth,
Scent of magnolia sweet and fresh,
And the sudden smell of burning flesh!
Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck,
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,
For the sun to rot, for a tree to drop,
Here is a strange and bitter crop."
--Abel Meeropol (aka Lewis Allan)
Analyze this song by Abel Meeropol and apply it to Tuskegee Airmen. By using the movie, connect the message above to the situation the airmen experienced.
OR
· You may produce a one-page (typed, 11 pica, 1.5 spaces, one-inch margins, name and date in upper right-hand margin) opinion piece on the movie’s quotes.
· You need to relate each quote to the movie’s principle motifs (prejudice, will, service, patience, honor, and camaraderie).
· You will compose four paragraphs with a topic sentence, three to eight sentences that support the topic in the body of the paragraph, and a transition.
· Do not type the quotes; rather, reference them as quote 1, 2, 3 and 4.
· Major Sherman Joy:
The four elements: earth, air, water, and fire. Of these, I call your attention to two: air and fire. Though it is your privilege to live in the air, you will die by fire.
· Major Sherman Joy:
You, people. Don't you know how bad we treat you, people? Serving your country? This ain't your country. You country is full of apes and gorillas, malaria, missionaries...
· Lt. Glenn:
Friends die in our business, and for a lot of reasons. And the only protection you have against losing one is not to have any.
· Lt. Glenn:
[Cadet Johns has just died in a crash] Cadet Lewis Johns just taught you the most important lesson you'll learn here at Tuskegee. If you don't believe in God, you'd better find a damn good substitute.
Due Date: Tuesday, November 8th at the completion of class.