Problem – bud wants to live with his father but he doesn’t know who or where he is struggle- bud must get from flint to grand rapids and confront the man who he believes to be his father. realization – bud finds HEC but soon discovers that he is not his father but his grandfather achievement of peace – bud is accepted as part of the band and part of his grandfather’s life. the author permits bud freedom of actions by having him run away from the foster home and find his way to grand rapids on his own. in the story the amos’ are very mean to bud.
This is a necessary part of the plot because it is the catalyst that finally gets bud to go out and look for his father. Children may be uncomfortable with the subject of abuse in the foster care system especially if they have been subject to such abuse. To deal with this issue I would ask students what they think about what happened to bud and how they feel about it. I would make sure that there is professional help for any student who may need additional counseling to work through difficult situations they may be facing similar to Bud’s the main theme of this book is that when one door is closed another is opened.
Another underlying theme of this book is the impact of segregation during the depression. There are several comments and/or situations throughout the book that show how segregation made it even harder for blacks in the depression. Bud, Not Buddy by CP Curtis, is the story of a young orphan boy who sets out to find his father during the depression. The story begins as Bud is sent to yet another foster home, where he is once again abused by his caretakers. This leads him to the ultimate decision to take the journey from Flint to Grand Rapids by foot to finally look for who he believes is his father.
He finds help from Lefty Lewis – a stranger he meets one the way. . Once he gets to Grand Rapids Bud tries to convince Herman Calloway that he is Buds Father. Mr. Calloway refuses to believe Bud until he discovers his collection of rocks. When Mr. Calloway realizes that Bud is the son of his long lost daughter who has now passed away, he is overcome with grief. The story ends as Mr. Calloway finally accepts Bud as part of his family. In the beginning of this story Bud deals with neglect from the foster care system and abuse from his foster parents.
Such a topic may make children who have been faced with similar situations uncomfortable. If this book is read in a classroom setting, the teacher needs to be aware of this and insure that she deals with the subject sensitively. She should also be sure that there professional help available if the need arises. This story has two important themes for children. The first is the theme of hope in the face of obstacles. At the beginning of the story Bud’s mother tells him that “when one door closes, another opens”.
At first he doesn’t understand what this means, but by the end of the story he finally understands. The main character’s lighthearted attitude in spite of his hardships make him endearing to readers and allows the author to explore this theme without becoming didactic. Another important theme how segregation during the depression affected African Americans. The author develops this theme through the setting as well as through interactions that characters have with each other. For example, when Bud is found by Mr.
Louis on the side of the road he tells him about a sign he had seen saying, “TO OUR NEGRO FRIENDS WHO ARE PASSING THROUGH, KINDLY DON’T LET THE SUN SET ON YOUR REAR END IN OSSOWA”. At another point in the story we find out that Mr. Calloway is not allowed to have property in his name because of his race. He is instead forced to put his property in a friend’s name. The addition of these and other details make this work a valuable piece of literature for students to analyze when studying the depression. Yet the author is careful not to let this theme overshadow Bud and his own conflict.
