North Little Rock House (Visual Imagery)
Beals describes her North Little Rock family home in rich, loving detail. Her house is elegant yet comfortable, with an "overstuffed green velvet chair and matching couch," "tall mahogany bookcases" containing literary classics, and treasured family heirlooms, such as an "iridescent green music box," a copper horse, and tin-type photographs of Grandma India traveling through Italy. These vivid descriptions emphasize how Melba felt safe and supported around her family and in her home.
Central High School (Visual Imagery)
To capture her sense of intimidation over integrating Central High, Beals describes the school's architecture in grand terms. The school building is "seven stories high," the length of "two extra-long city blocks," nearly eight times the size of Melba's previous school. The imposing size of Central High symbolizes the daunting task of integrating the school in the face of a resistant white majority.
In addition to the school's size, Central High is also a state-of-the-art facility that piques Melba's curiosity. It is the "manicured lawns" that demonstrate to Melba that the white students of Little Rock are receiving a superior education; this visual imagery is what encourages Melba to volunteer to integrate the school. However, when Melba finally arrives at Central High, the inside of the "castle" where she can "easily get lost among its spiral staircases" is much "bigger, darker, and more treacherous" than her imaginings.
Violence (Visceral Imagery)
Melba and the other members of the Little Rock Nine endure daily violence in many different forms. Beals describes this violence in great detail, from being punched, stabbed, burned, tripped, spit on, and slapped, even having acid splashed in her eyes. By using this visceral imagery, Melba conveys the pain, fear, and humiliation she experiences when other students violate her body.
Ringing Telephone (Auditory Imagery)
The moment the news announces Melba will integrate Central High, the Pattillo family's phone rings ceaselessly. Melba cannot get a moment of peace at home or forget about integration because the "shrill sound went on forever," even late at night. Melba learns to associate the sound of the telephone ringing with being threatened and insulted.
