Little Rock is a memorable moment of history, not just for the Civil Rights Movement, those inspired, or the publicity the town received. It became a memorable moment for Elizabeth Eckford, the girl who faced the violent and aggressive crowds alone, terrified without being able to show it. Years later it would also become significant to Hazel Bryan who thought nothing of it at the moment but a means of entertainment. In this novel the author portrays the events that occurred in Arkansas in 1957, and what some had to endure for years as a result. David Margolick is the author of this novel as well as four other novels. He is a contributing editor for Vanity Fair and has published many biographies. He spoke with both Elizabeth and Hazel through
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Elizabeth had been a naive child because she never faced racism since she strayed from whites during her childhood. She never felt like she did something heroic because all she could recall was the terror. Hazel committed those actions because that was how she had been educated in her household. She realized later truly how wrong it had been. Together they tried to surpass the boundaries only to fail but not because they did not have the strength. They attempted to mend something that cannot be repaired in a lifetime, the damage was made long before they were born and it was going to continue. They had a deep connection but there were too many misunderstandings and too much miscommunication. If they would have taken the time there’s a possibility things would have turned out differently. Hazel eventually realized this,”...she understood why black skepticism, and bitterness, weres so deep...These thing would take years, or decades, to abate;she had just tried to speed things up a bit.” Race still affects people nowadays just in more subtle ways. The novel’s audience can vary because it has a simple vocab so it is easy to understand. It could be for someone who was interested in the events that took place at Little Rock, or someone curious about what became of Elizabeth. This novel carries a strong message, sometimes there are just things that a person cannot change. I would definitely recommend the novel, for people interested in history and even those that aren’t. Even though this novel is based off of a historic event it is also about two women who become close friends and help each other transform only to
Elizabeth had been a naive child because she never faced racism since she strayed from whites during her childhood. She never felt like she did something heroic because all she could recall was the terror. Hazel committed those actions because that was how she had been educated in her household. She realized later truly how wrong it had been. Together they tried to surpass the boundaries only to fail but not because they did not have the strength. They attempted to mend something that cannot be repaired in a lifetime, the damage was made long before they were born and it was going to continue. They had a deep connection but there were too many misunderstandings and too much miscommunication. If they would have taken the time there’s a possibility things would have turned out differently. Hazel eventually realized this,”...she understood why black skepticism, and bitterness, weres so deep...These thing would take years, or decades, to abate;she had just tried to speed things up a bit.” Race still affects people nowadays just in more subtle ways. The novel’s audience can vary because it has a simple vocab so it is easy to understand. It could be for someone who was interested in the events that took place at Little Rock, or someone curious about what became of Elizabeth. This novel carries a strong message, sometimes there are just things that a person cannot change. I would definitely recommend the novel, for people interested in history and even those that aren’t. Even though this novel is based off of a historic event it is also about two women who become close friends and help each other transform only to