The definition of a warrior is someone who is brave and experienced as a soldier or fighter. A warrior is someone who battles with whatever situation they happen to be in. Traits that warriors have are determination, leaders, & be brave. I believe that Melba and the rest of little rock nine were warriors because no matter what happened through the day they never gave up and always fought back. They fought back without creating more problems. They stood up to the whites only to stand their ground and make them know that it’s not okay to treat people like they were nothing. I was beginning to resign myself to the fact that white people were definitely in charge, and there was nothing we could do about it. ” (pg 10), This explains that when they first transferred to a all white school they felt as if the whites weren’t going to see why the blacked decided to come here. “It felt as though we always had a white foot pressed against the back of our necks. I was feeling more and more vulnerable as I watched them continually struggle to solve the mystery of what white folks expected out of them. (pg 7), this quote explains that whatever they did the whites was always there to downgrade them and hurt them as much as they could. “But I have no choice if we’re gonna stay in Little Rock, I said. I couldn’t stop hoping that integrating Central High School was the first step to making Little Rock just like Cincinnati, Ohio. ” (pg 32), This quote means Mabela felt there wasn’t any hope in trying to see through being in school with colored involved.
“Did you think we were gonna let ******* use our toilets? We’ll burn you alive, girl, a voice shouted through the door. There won’t be enough of you left to worry about. (pg 119), This quotes states what young girl said to a black girl cause she tried to mind her own business and go to the bathroom. “By the time we arrived home from Cincinnati, my life was already upside down. I was living with one concern-preparing to take part in the integration of Central High School. ” (pg 24), This states that he knew what was to come but he was going to stand up for whatever he could that way the nine students could get a better education. “And yet lots of discussions in my household were about how to cross that line, when to cross that line, and who could cross that invisible line without getting hurt. (pg 7-8), This states that they were going to fight back to show the whites they couldn’t push the black around for forever. I think “Warriors Don’t Cry” was a great title for this book because it explains the battles that Mabela & the little rock nine had to go through. They had to be a leader, determined, & brave to enter Central High. They had to have all these traits to be able to withstand all the hatred at Central High. The theme or life lesson of this book would have to be not giving up on what you believe is right.
As far as the little rock nine goes, they withstood so much hatred. While for most teenagers, high school involves building social skills and a community, for Melba and the other black students it is primarily about self-reliance. Not only are they entering a school in which almost every person is hostile toward them but they are also slowly losing friends from their old lives because everyone is scared of what the outcome might be if they associate with Melba or anyone from the little rock nine, but no matter what Melba & the little rock nine didn’t give up .
