In The Learning tree the reader learns that the story takes place in a border-line state, Kansas, which plays a major role for the African-Americans in the novel. Cherokee Flats was home to many people yet "freedom loosed one hand while custom restrained the other" (Parks 20). The setting of Cherokee Flats was what made this book interesting since Kansas was a border-line state, which meant there were both racist and non-racist people living there. This apparition causes a bedlam of conflicts in the story, conflicting with characters in ways the reader would never see in a modern world.
The characters in this novel reflect on the setting because we see two different worlds come together. In one of the two worlds we see Newt, who has been living in Cherokee Flats pretty much all of his life. In one chapter we see Newt meets a girl named Arcella whom Newt likes very much, and when they went to a store to get ice cream, "Things went well for a few minutes, then Newt saw Bert Sampson, the owner, making his way through the crowd, and his heart sank" (Parks 113).
Opposition poster for the 1866 election. Geary's o...
One in a series of posters attacking Radical Repub...
Taken and donated by Guinnog.Newt was then asked to go eat outside which showed how the African-Americans of this community were treated even though Kansas was suppose to be a free state.
Even though we see the discrimination against blacks in Cherokee Flats, we also see the non-racist people of the like Mr. Hall the principal of Newt's school: "'There are some things here at my own school that I don't like, son. For instance, I feel badly about the school board's keeping you boys off our football and basketball teams . . . but we are powerless' Mr. hall said" (Parks 140). As we see the younger people of Cherokee Flats have not yet understood racism and of these people are there to help. During Newt's case Miss McClinock told Newt cannot be anything more then a servant if he does go to college, but Mr. Hall thinks everyone can go to college and have a chance.
In another world we see the white people of Cherokee Flats who have more respect around the town. We have Kirky as the town police officer which shoots at a black man every time he gets a chance, and we have Jake Kiner which is killed. Jake gets a court hearing to see if Clint really did kill him, but instead it turns out to be Booker Savage. Booker Savage then commits suicide without getting a fair trial because of the court was calling out gestures to him which put more pressure on Booker Savage. In the novel, we see the Caucasian people of this town call out gestures that we would use or barely use in our modern world now; this is where we see how much of the racism is embedded into their minds living in a border-line state.
Since Kansas was the setting of this novel, we see that having both racist and non-racist people makes this story interesting, however if this story was more up north, the problems we see in this novel would be more distinct. If this setting was more down south, nevertheless the problems would be a major issue. Even in our modern life the racism has gone away like the use of words to describe certain people; however there are still traces of racism everywhere we go. In this novel Newt has overcame the racism though, he overcame it and is living up to the promises he told Sarah which is to live out his life to the fullest.
Things Newts Do
Cherokee-Lemp Historical District - April 20, 2008...
Dogtown Flat