IV. Topics for discussion.

1. The title of Chapter 11 is “Confessions”. Who do you think has confessions to

make, and what are they?

2. What does Sam ask his brother Donnie to do? How does this request make

Donnie feel and why?

3. What unfinished business did Adam have in Lee’s house? Why couldn’t he

forget the matter? Why was it time to finally take a look?

4. Did Adam justify Sam? Where did Sam go wrong?

5. What is the work of chaplain?

6. Why did Adam lie speaking about Lee?

Activities

1). Use the correct tense form:

1. Donnie ….(to try) to visit Sam at least once a year, but he …(to be ashamed)

to admit that the last visit …(to be) two years ago.

2. All the four Cayhall brothers …(to follow) the teachings of their father and …

(to join) the Klan in their teenage years. Later Donnie …(to travel) the world,

and he …(to lose) interest in the Klan.

3. Sam …(to pull) at the waist of his red jumpsuit. “There’re called reds, and I …

(to wear) them every day for almost ten years. This is what the State of

Mississippi …(to expect) me to wear when it …(to kill) me.”

4. Adam …(to be) alone at Lee’s place. Lee still …(to miss). Adam …(to call)

at Auburn House, but no one there …(to see) her for several days. He …(to

speak) to Lee’s husband, Phelps, who …(not to know) where she …(to be).

5. “I guess you and I …(to do) lots of praying on Tuesday night. I’d like to know

that when I …(to leave) this world, all the bad things I…(to do) …(to be

forgiven).

6. “There …(to be) Joe Lincoln, but I already …(to write) a letter to his family and

… (to tell) them I …(to be sorry)”.

7. “Tell me you …(to bring) some good news,” …(to say) Sam. Adam …(to shake)

his head and …(to sit ) down. “No. Nothing …(to change). The courts …

(not to work) this weekend.”

8. “What …(to happen) to Lee? Can she come?” “It may be difficult. She …(not

to be) at home at the moment. She …(to go) to a place where they can help her

with her drinking. She …(to tell) me she …(to have ) a problem for many

years.”

2). Use Direct Speech.

1. Donnie reported to the security guard.

2. Sam complained that the courts were turning everything down. They were going

to kill Sam.

3. Sam showed Donnie his red jumpsuit and explained that he had the right to wear

anything he wanted. Sam asked Donnie to bring him a pair of work pants – the

ones he had worn for years, and a white shirt of some sort, with buttons.

4. The chaplain asked Sam if he had been praying. Sam wondered what the hurry

was. He guessed he would be doing lots of praying on the day of execution.

5. The chaplain expected Sam to confess his sins to God and to ask for forgiveness.

He was sure that the God would forgive Sam.

3). Fill in the gaps with prepositions.

to to around by down in against before to of of from on at under to of out inside for with with between in without in in in in of without of of of with for about in for in at to at about of of

1. Donnie was searched, and shown …the front office, just … the entrance …the

Row.

2. Donnie put his arms … his brother tightly … a long time, and when he let go

both men had tears … their eyes. They were … similar height and build, though

Sam looked twenty years older.

3. Sunday was a day … unexpected peace and quiet … Adam. There wasn’t a lot

to do this day, Day Three … the execution.

4. There was unfinished business … Lee’s bedroom. … days now Adam had

thought … the book … her drawer, the book … a photo … a young black man

hanging … a rope, and somewhere … his feet a crowd … proud white people.

5. Adam went … the front door and looked … … the parking lot, just to make

sure Lee hadn’t decided to return. He actually locked the door … her bedroom,

and pulled open the drawers.

6. Adam sucked … his breath … horror, then turned … the second picture. This

was not quite so horrible. A lifeless body … end … a rope could be seen only …

the chest … .

7. Adam counted seventeen people … the group – men, women, and boys. Every

single one was staring … the camera … shame or worry, … the slightest hint that

a wrong had been committed.

8. Sam was … the front row, resting … one knee … two other young man. He was

fifteen or sixteen. Adam studied the clear, beautiful eyes … his grandfather, and

his heart ached.

9. Sam’s shoulders sank … the wall. He closed his eyes. “The second one was a

crowd … us. I was … fifteen, I guess, and I was right … the middle … it.”

10. The front office was filled … blue smoke when Adam entered. Sam was alone

again, smoking … the desk and reading … himself … the Sunday paper.