1. Nightjohn, by Gary Paulsen
Published in 1993.

2. CHARACTERS Important questions:
How does the ‘master’ keep control of his slaves? What is the most important factor in his control?
How do the slaves fight against that control? What is their most important weapon against his control?
CHARACTERS
Mammy Clel Waller
Delie Owner of slaves
Not Sarny’s birthmom Controls with whips, dogs, gun
Slave Not respected/loved by slaves
Nightjohn Sarny
Is going to arrive? Narrator– girl/slave
Slave? Quiet, always listening, thoughtful

3. Chapter 3 Questions
What does Sarny mean when she says Waller “brought him in bad”? Describe
What is a day of a field worker like? (she used the eating schedule)
Describe Sarny’s first interaction with John

4. Chapter 4 Questions
Alice, Jim, and Pawley were three slaves who were treated with extraordinary cruelty when they broke their master’s rules. Describe your reactions to three specific events in this chapter.
2. How does Mammy react when she catches Nightjohn teaching Sarny? Why? How does Mammy’s attitude change after Nightjohn explains his reason for teaching Sarny?
3. Why did Nightjohn give up his freedom and came back down South?

5. Ch. 5 Discussion
Discuss the events of the chapter and what you thought.
What is Mammy’s response when asked who taught Sarny to read? Does this surprise you? What does this action tell you about Mammy? About how slaves fought against their owners?
What similarities do you see between how John and Mammy reacted to their punishments? How does this show them fighting against their owner?
The master does some pretty terrible things– but does he break Mammy or John? Who ‘wins’ this interaction?