The novel "The Watsons go to Birmingham 1963", written by Christopher Paul Curtis, talks about Kenneth Watson and his family (including Wilona Watson, Daniel Watson, Byron Watson, Joetta Watson, and Grandma Sands). In the beginning, the family stayed in their home at Flint. However, Byron, who is 13 years old, grows to learn things that his parents discourage, such as putting dangerous chemicals in his hair to impress his friend, Buphead. So the family take a three day ride to Birmingham, Alabama, such that Byron stays with his grandma for the summer. During their visit, Kenny finds the "Wool Pooh" in a lake and nearly encounters death just as Byron saves him. Shortly, Joetta went to church and returned home because it was too hot. The family leave for Flint again after hearing the news of a bomb striking the church Joetta was attending and the news of it killing and injuring many people.
The novel describes racism and segregation using a historical background. The story does not only show a family’s life with a misbehaving boy but also shows how racism, segregation and the year (1963) affect the family. The year 1963 brings concern to the family because it is the year just before the 1964 Civil Rights Movement. It expresses the family's danger and concern with the historical event, especially when they were African Americans. The Watson family go through Birmingham with racism, segregation and danger when a bomb hits Joetta’s church. The act influences racism on the Watson family because they are African Americans. The act brings the family’s concern to Joetta and their family; Joey could have been hurt physically. Mentally, it was dangerous for the family to stay in Birmingham with the current racism they had encountered in Joey’s church. It uses the historical background of when people put a bomb on a church as a real event, racism, injuries and death encountered. Racism affects segregated people mentally and physically with acts and the knowledge of being a victim. It brings concern across families, whether or not it is done or known. The Watson family encounters racism in Birmingham, expressing danger and worry to the family mentally and physically.
Families always express family love between members and their characteristics of them. Family members interact with each other with love, whether or not they are misbehaved or the troublemaker of the family; none of which will treat others with a hatred for their negative characteristics. People who are part of the same family always care about others despite what they do, have or think. Even when family members do unpleasant acts for others, they will not start hatred. Byron plays with fire, gets a conk hairstyle against his parent’s decisions, skips school, abuses his parent’s credit to get treats and bullies others at school. Despite all of his troublemaking “adventures”, his family does not leave him at Birmingham when he stays. Instead, they stay with him until they leave together, because of their care and family love towards him. While his family cares for him, Byron improves and saves his brother, Kenny, from a whirlpool. Although he does a lot of bad things, Byron is still appreciated by his family. Even when we do things wrong or do bad things, our families will not leave us alone with hatred, no matter how unpleasant the situation is. A situation doesn’t affect our care towards family members. Though Byron created many unpleasant situations for his family, his family did not leave him in a case of family love and care.
Friends can be helpful in our lives despite their position. Supportive friends can always help us when we are lonely and are significant even when they have weak or negative positions. Friends can help us when we are lonely, whether or not they have a considerable role. When we need help or support, our friends are always there to help us. Kenny has a certain friend called Rufus, who is from the countryside and talks strangely to the students on the school bus. He is bullied a lot, so Kenny doesn’t want to be friends with him at the beginning. But later, they became good friends. Kenny and Rufus play with their dinosaurs together, share their things, communicate and help each other. Kenny realizes how friendship is important to him and encounters what it feels like to be alone without friends. LJ was Kenny’s old mate who played dinosaurs with him, but he wasn’t a true friend. He stole a lot of Kenny’s dinosaurs without permission. True friends are always important to have, especially for help and comfort. Some people are only those who want to take things away from us intentionally. True friends are important companions with help, comfort and understanding.
The novel “The Watsons Go To Birmingham-1963” talks about the historical background, family and friendship. It expresses the family's concern and danger with the historical event, especially when they were African Americans. The act of a bomb hitting Joetta’s church in Birmingham influences racism on the Watson family because they are African Americans. The act brings the family’s concern to Joetta and their family; Joey could have been hurt physically. People who are part of the same family always care about others despite what they do, have or think. Byron is a nuisance to the family, but the family doesn’t leave him alone in Birmingham for the summer; they have family love for him. Supportive friends can always help us when we are lonely, and are significant even when they have weak or negative positions. Rufus is still an important person and friend to Kenny, even though he is bullied and is from the countryside.
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