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Monday, April 15, 2013

Chapter Summaries, Part 3 of 4, Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody

Book Summary

The book is divided into four parts:
1) Childhood
2) High School
3) College
4) The Movement

Below are the most important events in each of these four parts of the novel and how they affect Anne Moody and her coming of age. 

Part Three: College

Chapter 20

Out of high school, Anne tries to go to college but realizes she can't pay for it. She gets a basketball scholarship to Natchez College, an ugly little college in Mississippi. She becomes the star of the basketball team, but she gets in an argument with Miss Adams, the dean's secretary, in a challenge of authority. The President agreed with Anne in the dispute and this pisses off Miss Adams who is a manager of the basketball team. She makes life miserable for Anne. This shows Anne's strength and her courage to stand up for what she thought was right, no matter the risks.  

Chapter 21


Anne has a boyfriend, Keemp, and they kiss for the first time. She is very prude about guys although she is incredibly gorgeous and sought after by many.  

Also, in Natchez College, Anne starts a boycott of the school cafeteria when maggots are found in the grits. The cook, Miss Harris, is a nasty old woman who knew that the food was spoiled but didn't care. The protest goes up to the President and the President once again agrees with Anne. This protest is a prelude to the sit-in"'"s that she will be doing during the movement. Anne graduates Natchez with straight A"'"s, as usual, and this impresses to President very much. The President recommends her to acquire a scholarship at Tougaloo, the top black college in Mississippi.  

Chapter 22

In Tougaloo, Anne quickly becomes involved with the NAACP and the SNCC. She attends the famous Woolworth sit-in and after this becomes bound with the black empowerment movement. Meanwhile, her mother writes her letters telling her to stop her involvement with such stupid organizations. Her mother is afraid of her family being killed by white supremacists at Centreville. The difference between Anne and her mother becomes apparent: Anne hopes for change and reform, but her mother is so settled in with the ways of racial etiquette and the fear for her life, she cannot believe in change. She tells Anne that black people will always have to deal with the misery in life, and after Anne dies (and she will die soon because she is involved with such a dangerous cause) life will remain the same for black people. Anne doesn't believe her and continues working for the civil rights movement.



1) Childhood
2) High School
3) College
4) The Movement

2 comments:

  1. Somewhere, your chapters got goofed. the chapter 22 summary is a summary of chapter 21.

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