29. The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis

29. The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis

 


Curtis, C.P. (2012). The mighty Miss Malone. NY: Yearling 

This is the story of Deza Malone and her family.  They live in Gary, Indiana during the Great Depression. Deza and her brother have good things going for them: she is a scholar, and her brother Jimmy is a talented singer.  Like for most people living during the Great Depression, jobs are scarce. Their father leaves Gary supposedly to find work, but he is actually running from guilt.  There was a horrible accident on a fishing trip, and their father, Roscoe, ended up taking a man’s life. After he leaves Deza, Jimmy and their mother Peg, set out for Flint, Michigan where they think he may be. They ride the rails, live in a shanty town. Jimmy leaves them to find his own success as a singer.  So, the two of them move into Flint and end up renting a room in town after getting on their feet.  They live their lives waiting, hoping to hear from either Jimmy or Roscoe.  On a visit to the post office a letter is waiting for them.  It is supposedly from her father.  He sends money and best wishes and promises to write again.  Deza also runs into someone that knew where Jimmy was.  Deza leaves her mother a note an takes a bus to Detroit.  She sneaks into a nightclub and finds Jimmy singing there.  He is doing quite well for himself.  After a visit, she returns to their mother in Flint.  More letters come from father containing money and best wishes.  Eventually, a package comes. There are keys and a letter saying the keys are to a house in Gary, Indiana.  They were going home!  In the end, Peg finds Roscoe in a poorhouse and brings him home.  It was Jimmy that was writing to them sending money.  It was Jimmy that bought the house.

This book has well supported themes all through it.  The first is family relationships.  The Malones are a strong family unit.  Events happen during the story that greatly test this strength.  In the end, they continue to show strength in supporting each other.  Another theme is achievement.  Both Deza and Jimmy are talented in their own rights.  It takes their parents longer to appreciate Jimmy’s talent than Deza, but in the end it is Jimmy’s talent of singing that saves the family.  There is the theme of hope.  Deza is a symbol for hope.  She never gives up on her family.  Everyone else does.  Peg because she feels responsible for the family. Jimmy because he is afraid to contact them for fear of being judged after he begins his career.  Roscoe because he feels guilty for taking a man’s life and could not bear to be looked down upon by them.    

There are many other literary elements in the story to use in the classroom; theme as discussed previously, character development and plot are just a few.  Below is a link to a lesson plan.

 

https://www.novelstudies.org/downloads/The_Mighty_Miss_Malone_Novel_Study_Preview.pdf


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