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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