The family in Sounder is running out of the most basic resources: food and money are scarce. They eat corn mush for supper; there is no meat to eat. One morning, though, the boy wakes up to the smell of ham and sausages. The father, miraculously, has brought home food for his family. We later find out that the father has stolen the food, and is later arrested and taken to jail. Sounder, the family dog, is shot by the racist sheriff’s deputy, and is missing.
Here is the question: Do you agree with the father’s decision? In a paragraph or two, explain why you agree or disagree with the father’s decision to steal the food.
Think about: Did he have other options? What does the future hold for the family now that the father is in jail? Will they survive? Will things return to normal once the father gets released from jail? Will he be released soon? After all, he only stole some food.
Don’t forget to use your best writing: explain your reasons, use examples, set the context for your writing, don’t use pronouns that haven’t been named.
November 6, 2012 at 1:16 am
I believe that the father has made a terrable desision because sounder is missing, the man is in jail, and the boy has to do all of the work the man has use to do.(If I was him I wouldn’t steal ham for nothing, and I would think twice about stealing it before I go to jail!)
November 7, 2012 at 5:04 pm
I do not agree with the father’s decision of stealing really good food because it is very bad. There would have been other things to do instead of steal, since he stole food, he had a consequence, he got arrested and went to jail. An option he could of had was stick with the food he already has, it is better than going to jail and suffering for a long time.
Now that the father is in jail, I think Sounder’s family still can survive. I think that because the little boy is speaking like his father, wearing his father’s clothes, and is acting like a man in place for his father. But, if his father comes back after a while, things will get back to normal. It will just change a little bit because of the fact that the boy might help his father a lot for working while he was gone.
November 7, 2012 at 11:11 pm
I agree with the father’s decision. I agree because if that was my family I would almost do anything for them to eat. Also there are no animals to kill and bring home to eat. He didn’t have a option (DING!) to get a job. They will survive (DING!) if they have the boy become the burly (DING!) man. Everything maybe will turn back to normal. He only stole a ham. It will be different if he killed a man or robbed a bank.
November 28, 2012 at 7:31 pm
Nice job with using the vocabulary, Jalevien. You don’t have to “Ding!” when you write, but I think using the vocabulary is very important part of our writing. Instead of “dinging” for us, we’ll “Ding!” in our heads as we read your writing. Good job. Would you say that the animals for the family to eat were scarce (DING!)?
November 7, 2012 at 11:15 pm
I agree with the father for stealing ham for three reasons. One, for helping and making the father’s family survive. Another, the father helping the family eat better food because the corn mush is all they get for dinner every day. The final reason why I agree the father should have to have stole the ham is because he and his family should have filled there appetites with good food. Besides if you don’t eat for 5 days then you might die. So, he and his family should have got the ham. I am on the father’s side.
November 7, 2012 at 11:24 pm
If I were the father, I would do almost anything for my family. I would have stole the ham because I will be willing to go to jail for my family’s hunger. I think I would not stay long because I stole food. I did not kill someone. But I would stay long if I have to.
November 7, 2012 at 11:26 pm
I agree with the father’s decision of stealing the food of the neighbor which were ham and sausages, because of three reasons. First, reason is that the family of Sounder is really poor and could barely pay for food. The second reason is if I were the dad I would also steal the food, because my family could die without food and starve. Last is that Sounder’s family has a strict neighbor and he wasn’t there, so I will take the food. After all he only stole food. Wouldn’t you do the same thing for your family?
November 7, 2012 at 11:45 pm
In the novel, “Sounder,” the dad STEALS one piece of ham. I disagree with the father. He should NOT have stolen the food for many reasons. First of all, stealing is bad. It gets you many consequences. For example, going to prison is a bad consequence. Additionally, stealing gives you a bad reputation or a bad “image” of you. Also, why would you steal one piece of ham? It’s not like eating ham is ten times better than eating corn mush for dinner. Third, think about your career, or future, would you want to remember you stole one piece of ham and went to jail for that. If a boss looked at your application, (to get a job,”) and they asked you, “Have you ever stolen something? And you say, “Yes,” that would be a sign they would not hire you. Although the dad only stole one piece of ham, he shouldn’t have.
November 8, 2012 at 12:51 am
I don’t agree with the father’s decision because he has been taken to jail and let his family down and his dog, Sounder, got shot in the ear and is suffering and his son has to do the work, but is not ready to take charge.
November 8, 2012 at 1:02 am
I do not agree with the decision the boy’s father to steal the ham.That is because if I were in the father’s place, and I had a poor family then I wouldn’t want to go to jail , because they need me.In the novel,Sounder,the father and the boy do hunting.So , their family can eat and not die.
I also disagree because stealing is againist the law.I am one who follows the law.In the novel, Sounder, the father isn’t thinking about the law, but his family is what he’s thinking about. I would think about my family too, but what will happen if I did steal the ham? I would probaly go to jail, the family will be more poor and the boy would have to take my roll.
November 9, 2012 at 12:58 am
I believe that the decision the father has made was a terrible idea. Once the father has stolen the ham, everything turned bad. First the mother was humming (which meant that something bad is going to happen) to herself when she was cooking the ham the man had stolen. Next racist police had called the family a name (which I would not write) you would say if you were racist, and took the father to jail, before they left they shot Sounder’s ear off! Then the boy had to be the man until he came back. The boy also took Sounder’s bloody ear and put it under his pillow and wish Sounder won’t die under the cabin. The next morning the boy look under the porch to look for sounder… but he was not there (he is MISSING!) which is shocking. What will the family do now?
November 10, 2012 at 5:31 am
Would you agree with the father’s decision? I would never ever even considering with the father’s decision and this is why. Here are the three ways I would not. First of all, he did not have to do it (take the ham), because he could have everybody in his family to eat a little bit every day until there was a day that they can hunt for raccoons and other animals. Another reason is that if I were the father I would not have stolen the ham, because Sounder, the dog (not the book), would not have been shot and missing. Finally, the boy would not have to take the father’s role has a hunter and probably go to school. So this is why believe the father should have stolen the ham.
November 14, 2012 at 11:12 pm
In the story, ‘’Sounder’’ the man gets arrested for stealing food. If I was the man I wouldn’t steal the food because the family still had food on the table. The food was corn mush and walnuts. The man had two options, steal food and not get arrested or live eating corn mush and walnuts. The family’s future will change because the boy or the woman will have to do the man’s work. I know the dad won’t go stay in prison really long because he only stole food.
November 16, 2012 at 3:35 am
Nice job on your blog post.
December 11, 2012 at 1:15 am
Sounder’s family is very needy and are not at all wealthy. They have only corn mash to feast on and the only meat they have eaten was from possum. But when Sounder’s master steals ham, their family has a satisfying meal. The next day, the master gets taken away and Sounder gets shot in the ear. I thought that when the master stole ham it was a bad decision because the family is hardworking, still had food, Sounder would still be okay, and the father wouldn’t have gotten arrested.