Story Cue Card
Bibliographical
Information: Pink
and Say, Polacco, Patricia. Philomel Books, N.Y., N.Y. 1994.
Ethnic Origin: United States
Running Time: Approximately 15 Minutes
Power Centers: I chose the following power centers
to reflect the wave of emotions felt throughout the story:
Compassion and courage of Pinkus Aylee as he risks his life
as a black union soldier to rescue Sheldon Curtis who has been left to die on a
bloody battlefield;
The love and devotion of
Moe Moe Bay as she nurses and protects Pinkus and Sheldon.;
The fear and grief as the
Marauders raid Moe Moe Bay’s home and kill Moe Moe
Bay as she tries to
protect her boys;
The courage and pride of
Pink and Say attempting to return to their units;
The fear and grief as Pink
and Say are captured and then separated.
Characters: Sheldon Russell Curtis (Say)
Pinkus Aylee
(Pink)
Moe Moe
Bay
Scenes: Battlefield; Pinkus
discovers Sheldon.
Moe Moe
Bay’s/Pinkus’ home; nursing Say back to health;
preparing to return to war; Moe Moe Bay’s death.
Pink and Say attempt to
return to their units; they are captured by the Confederate Army.
Andersonville prison camp;
Pink and Say are separated.
Synopsis: Sheldon Curtis, a young white
soldier, is wounded and left to die on a civil war battlefield when Pinkus Aylee, a young black
soldier, rescues him. Sheldon (Say) is nursed back to health by Pinkus’ mother, Moe Moe Bay.
Fearing that they are putting Moe Moe Bay in great
danger, Pink and Say prepare to return to the war. Marauders raid Moe Moe Bay’s home and Moe Moe Bay
dies in her attempt to protect Pink and Say. Pink and Say are captured by the
Confederate Army as they try to find their units. They are taken to
Andersonville prison camp and separated.
Story Cue Card #3:
Adult
Patricia Roberts
Rhymes/Special Phrases/
"Flavor": Their are no rhymes or particular special
phrases in Pink and Say, however, there is a rolling rhythm of emotions;
it moves back and forth from fear to love to sadness and grief. The dialect is
that of poor, rural upbringing with little or no formal education. The values
of love and respect of other people are reiterated throughout the story.
Audience: Adolescent to Adult
Pink and Say addresses many issues that
comprise characteristics of developmental growth from adolescent to old age. An
adolescent would identify with Erikson’s idea that there are boundaries between
childhood and adulthood. This is reinforced when Say says, "For almost a
year I’d been in this man’s war." and " Being
just a lad, I was wishin’ I was home." Another
example is when Moe Moe Bay consoles Say because he
is ashamed that he is afraid of the war and that he ran like a coward. She
says, "You ain’t nothin’
of the kind. You a child...a child! Of course you scared. Ain’t
nobody that ain’t."
Charlotte Huck reminds us
that adolescents are sensitive to complexity in human relationships and
feelings. This is prevalent throughout the story. Say learns to love and trust
a black boy and his mother as if they were his own family.
This is meaningful especially
since he says " I’ve never seen a man like him so
close before." He witnesses Moe Moe Bay’s deep
love for her son and she says, "You ain’t never gonna leave your momma again are you, child?" He feels
for Pink who fears that their presence is putting Moe Moe
Bay in great danger, and therefore he must leave her.
Erikson’s young adult
stage of establishing meaningful intimate relationships with others and feeling
a connectedness describes what takes place between pink and Say. When Say asks
Pink to call him Say instead of Sheldon, because that’s what his family calls
him and he specks Pinkus is his family now, Pink
agrees and an intimate bond is formed.
Erikson’s middle
adulthood’s characteristic of caring for others is portrayed in Moe Moe Bay’s devotion to her son and another mother’s
"beautiful baby boy." She is protective and nurturing around the
clock. She doesn’t sleep, but watches over them and stokes the fire to keep
them warm throughout the night.
The conclusion of the
story, Pink and Say, reveals Erikson’s final stage of development, old
age. The story, true and passed down for four generations, is a review of past
life and a consideration of that life’s meaning and impact...life’s worth.
Biographical
Information on other versions or variants: Because this is the author’s, Patricia Polacco’s, true and intimate family story passed down
through generations, there are no other versions or variants.