Christy Sander
Arcadia Middle School
English Grade 7
Accomack, Virginia

The Cay & Hatchet

Journal Entries—The Cay

 Dear Diary,

          Our ship, the Hato, was torpedoed by a German sub and my mom and I got separated. Right now I’m on a lifeboat with a man named Timothy. He seems like a nice man. I will write you back in a couple of days.

          Phillip (Brandon)

  Dear Diary,

          This morning I fell into the water and almost was attacked by a shark. We’re close to an island now and should be arriving soon.

          Phillip (Eleni)

 Dear Mom and Dad,

          We reached an island. Timothy made camp (a little hut) and Stew Cat is still with us. We hope to see an aircraft or even a navy boat. We made a sign out of rocks on the beach that said, “HELP.” I had to explain to Timothy how to spell it. That’s all for now because I have to go make sleeping mats. I still can’t see—my sight is still gone.

          Love, Phillip (Brooke)

  Dear Journal,

          Today was the worst day. Timothy said, “Pick up that large leaf!” and I refused. I called him ugly and said he couldn’t spell. He smacked me and told me not to disrespect my elder.

          Philllip (Richard)

   Dear Mom and Dad,

          Today Timothy told me to start working. I told him that I’m blind and can’t. He said weaving mats is easy, over and under he says. I couldn’t do it and I said he was a stupid black man who couldn’t read so he slapped me. I think it helped us.

          Phillip (Tyler)

  Dear Journal,

          Timothy hit me today. It was because I was rude, I guess. I called him an ugly black man that was stupid and couldn’t spell. I refused to work. But later I asked him if he wanted to be friends and he said that we were. We’ll, I’m tired.

          Phillip (Tiffany)

  Dear Diary,

          This morning when I woke up Timothy had a bad fever. I tried to help him, but later in the day he became hysterical and ran in the water. Then he passed out in the water. I’m starting to worry about Timothy each day.

          Phillip (Brandon)

  Dear Mom and Dad,

          Timothy has malaria. He ran down to the beach and into the water like a rather crazy person. I had to rescue him from the water. I fell over him because I still don’t have my sight back. I sheltered him from the sun and let him sleep all day making sure to give him water and put cold rags on his head. (I remembered what you did to me when I had a fever, Mom). He is fine now and doesn’t remember running down to the water. Odd, huh?

          Love, Phillip (Brooke)

  Dear Journal,

          Today we were almost found. It was an aircraft. I got really excited because I knew they were looking for me. Timothy tried making a fire torch so they could see the smoke and save us but I guess he was too slow and sadly the man in the plane left.

          Phillip (Tiffany)


Make a prediction about what might happen next…

I think that Timothy will die. The author kind of says it in a hidden way. Timothy is teaching Phillip how to survive on his own. If he was going to live, I don’t think the author would base a lot of his story on that. Timothy is 70 years old too.

—Tiffany


My favorite part....

My favorite part is when Timothy and Phillip get stuck on the second island because they build shelter and they find food. They keep each other company so neither of them is ever lonely. Exciting things happen everyday. And they have food and shelter so it’s not like they’re starving or anything.

—Heather


Write a letter to the author

Dear Theodore Taylor,

           Hi, I’m reading your book The Cay. It’s good so far. I’d like to know what inspired you to write it? Your name doesn’t sound Jamaican but if you are, oops! If you aren’t, did you have to ask people how to speak that way or did you already know? Has this type of thing happened to you before? Um...are any of your characters based on you or someone else you know? Well, I will read on with the story.

Sincerely,
Tiffany

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