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The Learning Tree
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The Learning Tree (1963) (edit title/settings)

by Gordon Parks (Author) (edit contributors)

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Description edit see section history

"A fine novel." THE BOSTON HERALD Photographer, writer, and composer, Gordon Parks has written a moving, true-to-life novel of growing up as a black man in this country in this century. Hailed by critics and readers alike, THE LEARNING TREE tells the extraordinary journey of a family as they... read more

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Characters/People edit see section history

  • Newton "Newt" Buchanan Winger: Main character. Is 12-15 years old throughout the book. A young black man that is very smart.
  • Big Mable: Rescues Newt from a tornado.
  • Andrew Jackson "Jack" Winger: Newt's father and bravest man he knows. Not very good at showing affection to his children or at helping them out with their lessons.
  • Pete Winger: New's 26 year old brother that fought in the World War, and was reported missing in during the Battle of Marne. Works odd jobs with Jack and is disconnected from the community but won't leave.
  • Sarah Winger: Newt's mother. She encourages Newt to learn.
  • Priscilla "Prissy" Winger: Newt's older sister.
  • Reverend Lucius Broadnap: Minister for the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Has a tendency to show up around meal times and eat more than his fair share.
  • Jess Hicks: District school superintendent
  • Rende: Newt's sister
  • Clint: Rende's drunken husband. He is a smooth blend of his 1/2 Black and 1/2 Cherokee heritage. He does love his family.
  • Doc Cheney: A friend of Clint's. He is not a doctor.
  • Butsy: Rende and Clint's first child.
  • Chappie Logan: Owns the local pool hall and makes his own whiskey.
  • Judge Jefferson "Jeff" Cavanaugh: Widower. Sarah has been his housekeeper for over 20 years.
  • Chauncey Cavanaugh: The Judge's oldest son. Age 16 at the beginning of the book has fallen far short of his dad's hopes.
  • Rodney Cavanaugh: Judge's second son who just turned 12 at the beginning of the book. He is into Science and friends with Newt.
  • Blanche Newhall: Hangs around with Chauncey.
  • Beansy Fuller: A short, fat, 12 year old, at the beginning of the book, that walks pigeon-toed. Newt's best friend.
  • Dr. Timothy Cravens: Trusted family doctor.
  • Maggie Pullens: Attends services at the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She is friends with Sarah.
  • Deacon Henry Fuller: Is part of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
  • Jappy Duncan: A lanky, light-skinned 13 year old, at the beginning of the book, that is friends with Newt. His name "Jappy" comes from his slanting eyes.
  • Skunk McDowell: A friend of Newt's. He is 13, at the beginning of the book, with dark brown skin. He is wiry and blusterous with a patch in his heair tht resembles the markings of a skunk.
  • Earl Thompson: A friend of Newt's. he is 13.5 year old, at the beginning of the book, with chestnut brown skin. He is stocky, slow-moving, sloe-eyed and sullen, and rarely speaks unless spoken to first.
  • Marcus Savage: 14 years old, at the beginning of the book, and is black and tough. He has been motherless since birth. His father drinks more than he makes. Survival smart. Fits in a small world that respects his strength and demands little of his brain.
  • Booker Savage: Marcus' dad that is an alcoholic.
  • Jacob "Jake" Elijah Kiner: Has an orchard that the boys like to raid. The Wingers do odd jobs for him.
  • Officer Jason Kirky: law enforcement officer
  • Captain Tuck: A beefy, fortyish, razor-scarred, dark bully who scouted, for pay, beneath the grandstands for indelicate views of lady fans with wide skirts and no underpants.
  • Silas Newhall: A friend of Clint's. He is white and has two children Blanche and Waldo. Often considered "poor white trash"
  • Chris Mottsy: Runs Mottsy's Funeral Parlor
  • Orville Mottsy: Runs Mottsy's Funeral Parlor
  • Rob: Newt's blind uncle that sells brooms.
  • Waldo Newhall: He is a white friend a Newt's and son of Silas.
  • Arcella Jackson: Just moved from Chanute. She is a pretty girl that is in Newt's class at school, and quickly becomes his girlfriend.
  • Charlie Crapper: A white guard at Spit's. Marcus cannot stand him.
  • Gin-gin: Rende and Clint's second child.
  • Professor Ebon Jones: A teacher at the black junior high school. He is afraid to fight for equal rights.
  • Myrtle Beasley: A member of the Negro Parent-Teacher Association of Cherokee Flats.
  • Marshall Goodlander: Mayor of Cherokee Flats
  • Gordon Blair: Village Treasurer
  • Tilley Reeves: President fo the white parent-teacher association
  • Bart Phillips: Fire chief
  • Lucke Goodlander: The mayor's son.
  • Mary Kiner: Jake's wife.
  • Polly Bates: Newt's cousin though his mother. She looks white. She almost has blonde hair with greenish-blue eyes. She would rather be black than white.
  • Bert Sampson: Owner of Sampson's Drug Store.
  • Callie Johnson: A negro substitute teacher
  • Fred Simmons: A negro substitute teacher
  • Kate: Waldo's girlfriend
  • Zack Spears: Sophomore that is in Newt's French class. He and several others purposly fail French.
  • Professor Radeaker: Science teacher. Newt's favorite teacher.
  • Miss Purville: French teacher
  • Carson Bigelow: Junior. In Newt's French class.
  • Miss McClinock: Newt's guidance counselor. She teaches English and American History.
  • Mr. Faulkner: substitute teacher
  • Mr. Hall: Principal. Very much for equal rights.
  • Coach Dennison: Would like to see equal rights.
  • Mrs. Jefferson: Arcella's mother
  • Bob Jefferson: Arcella's father
  • Curtney Bates: Polly's mother and Sarah's sister. She died when Polly was 10.
  • Jonas Bates: Polly's father. He is off-spring of a negro servant and a white Georgia plantation owner.
  • Spikey: roustabout with the circus
  • Delbert Mottsy: Gets in a fight with Newt over Polly.
  • Doug Simpson: considered a deputy
  • Bats Oliver: A bootlegger from Kansas City, Missouri
  • Stewart McCormack: Prosecuting attorney from Fort Miles. He is flamboyant and portly.
  • Harley Davis: The red-haired defense attorney from Cherryvale.
  • Dilly Case: Shaggy-haired, unshaven man that is a witness to threats.
  • Betty Link: A blonde woman recently moved to Cherokee Flats. She heard threats made and is a witness in court.
  • Martha Thompson: Earl's mother
  • Fred Thompson: Earl's father
  • Clara: Newt's sister
  • Lou: Newt's sister
  • Roy: Newt's brother. Lives in Chicago.
  • Bull Terry: Considered a deputy
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Quotes edit see section history

  • “It's like I say, we got to do some things for ourself. If you got a battle to fight, you cain't rightfully ask the Lord to help you and not the other fella. Now can you?”
    Sarah Winger
  • “Well, if you learn to profit from the good and bad these people do to each other, you'll learn a lot 'bout life. And you'll be a better man for that learnin' someday. Understand?”
    Sarah Winger
  • “But it's even more than sayin' you're a Christian. It's a matter of givin' more to this world that you take away from it. So when you die you don't owe it anything. It's being' able to love when you want 'a hate - to forgive them that work against you - to tell the truth even when it hurts - to share your bread, no matter how hungry you are yourself. Dyin' comes easy when you know you've done all these things right.”
    Sarah Winger
  • “Honestly, I don't know. Maybe there ain't no hell either. Maybe there ain't no gold thrones in the clouds and maybe there ain't no pits of fire tended by a devil with a pitchfork tail. I honestly thing God made us and expects us to do some good while we're here on earth. I cain't even say that God's his real name, but it's good as any. It means "Almighty."”
    Sarah Winger
  • “All my life I've been told there is a better place beyond this one, Newt. And I guess I'll go to my grave believin' it. Such believin' has kept our family goin' when there wasn't much else to go on. These are the things I was taught. It's awful hard now, this late, not to believe them.”
    Sarah Winger
  • “Maybe the teacher think thy're tellin' what's best. Maybe they don't understand that a youngster like you has got somethin' selse in him that's tryin' to come out. Maybe they don't know you've got your mind set on bigger things. You've to go believe in yourslef, Newt - don't let the teacher or anybody else hold you back. Learn all you can, so when bigger thigns come you'll be ready for them.”
    Uncle Rob
  • “A white man don't take his religion out of church. He locks it up there for safekeepin', so it's fresh and clean on Sunday mornin' when he comes to wash his week's sunnin' away.”
    Jack Winger

Setting & Locations edit see section history

The Learning Tree takes place in Cherokee Flats, a rural Kansas community, in 1925 - 1926.
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Organizations edit see section history

First Sentence edit see section history

NEWT WINGER lay belly-flat at the edge of the cornfield, his brown chin close to the ground, his eyes glued to a hill of busy ants.

Table of Contents edit see section history

Chapters 1 -18

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Gordon Parks (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Fawcett
Country: Add the country of publication.
Publication Date: 1963
ISBN: 0449215040
Page Count: 240

Classification edit see section history

Books That Cite This Book edit see section history

   
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