Prompt:
Lily made an important call in chapter 8. It wasn't to 911, but if it was, what would she be calling about?
Response Requirement:
Think a little more deeply (and not just about health) and imagine what Lily would say to a 911 operator if she needed help with something in her life.
- What would she say?
- If you were on the other end of the line, what would you do to help her?
If Lily dialed 911, she would have the ability to speak of numerous topics given the events that have taken place in her life so far. But the most important one on her mind at that time would be to ask "What happend to my mother, Deborah Fontanel." Lily has thought a lot about her mother and has been the main focus of the story for her to find out the truth. She would then speak about what she knew, wanted to know, and if the operator ever knew her mother or of her leaving Lily with T-Ray. I think the lady/man on the other end of the line would think of her as crazy for calling 911 to figure out a question that does not have to do anything with the law. Maybe the person on the other end of the line would track the name into a police's computer and search her up and help Lily find out what she needs. But, I think it would be a long stretch for someone on the 911 line to help Lily find out about the crazy question.
ReplyDeleteIf I was an operator and Lily was on the other line because she needed help with something in her life it would probably be that T.Ray beat her. Lily would probably be crying and saying how she needs help as soon as possible because her father had beat her and she was extremely hurt.
ReplyDeleteIf i was on the other line I would tell her to calm down and to lock herself in her room. I would also tell her to pile as many heavy things as she could on the doors and to block the windows. I would tell her to take deep breaths and to help her calm down. I would make sure she doesnt talk loudly and tell her that help is on the way and will be there any minute.
Lily would probaby say that she got beaten by her dad. Explain how T.Ray would hurt her if she did something wrong. If i was on the other line i would feel very bad. I would tell her that i would take away T.Ray from her becuase he is such a bad dad. I would help her go through it.
ReplyDeleteI think she would have asked the person at the other end what she should do or say to T.Ray. If i was at the other end I would have said to call him and ask or tell him what ever that was on her mind.
ReplyDeleteIf she were calling 911 in the begining of the book i think she would say something along the lines of, "Hello 911 operator? My name is Lily Owens. I wanted to report that my father has been abusing me for my whole life and I'm sick of it and I want something done about it!!" If i were on the other end of this phone call I would say, "Alright Ms. Owens calm down, don't worry. We'll take care of everything but first I need to ask you some questions. Where do you live? What is your fathers name? Where is he right now? Do you have any physical evidence that proves that your dad has been abusing you and if so what is it? And is there anybody that you can stay with while your father is being detained?" I would stay on the phone with her making sure that she would be safe until the police arrived. Now if she called 911 in chapter eight I would be very confused because then the police would know where she is and take her back to T-Ray and also take Rosaleen back to jail.
ReplyDeleteLily would call 911 only to find a way to get T.Ray farther away from her. She would talk about all the times she was forced to kneel on grits for hours. The times when T.Ray made her do things for him and times when he abused her. These would be the main topic of the conversation. She would complain and complain and the police might actually go after T.Ray. If were the cop, i would listen to her story. i would bring her to the station so that we can talk in person. Then, i would drive her home but let her stay in car. I would then go in to the house and have a talk with T.Ray. Then i would bring him to the station , too, to have him interrogated for child abuse. If proven guilty, i would throw him in to the darkest cell ( which he is). However, if he was clean, i would have to return Lily to him, which i would not be proud of.
ReplyDeleteShe took a deep breath and dialed, leaning her head against the glass of the telephone booth, heart beating erratically in her chest.
ReplyDelete"Hello?" there was a crackle of static and then the voice came through,"Hello, how can I help you?"
Sobs ripped out of her throat and words poured in a torrent out of her mouth."Hi my name is Lily, Lily Owens," she faltered a bit, then continued, her voice growing stronger, "My dad abused me, and I didn't know what to do so I ran away and now I'm trapped in a web of my own lies and I don't know what to do!"
"There, there, it's all right. Well, I'll tell you what we'll do. You just sit back and relax. I'm gonna call your daddy and some folks from your town."
suddenly fear stabbed it's icy sword into her gut, "If he gets in trouble will he be able to come after me?"
"Sweetie, no, don't worry. All you're gonna need to do is testify if this all goes to court. which it probably will"
"What? I didn't hear that last bit" her stomach wound itself in knots and she pressed her forehead even harder against the glass.
"I'm going to hang up now, okay? And under no conditions are you to visit your daddy. You understand me?"
" Yeah, I do," and with a click the line gave it's last breath and died.
If Lily were to call the police she would do it to report T. Ray for child abuse. Lily is in pain when she is forced to kneel on grits as a punishment. Lily even stated in The Secret Life of Bees that,"I have been kneeling on grits since I was six, but still I never got used to that powder-glass feeling beneath my skin. I walked toward them with those tiny feather steps you expect of a girl in Japan, and lowered myself to the floor, determined not to cry, but the sting was already in my eyes." (page 24) When a child is in that much pain since she was six then there is a problem. If Lily called the police she would tell them that her father T. Ray has been abusing her and she needs help.
ReplyDeleteThe abuse is not just from the grits, it is also from how she is treated. Lily doesn't feel loved and her father doesn't act like a true parental figure. He treats her like dirt and this issue would need to be resolved.
If I was the police and answered the phone I would tell her it will be okay. I would get Lily help right away and make Lily feel safe and loved. When a child is abused, they need to be removed from the situation. I would find her a place to stay and let Rosaleen stay with her.
if she called 911 it would be, because her dad beats her. And abuses her mentally, and is also just a bad father. He is not a role model at all. He would make her kneel down on her knees for an hour or more on the Martha Whites. If i was on the other line i would help her by saying "we will take you away from your father, so that you have a safer life. Maybe we will even set up another family for someone to take you in."
ReplyDeleteAndrew Lawson
ReplyDeleteMs. Drosdick
Language Arts, Period 7
April 1, 2011
Week 3, Option 7
In chapter 8, Lily makes an important call to her dad. This call did not end well because her dad was really mad that she ran away and he focused only on how this affected his reputation around town. He didn’t seem to care about how she was doing at all, he just kept yelling at her.
If Lily would need to make a real 911 call, it would been a few times already in her life. She could have called 911 when her mother died and she also could have called 911 when they found May. I have chosen to write about a 911 call she could have made when May’s body was found in the river.
911 call:
Operator- 911 how may I help you?
Lily- My name is Lily “Williams” and I need help now!
Operator- Okay calm down, what happened?
Lily- One of my friends was found in the river. Please come fast!!!
Operator- Where are you located?
Lily- I am down by the river by the Boatwright mansion.
Operator- Okay, are you with any adults?
Lily- Yes… I am with the sisters of the lady that is in the river.
Operator- Can one of the sisters come to the phone?
Lily- June, August come take the phone…fast!
August- Hello my name is August Boatwright…please send help fast!
Operator- Okay please tell Lily to go to the front of your estate to lead us to where you guys are
located by the river. Help is on its way…
If I were the operator in this situation, I would handle this call like the way I did above. I would try to remain calm and keep Lily calm so that we could quickly find out where the emergency is needed.
If Lily called 911 she would say something along the lines of: “Hello, 911? It’s Lily… and I’ve ran away from my abusive father in Sylvan. I found two very nice and welcoming people whom I can stay with. Their names are August and June Boatwright. There’s one problem, they’re Negros. I have nothing against that, but other people might. What should I do?” If I was the operator on the other side of this call I would tell her that it’s okay if she likes black people and, that she needs to follow her heart and do what’s best for her. Then I would see if she needed any help and if she wanted me to send someone to her. After that I would probably ask her about her father and see if she wanted me to get somebody to lock him up for what he has done.
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 8 Lily makes an important call. Her call was not to 911, but what if it had been? What would she have said? Would she have given herself and Rosaleen away? Can you imagine what Lily would say to a 911 operator if she had called them? I think that if Lily were to call 911 she would confess everything. She would say how much she hated and despised T. Ray, how she wants to know information about her mother. She would say that she has run away from home with a black woman that she broke out of jail. I think that if Lily were to call 911 she would ask for help with everything in her life, but mostly with her mother. I think she would ask help on how to find out if her mother really loved her. Also, how to find out why were mother left and if she did come back for her instead of T. Ray. I think that Lily would ask for help with many things big or small.
ReplyDeleteIf I were on the other end of the line of this phone call I would offer to help Lily out. I would tell her that everything is going to be okay. I would tell her that I would not turn her in because she ran away and is a fugitive. Another way I would offer help to Lily would be helping her learn about her mother, Deborah. I would meet up with Lily and we would search for all the clues that could possibly lead us to uncovering the secrets of Deborah Owens. I would also take Lily in. If she did not want to live with the Boatwright sisters anymore and didn’t want to go home to T. Ray I would give her a place to stay and food to eat. I would not only help Lily out with the things she asked on the phone, I would help her out with any problems she was ever to have. If I were on the other end of the phone call that Lily made to 911, I would give her help with anything that she would ask.
"Hello, it's Lily Owens," Lily would tell the operator. "I ran away from home." The only reason Lily would call the police would be to turn her father in. Lily would say how her father abused her and was awful to her. Then she would say howshe has been living with the Boatwrights and it has been amazing, how it has been like a "dream world". Hopefully the operator would understaand and help Lily.
ReplyDeleteIf i were the operator i would feel like it was my duty to be sure Lily got the help she needs. However, it might seem like she is making the story up so I would have to check all the facts and interogate some people. Once we finished that we would take in T. Ray. Sadly the Boatwrights would get in trouble too for harboring a fugitive. So even though Lily wanted her father gone she wouldn't turn him in because even if someone tried to help it would probably just mess everything up more.
If Lily were to call 911 for help with her life, besides her health, I think she would tell them that she needs to leave T.Rays house somehow because he abuses her somewhat. If i were on the other end of the phone, i woyuld help her by telling her to hide outside, and then i woulde come and pick her up and bring her to a new better safe home than T.Rays home. That is what I would do if I were on the other end of the phone and that is what Lily would tell 911.
ReplyDelete