The Friday everything changed
- The boys are upset over the idea of the girls carrying the water bucket because its a societal norm, and a way to show that they are “dominant” they also get some benefits, including getting off of school for 30 minutes and being able to do something “real”
- The boys used bullying and exclusion to try to get the girls to give in, the girls were affected negatively, but they don’t give up their cause. They didn’t react that much from it though, because they were aware that they had some power and were patient
- The story is told from a girls perspective, but it isn’t specified who, she is Alma Niles seat mate and is most likely in the same grade as her. She thinks that their teacher, Ms.Ralston doesn’t care about the conflict.
- The setting is in the early 1940s, in a rural one-room school house. It speaks of television being made a few years back, and it is rural because they had to walk to get water. it intensifies the setting because at this point and time women had even fewer rights, making this stand up even more influential, it is a person vs person story but in the larger picture, it is person vs society. It is also intensified because the water bucket is very important because there is no running water in the school.
- The protagonist is Alma Niles, she was the one who initiated the change in the story
- Everything changed that Friday because the girls got to switch roles for once. The significance of Ms.Ralston’s action is her showing are just as capable as the boys, and that the discussion is over. The message of this story is equality.
- Galvanized: Steel that has been coated in zinc for resistance to rust
- Remotest: the slightest chance of occurrence
- Intoxicated: Mentally or emotionally exhilarated
- Ominous: Threatening, a bad omen
- Supplementary: to fulfill what is lacking
- Forlornly: desolate or dreary, unhappy
- Earnestly: serious in intention
- Gloating: to dwell on ones own success
- Transfixed: rendered motionless
Pirouetting’s: the unique movement that mimics a dancer