The Year of the Sawdust Man

The Year of the Sawdust Man
by A. LaFaye

About the book:

Most folks in Harper Louisiana, think that Heirah, Nissa Bergen’s free-spirited mother, is crazy. Brining your daughter onto the roof to look at the starts and chasing butterflies at afternoon picnics is simply not the way to raise a proper young lady. But Nissa loves her mama. They’re best friends, so when Nissa returns home after school to find that all the flowers have been cut from her mama’s prized purple rose bushes, she knows her mama has left for good. Only Heirah would do such a thing.

Nissa can’t understand why her mama would leave, but the gossiping townsfolk have plenty of ideas. Some think Heirah ran off with another man. Nissa remembers her mother coming home on Sundays, smelling of sawdust. Could she have gone away with “The Sawdust Man”? If so, does it mean she is gone forever? And now that Nissa’s papa has begun to see Miss Lara Ross, Nissa fears her family will never be the same again. In this beautifully crafted and evocative debut novel, A. LaFaye delves into the conflicting emotions of a young girl struggling to understand that her m other can leave her yet still love her, and realizing that she must accept the new shape her family is taking.

About the author:

A.LaFaye (the A is for Alexandria) holds a BA in history from the University of Minnesota, an MA in English from Minnesota State University, Mankato, and an MA in children’s literature from Hollins University. Her most recent books, Worth, was awarded the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction. She lives in Cabot, Arkansas. Visit her at www.alafaye.com.

Pre-reading:

What do you think the title could mean? If you had to title your own life now it would be “The Year of the….” what?

Discussion guide:

1. The novel opens with Nissa’s mama disappearing. What clues does Nissa have that she is gone for good? Why does she not seem particularly surprised?  Can you imagine how she must feel?
2. Explain the meaning of each chapter title. Why do you think the author chose the titles that she did? Can you find a line that best represents each chapter? Or a description that best fits each character?
3. Describe the town of Harper, Louisiana. What did Mama mean when she called it a “canned town? How does Mama fit in there? How do you think Nissa will fit in as an adult? Do you think she will stay?
4. Nissa thinks, “Adults are so phony—you’d think they were all auditioning for a picture show.” (p.58)  Do you agree or not? Are kids more authentic?
5. Describe Nissa’s mother, Heirah. Do you think she was good for Nissa or not? What options were available to most women during this time period? How do you think she feels? What memories most haunt Nissa about life with her mother? As the novel unfolds what do we learn about mama that makes her more sympathetic? Do you blame her?
6. Who is Miss Ross? How would you feel watching your father court a new woman? Do you blame Papa for pursuing a new life or not? Why? Does Nissa need a new mama? Compare Miss Ross to Heirah. Are they alike at all? How are they different?
7. Who is Nissa’s best friend? How doe their parents feel about each other? Do you argue with your best friend too? Why are some friendships better able to handle conflict than others? How do you know if someone is a true friend? How did Mary show that she was Nissa’s true friend?
8. Nissa acts out in several dramatic ways against her frustration and anger at the world and her Mama. What things does she do? How does Miss Ross teach her to deal with her anger instead? What do you do when you are very irritated?
9. “Love is a feeling and it drives you to do many crazy and wonderful things, but it doesn’t make you loyal. Devoation’s what makes you stay.”  Do you agree with Grandma Dee’s definition between love and devotion? Which one do you think is more important? If you had to choose between one of them which one would you choose? Why?
10.  Nissa seems to have an old soul inside her young body. Was she born like this or was she taught to ask so many pointed questions? Which do you think is more important- heredity (what you are born with) or the environment (or how you are raised)? Why?
11. What was the relationship between people of different races during the time period of the novel? How did Heirah ignore them? Do you think you would’ve been brave enough to step outside of social expectations of that time period?
12. Describe Nissa’s relationships with both her father and her Grandma Dee. Do you think they could make up for the loss of her mother? How did they try? What family relationships are most important for you?
    
     
13. By the end of the novel which characters do you feel the most sympathy for? Who are you rooting for and believing in? How do authors develop a readers feelings toward a character? How was LaFaye able to pull you into the lives of these characters? If she wrote a sequel to the novel what would you most like to know?
14. In the end what conclusions did Nissa come to about her mother and why she left. Do you think Nissa will be better off in the hands of Miss Ross? Will Mama find peace and happiness out in the world on her own? What do you think would’ve happened to Heirah if she’d never left Harper?

Projects:

Language arts:

Write letters from one character to another as you read the story. Be sure to summarize important events for the other character and try to write believable responses with a similar voice.

Reading:

Create a cause and effect chart that you create as you read the novel. Be sure to show how one action leads to the next. Circle events which you think change the direction of the novel and in a short journal explain why you chose those scenes as most important.

Art:

Create a piece of collage on an old shoe box made from any materials you like that show Nissa’s perspective of the events in the novel. On the inside of the box tape a short journal about why you picked the images and colors that you did.

History:

Research and explore the south before the Civil Rights Movement. Find out about Jim Crow laws and the expectations of people who were African American during this time. Create a small poster about what you learned.

Explore the rights of women during time period of the novel. Create a venn diagram to compare and contrast the expectations and opportunities that were available for most women. As a class, discuss what you learned.

On the web:

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/womenstimeline1.html

http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

Compare and discuss these universal declarations of human rights with the roles of the characters in the novel and with the lives of modern men and women in your own community today.

Stella Stands Alone

Stella Stands Alone

by A. LaFaye

About the book:

When her father is murdered and her mother succumbs to yellow fever, fourteen-year-old Stella Reid finds herself orphaned—and her beloved home in jeopardy. Because of her age and her gender, Stella has no claim to her family’s plantation. She might have a chance if only her father, and his progressive ideas about slavery, hadn’t alienated the Reids from their neighbors but now the bank has repossessed Oak Grove. Even though Stella and the folks who work the plantation have few rights in the antebellum South, Stella fights against incredible odds in order to preserve the only home she’s ever known.

A.LaFaye (the A is for Alexandria) holds a BA in history from the University of Minnesota, an MA in English from Minnesota State University, Mankato, an MA in children’s literature from Hollins University and an MFA in creative writing from the University of Memphis. Her most recent book, Worth, was awarded the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction. She lives in Cabot, Arkansas. Visit her at www.alafaye.com.

Pre-reading:

Read the letter from the author at the beginning of the book. Then, discuss the idea of alternative history. What American or worldwide events from history would you most like to change? What would the domino effect of that decision be? Why do you think the author chose to write this story with an alternative historical approach? Predict what you think will be most important about using this literary device.

Discussion Guide:

1. After reading the first chapter, fill out the following graphic organizer:

Main Character	Conflict	Setting	Prediction

2. Explain why Stella’s upbringing is extraordinarily different from most daughters from that time period and location. Why is she so peculiar with some people even calling her “touched?” How does it add to her conflicts with those around her?
3. Do you think Hattie’s problem is even worse than Stella’s? Why or why not? What about Miss Rosie? What memories haunt her? Whose shoes would you least like to be inside? Why?
4. What promise had Stella’s father made to the folks who worked at Oak Grove? Why couldn’t he keep that promise? Is it better to break a promise or never to have made one in the first place?
5. What plan do the people of Oak Grove make to stay on the land? How is cooperation imperative for this to work? What could go wrong with the plan? How does Stella plan to keep her home? What would you do to keep yours?
6. How is the money Stella finds “blood money?” Do you think there is ever a circumstance where blood money should be used? What would you do if you found yourself in possession of something that had been gotten through the suffering of others? What would you do?
7. What happened to Mr. Reid and Mr. Beeman? Were they targeted? Why? Do people still act out in violence against those with whom they disagree?
8. Mr. Vinson suspects that Stella might try to outbid the folks on the fallow land. Why does he have no trust in Stella? How is trust developed? How is it fixed when damaged? Have you ever had to rebuild trust?
9. Richardson is a formidable antagonist and adversary to Stella. What has he done to hold Stella and the folks of Oak Grove down? How did things sour between the Reids and the Richardsons? What events can be traced back to Richardson? Why was Stella’s family targeted?
10. Stella is stumped on the combination to daddy’s safe. Is she ever able to find out what’s inside? Does it solve her problems? What numbers would be important to you or your family?
11. How does cousin Mertle come to aid Stella? Why does she choose to get involved? Who would you turn to if your needed help? Can you imagine Stella living inside Miss Mertle’s world or not? Why?
12. Stella listens to the voice of God to lead her actions as she prays for advice. How does she show her faith? What solace does it bring her?
13. Why is Stella’s plan to use a Yankee such a bold move against the community? Why are Yankees so hated in the south? How does Mr. Dooley aide Stella? What does he expect in return? Do the people of Oak Grove fair well in the auction or not?
14. “I’ve always been one to follow my own path—cutting through the woods while most people take the road, using an open window rather than a door, sitting on a roof ‘stead of a porch. …I followed my mind.” (p. 13) Do you, like Stella, care little for what others think you should do or do you feel bound by expectations? Do you think Stella’s ways hinder or help reach her goals?
15. How do the day-to-day operations at Oak Grove work? How is it not what Mr. Dooley expected? Contrast it to the way most plantations in the Delta were run during this period.  In the end what happens to Oak Grove?
16. Why do you think the author decided to write this novel with an alternative history approach? How does it lend itself to new perspectives on the time period? What setting would you choose for an alternative history story that you might write? Why?
17. What weapon does Richardson use against Oak Grove and the folks on it? What techniques do they have to fight against fire in this time? Besides fire, what other forms of intimidation do they use? Would you be scared enough to fall in line given similar circumstances? What are the long-term effects for both land and people?
18.  Miss Rosie lost all three of her sons- not to death, but slavery. How does this haunt her? In the end is she able to reconnect with any of them? How difficult would it be for former slaves to find each other?  Without literacy how could people reconnect?
19. How are matters of ownership of Oak Grove finally figured out? What happens to Mr. Dooley? Why has Mr. Dooley felt like a failure despite his wealth and opportunities? How is Hattie’s contract finally resolved? How were African American people often controlled despite the end of slavery?
20. LaFaye’s language is both rich and lyrical, “Day hadn’t even shaken the night out of his coat”(p. 20) as well as colloquial, “ That man had him more secrets than a family of five daughters.” (p. 191) Find your favorite examples of both and discuss what the language contributes to story.

Project

History:

Research the sharecropping system of the post Civil War era in America. How did the economic system work? Create a poster about what you learned.

Math:

The folks on Oak Grove would only be paid $2.50 a week by the time the upkeep of the cabins and the fees for a teacher were deducted from their pay. Research the cost of typical goods and services of that time period and create a budget based on this wage. How could people survive?

Oak Grove  (1700 acres and all buildings p. 125-126) sold for a whopping 56,000 just after the Civil War. How much would a property like this cost today? Create a chart that shows the inflation of real estate in the United States in the last 100 years.

Reading:

As you read Stella Stands Alone write a prediction at the end of each chapter about what you think will happen next. Be sure to use clues from the story and what you know about novel structure to make your predictions logical. Remember though that being right is less important than being an active reader (after all, readers love to be surprised too!)

Writing:

Write a short story which is based on an alternative historical event. Play master to the past! Then, as a class, discuss which story would have the most repercussions to modern society.

Resources on the Web:

http://www.besthistorysites.net/USHistory_SouthSlavery.shtml

http://www.hist.unt.edu/web_resources_mil/pre_civil_war.htm

http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/rr_gateway/research_guides/history/civwar.shtml