Question

Page 1

Meanwhile, Wash had arrived at Kelly Ingram Park to watch. “[W]e saw those people willingly turn themselves over to the police . . . ,” he said. His reaction: “Wow, they must be crazy.” Experience had taught Wash that “the police was vicious murderers.” He knew how much pain they could inflict on young black bodies – as Arnetta discovered the next day.

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Arnetta didn’t go to the mass meeting that night. She was disappointed she hadn’t been arrested. Somehow, she had gotten separated from the rest of the Peace Ponies, many of whom did get arrested and jailed. Instead, she went home and talked with her parents about the excitement of marching. They repeated their advice: “You’ve done your part. You need to leave this alone.”


—We’ve Got a Job,

Cynthia Levinson


Write five to six sentences that describe how Arnetta and Wash experienced the same event in different ways.

Answer 1

Arnetta felt disappointment for missing out on an arrest as a form of protest, while Wash viewed the willingness of people to submit to the police as crazy, due to his fear of police brutality. Their distinct experiences and backgrounds influenced their perceptions of the civil rights movement's events.

Step-by-step explanation:

Arnetta and Wash experienced the events of the civil rights movement differently due to their distinct personal perceptions and encounters. While Wash arrived at Kelly Ingram Park seemingly in awe and disbelief of the people turning themselves over to the police, remarking, "Wow, they must be crazy", he also harbored fear based on his understanding that "the police was vicious murderers." This knowledge of potential violence towards young black bodies led him to perceive the situation as alarming. On the other hand, Arnetta displayed a sense of disappointment for not having been arrested during the protests. Even though her parents advised her to step back, Arnetta's emotions were tied to the excitement of the march and the missed opportunity to be a more active participant in the struggle for civil rights. These narratives exemplify how the same event can incite different reactions based on an individual's past experiences and personal convictions regarding race, justice, and activism.