This six-page marked typescript includes portions of Chapter 15 of Tunes for Bears to Dance To with penciled line edits. In the chapter, Mr. Hairston presents his proposal to purchase the monument for Eddie's grave, give a raise to Henry, and convince the diner owner to give Henry's mother more hours, a promotion, and a raise. In exchange, Henry has to destroy Mr. Levine's village. Henry leaves work to think about the proposition.
Tunes for Bears to Dance To Chapter 3
Tunes for Bears to Dance to Chapter 6
Tunes for Bears to Dance To Chapter 7
Tunes for Bears to Dance To Chapter 10
Tunes for Bears to Dance to Chapter 11
Tunes for Bears to Dance to Chapter 17
Tunes for Bears to Dance to Chapter 19
Tunes for Bears to Dance To Chapter 13
Tunes for Bears to Dance To Chapter 16John Richter, the Youthful Offender Program Coordinator at the Orange County Corrections Department in Florida, writes to Robert Cormier about his Literature-N-Living class. He describes the class and the work students do including discussion, essay writing, and reading comprehension quizzes.
Richter also describes the value of We All Fall Down to this population's need to understand the victim's perspective. He states the students also learned about trust, thoughtful communication, perseverance, and leadership. Leadership was particularly important to Richter because many of the inmates were incarcerated because they are followers that bend to peer pressure.
The class also read Tunes for Bears to Dance To, and in their study, they focused on racism, prejudice, false testimony, and forgiveness. Richter states the book helped inmates think about how they will be perceived upon release and how they will have to present themselves in the face of prejudice.
Constance Cormier's reply to John Richter
John Richter's response to Constance Cormier
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation A - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation B - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation I - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation C - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation J - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation F - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation D - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation E - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation G - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation H - Tunes for Bears To Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation K - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation I - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation B - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation D - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation G - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation F - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation H - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation A - We All Fall Down
A participant in the Literature-N-Living class presents his lessons learned from We All Fall Down to an audience of peers and their family members. After summarizing major plot points, he talks about the pain victims feel and shares his realization that, ultimately, the perpetrator will come to such a painful awareness as well.
John Richter's letter to Robert Cormier
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation I - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation B - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation D - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation G - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation F - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation H - We All Fall Down
A participant in the Literature-N-Living class presents his lessons learned from We All Fall Down to an audience of peers and their family members. He speaks to the psychological and mental damage that a victim of crime might suffer. He also talks about how it's better to commit crimes alone so no one can turn you in.
John Richter's letter to Robert Cormier
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation I - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation B - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation D - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation G - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation F - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation H - We All Fall Down
A participant in the Literature-N-Living class presents his thoughts on We All Fall Down to an audience of peers and their family members. He talks about how the effect of seeing crime from the victim's perspective has changed his thinking. He also discusses Buddy's pain that stems from his inability to be honest with himself. Finally, he states his interest in making a positive impact in the world.
John Richter's letter to Robert Cormier
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation I - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation B - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation D - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation F - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation H - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation A - We All Fall Down
A participant in the Literature-N-Living class presents his thoughts, based on a reading of We All Fall Down, to an audience of peers and their family members. He speaks of the pain his crime caused others, especially his family and he asks for forgiveness. He talks about using his time in Corrections to reflect on why he is incarcerated and gather resolve. He shares his regret, pleads to his girlfriend to persevere, and thanks his mother and Mr. Richter.
John Richter's letter to Robert Cormier
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation I - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation B - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation D - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation G - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation F - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation A - We All Fall Down
In response to Troyia, Robert Cormier explains the title of his piece. As he has in other letters, he explains how language can fall short as a tool of communication. He explains his views that while there is evil in the world, there is also good. In closing, he touches on the impulse of some individuals to corrupt the innocent. This he finds inexcusable.
In this letter, Troyia writes to Robert Cormier to ask about the title of the novel, Tunes for Bears to Dance To. She also asks about his thoughts on prejudice. Further, she reflects on the personal strength needed for a young boy to refuse the offer Mr. Hairston poses. Henry seems both a perpetrator and a victim.