Lena Torres
Sounder is a novel by William H. Armstrong, published in 1969, which was later adapted into a film in 1972. The story revolves around an unnamed African-American boy growing up in a poor sharecropping family in the 19th-century American South. The novel explores themes of racism, poverty, and the strong bond between humans and their dogs. The story ends on a note of peace and resolution, with the boy achieving his dream of learning to read, but also experiencing loss and hardship throughout his journey.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Title of the novel | Sounder |
| Author | William H. Armstrong |
| Year of publication | 1969 |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Target audience | Young readers |
| Themes | Racism, poverty, love, loss, anger, hope, family, survival, literacy, storytelling |
| Setting | 19th-century American South |
| Main characters | An unnamed African-American boy, his parents, his three younger siblings, and their dog, Sounder |
| Plot summary | The story follows the boy and his family as they navigate poverty and racism in the American South. The father is arrested for stealing food, and the dog, Sounder, is shot while trying to protect him. The boy goes on a journey to find his father and later learns to read with the help of a teacher. The story ends with the deaths of Sounder and the boy's father but a sense of peace and resolution for the family, especially the boy who has achieved his dream of learning to read. |
| Awards | Newberry Medal (1970) |
| Film adaptation | Yes, a film adaptation of the same name was released in 1972 |
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What You'll Learn
Sounder's return
The boy's father is arrested and Sounder, the dog, is shot while trying to protect him. The boy goes in search of Sounder and finds a piece of his ear. He continues to hope for Sounder's return, placing the ear under his pillow.
Two months later, the boy finds Sounder on his porch, wounded and with only three legs, one ear, and one eye. The boy and his mother welcome the dog home and tend to him. The boy resolves to search for his father, who has been sentenced to hard labour. He journeys within and among counties, looking for working convicts and seeking word of his father. He also teaches himself to read signs and newspapers.
The boy eventually finds his father, whose body has been crippled from a dynamite blast or being crushed in a quarry. Sounder, who has anticipated the man's return, runs out to meet him and barks. Weeks later, the man and his dog go hunting for the first time since the man's return.
Sounder returns from one of these hunts without his master, and the boy finds his father dead. Before leaving to return to school, the boy tells his mother that Sounder will be dead before he can come back for the holidays. Two weeks before Christmas, Sounder crawls under the porch and dies. Despite their deaths, there is a sense of peace and resolution over the family—especially for the boy, who has achieved his dream of learning to read.
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The father's death
The father in William H. Armstrong's novel "Sounder" is arrested for theft. The family dog, Sounder, tries to protect him and is shot by one of the arresting deputies. The father is then sent to a chain gang to perform hard labor. The boy, now the man of the house, resolves to find his father. He journeys through several counties, looking for working convicts and trying to read signs and newspapers to gain information about his father's whereabouts. He eventually finds a group of convicts at a road camp and tries to make out his father's form among them. However, a guard hits him and tells him to leave.
The boy is taken in by a teacher who offers him a place to stay and teaches him to read. During this time, the boy's father returns home, crippled from a dynamite blast or a crushing in a quarry. The man and his dog, Sounder, go hunting again. One day, Sounder returns home without his master, and the boy finds his father dead.
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The boy's literacy
The novel Sounder, written by William H. Armstrong, tells the story of a young boy who, despite facing poverty and racism, achieves his dream of learning to read. The boy, who is part of a Black sharecropping family in the 19th-century American South, is bored and lonely, having dropped out of school due to the long distance. He spends his days hunting with his dog, Sounder, and his father.
One day, three white men arrive at their cabin and arrest the boy's father for stealing a ham. Sounder is shot while trying to protect his owner. The boy, now facing new challenges, decides to search for his father, who has been sentenced to hard labour. He also tries to teach himself to read signs and newspapers. One day, he finds a book in a trash can and takes it with him. He meets a teacher who dresses his wounds and offers him a place to stay and learn to read, which the boy's mother agrees to.
The boy stays with the teacher, working in the fields during the summer and learning to read. Eventually, his father returns home, crippled from an accident. The boy's father and Sounder, who has also returned, go hunting one day, but Sounder comes back without his master. The boy finds his father dead. Despite these losses, the boy finds peace in his newfound literacy, which has helped him overcome loneliness and break free from ignorance.
The novel ends on a hopeful note, with the boy achieving his dream of learning to read, and finding comfort and strength in literature. This literacy empowers him to face the hardships of his reality, including racism, poverty, and loss. The story of Sounder is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of education.
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The family's poverty
The family in the story, Sounder, is a Black sharecropping family. They are incredibly poor and hungry. The father and his dog, Sounder, go hunting each night, but the hunting is poor. The family subsists on meagre meals such as fried corn mush, biscuits, and milk gravy. They are so poor that they are left hungry, and the father has to steal food to feed his family.
The boy in the story is bored and lonely and misses going to school. He had to drop out due to the grueling eight-mile walk each way. He spends his days dreaming of returning to school and learning to read. He also goes hunting in the woods with Sounder to cope with his life of obligation. The boy's mother makes a small income by selling cracked walnuts, but it is not enough to sustain the family.
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Sounder's death
In the novel 'Sounder', the family dog, Sounder, is shot by a deputy while attempting to save his owner, the father of the family, from being arrested. The boy, who is the protagonist of the story, goes looking for Sounder but cannot find him. However, he eventually finds a part of Sounder's ear, suggesting that he may have been injured rather than killed.
Two months after the father's arrest, the boy finds Sounder standing outside their home. The dog has lost one of his eyes and ears and can only use three legs, but the boy and his mother welcome him home and take care of him.
Despite his injuries, Sounder is able to anticipate his master's return and runs out to meet him when he comes home one day. Weeks later, the man and his dog go hunting for the first time since the man's return. However, Sounder comes back without his master, and the boy finds his father dead.
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Frequently asked questions
Sounder is a story about an African-American boy and his family, who are poor sharecroppers in the 19th-century American South. The boy, who dreams of returning to school and learning to read, goes hunting with his father and their dog, Sounder. One day, the father is arrested for stealing food, and Sounder is shot while trying to protect him. The boy faces challenges of racism and poverty, and his courage, endurance, and love for his family are tested. The story explores themes of love, loss, anger, and hope.
The boy goes in search of his father and is taken in by a teacher who teaches him to read. Eventually, the boy's father returns home, crippled from an accident. The father and Sounder, who has also returned, go hunting again. One day, Sounder comes back without his master, and the boy finds his father dead. Before returning to school, the boy tells his mother that Sounder will not be alive when he returns for the holidays. Sounder dies under the porch, but there is a sense of peace and resolution over the family, especially the boy, who has achieved his dream of learning to read.
Yes, a film adaptation of the same name was released in 1972. The movie was directed by Martin Ritt and produced by Robert B. Radnitz. It received positive reviews for its honest and powerful portrayal of a black family's struggles and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
