A Cuttlefish

A Bellows Camera, Like The One Mr. Hofacket Used

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Chapter Four

Reread the last full paragraph on page 50.  Using context, and any background knowledge you may have about what life might have been like in Texas in 1899, think about the usage of the word "passed."  What do you think it means in this paragraph?

7 comments:

  1. I think that the word passed in this paraghraph means to go into the town illegally like the woman went to jail for 10 months.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Using context I think that the word passed means entering or leaving a territory illegally. Facing the consequences of getting beaten or going to jail.

    ReplyDelete
  3. By using clues from the text i have come up with two assumtions, I think 'to pass' means to pass over the boarder or to be able to pass as a white citizen because of the tone of her skin

    ReplyDelete
  4. I agree with both of you Colden and Tyler. But I have a question, if to pass means to pretend to be a white person because of the tone of your skin, can you only get beaten or sent to jail if you are a black person? Would that be a type of racism?

    ReplyDelete
  5. You are right on, Tyler -- it means to pass as a white person (because your skin was not very dark) even though you had black parent(s) and/or grandparent(s).

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think that passed means to go into or leave a town illegally and without permission and there is multiple consequences.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have the same question as Shaina in the fact that to pass as a white person is illegal and if you do this you can get pitchforked to death. I see this as very racial.

    ReplyDelete