Dobys Gone Ann Petry

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Dobys GoneAnn Petry

• Courtney Berry
• Sean Ciminera

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Summary

• At the age of two the main character, Sue,
  develops a close relationship with an imaginary
  character named Doby, who followers her
  everywhere.
• As Sues first day of school approaches Sues
  mother, Mrs. Johnson, had hoped Doby would have
  disappeared by now.
• Mrs. Johnson walked Sue, and Doby, to school. Sue
  didnt want her mother to come but was glad that
  she had.
• As they walked up the path to the school Sue
  remembered the first time she had asked her
  mother about the gravel that made the path. She
  decided that she and Doby would later play in the
  gravel.
• Once inside the school Sue is instructed to sit
  on a bench and wait while her mother and her
  teacher, Miss Whittier talk.
• After their talk Miss Whittier tells Sue she can
  go outside and play.
• Sue walks up to a group of children playing in
  the gravel and ask can she join in.
• One freckle face frowns at her and continues
  playing and another girl in a blue dress shouts
  that Sues legs are black.

• Sue thinks to herself of course they are and
  there are other children just like her because
  her mother said so.
• The bell rings and sue goes into the classroom in
  tears. She whispers to Doby no to worry because
  she wont let them hurt him.
• Sue didnt go out for recess, instead she stayed
  in and helped Miss Whittier draw on the
  chalkboard.
• Sue put out a piece of chalk for Doby, Miss
  Whittier noticed but didnt say anything.
• During lunch break the children followed Sue
  halfway home. Sue and Doby ran hand-in-hand as
  fast as they could.
• After lunch she returned to school and went
  straight to class not stopping to play.
• After school she nervously walked down the gravel
  path. Again the children chased her.
• The chasing and chanting continued for two days.
• When she return home her mother asks her what
  makes her run home so fast. Sue replies that Doby
  doesnt like the other children but he loves Miss
  Whittier.

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Summary (cont.)

• The next day the children waited for her at the
  end of the gravel path. Sue walked right into the
  middle of the circle they had formed without
  noticing.
• The children began to chant her legs are black
  and closed in around her.
• One child pulled her hair and another pushed her.
• Outraged, Sue began to lash out at the children.
  She kicked, slapped, and pulled hair.
• Sue picked up gravel and threw it in their eyes.
• While fighting Sue had noticed that Doby was
  gone.
• It was the first time that he had ever left her
  and she knew that he would never return.
• The circle around her began to clear and the
  children took off running down the street.

• Standing alone, Sue felt a sense of loss and
  began to call for Doby.
• She noticed a girl, Daisy Bell, leaning against a
  tree. Daisy insisted that they walk home
  together.
• Another red haired child, Jimmie, joined along
  beside Sue.
• Both children accompanied Sue to her home.
• Mrs. Johnson asked what happened because her
  clothes were tattered and her hair undone.
• After consideration she remembered that Doby was
  gone.

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Major Characters

• Sue Johnson- six years old, going to the first
  grade,
• Doby- Sue's imaginary friend, her first and only
  "friend, the same age as her
• Mrs. Johnson- Sue's mother who is not fond of
  Doby
• Miss Whittier- Sue's first grade teacher, Sue
  adores her a lot
• Daisy Bell- mean to sue at first then later
  became friends with her
• Jimmie Piebald- a red haired freckle faced boy
  who is rude to Sue at first and later becomes her
  friend after she fights off the other children

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1. What is the significance of the title?

• The title signifies Dobys absence at the after
  Sues quarrel with the other children in the story

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2. How is the story told? Who is the Narrator?
What perspective is used? What is the tone of the
language? Is the Narrator reliable?

• The story is told in third person limited
• The narrator is an unknown source
• The tone was mostly that of concern
• The narrator is reliable

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3. Look Closely at the opening and ending. On
what does the author and Narrator focus?

• In the beginning of the story the author Focuses
  on Sues imaginary friend, how he came along, and
  what her family thinks of him.
• The end of the story shift to her struggles at
  school and then to loss of her imaginary friend.

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4. How does the character transform in the story?

• The character transforms from a little girl who
  does not understand the world she lives in to a
  young girl with better understanding and an open
  mind.

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5. What is the major theme of the story? Are
there any minor themes?

• Coming of age
• Imaginary friend
• Not being social with other children
• Introduction to a new social setting
• Transition from a young, innocent mind to an
  aware and open mind

• Introduced to racism
• Sue has never interacted with children of a
  different race or her race
• Sue is surrounded by the children chanting her
  legs are black. Sue thinks to herself Of course
  they are. Just like these children were white
  some other children are dark like her. Her mother
  said so.
• The children have never seen someone of a
  different race

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6. Are there any allusions that could add meaning
to your interpretation of the story?

• No references to other literary works

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7. What are the symbols or other figurative
elements in the story?

• Black legs
• Racial Differences
• Doby
• Childhood adolescence
• Loneliness
• Safety net
• Innocence
• Mrs. Johnson, Sues mother, allows Sue to
  discover that Doby is not real on her own because
  she identifies Doby as her innocence and wants
  her to progress on her own.

• Ribbons
• Dependence
• Tie things together
• The ribbons hold the connection between Sue and
  Doby
• When Sue loses her ribbons during the fight she
  also loses Doby
• Gravel
• Comfort
• Sue is intrigued by the gravel, its color, and
  texture
• Children
• Harshness of the world

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8. What seems to be the authors primary purpose
in writing this short story?

• The authors main purpose it to show the readers
  that the transition from being a little kid to
  a big kid is not always the easiest when a
  child little social exposure.

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9. What is your reaction to this story? How does
your reaction influence your reading?

• When the story first revealed that Sue and her
  family are black I was surprised because there is
  no indication that they had any other struggles
  with racism so I assumed they were white.
  Afterwards I assumed that the family lived close
  to the time of segregation or in a small town
  populated by mostly white people.