Controversial Issues
Buying from the Wallace Store
The Wallace Store continues to be an issue throughout this book. The parents of the children in Jackson do not want their children going somewhere where they will be dancing, drinking, or smoking underage. Also, the Wallace;s are responsible for the Berry's burning. They are even racist and sometimes cheat the African-Americans. The only reason the Wallace's let young black people hang around that store is because they sell them alcohol and put it on their parents tab. Then, at the end of the month they give the bill to their parents to pay. There is nothing but trouble from the Wallace store. But, this creates a problem for the sharecroppers and black farmers because there is no other store near enough where they live to get the goods they need.
Mama loosing her job
Mama lost her job because she was teaching things that were not in the History books, things that the white people did not want their children to hear. T.J told Kaleb from the Wallace store about Ma pasting over the word "negri" and so the school board had a reason to come to her classroom. They were already fed up with Logans since they were stirring up trouble with the boycott and so this gave them a perfect excuse to get back at the them. They fired Ma, all because what she was teaching some things that weren't in the History books. This stirs up controversy because not all the things that are in the book are true. Textbooks are sometimes sugarcoated to downplay the agony and suffering some people had to go though, such as the African-Americans.
T.J.'s Relationship with Stacey
T.J's relationship with Stacey is very unlike other best friend relationships. T.J has used Stacey many times and this can bring on controversy. Would you forgive T.J. for all the bad things he has done if you were Stacey? T.J lured Stacey into the Wallace store even though he knows Ma will be furious at Stacey when she finds out. He cheats on one of Mrs. Logan's tests, and deservedly gets a failing grade for it, so he reports her to the white administration. He's the one who reported on Stacey's mother which got her fired! Then, he lets Stacey take the blame for cheating! He is also very manipulative and bullied Stacey into giving him his new coat, calling him a fat preacher. Are these traits you would like to have in a best friend? I personally think that Stacey is a very kind person who deserves a better friend than T.J.
Cassie's Relationship with Lillian Jean
Lillian Jean Simms, a snooty white girl, had been walked into by Cassie one day in Strawberry (after Cassie had been kicked out of a store). Lillian Jean and her father had pushed Cassie into the street and forced her to apologize. This tense relationship between the two girls was most likely due to Lillian Jean's racist opinions; She had grown up hearing that black people were bad (like from her father or other influences). Lillian Jean and Cassie have an odd relationship, as Cassie had pretended to be Lillian Jean's friend then beat her up. The two girls were like "frenemies", constantly tricking and betraying each other. So, really only the enemy part in "frenemies".