The Cay is based on a true story. While researching another book, Theodore read about an incident that happened in 1942. The Germans had torpedoed a Dutch ship, slicing it in half. Those who survived the attack crawled into a lifeboat, looked back and saw an eleven-year-old Dutch boy.

Why is The Cay a banned book?

After parent complaints about the use of racist epithets in To Kill a Mockingbird; Adventures of Huckleberry Finn; The Cay; Of Mice and Men; and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, the Burbank (CA) Unified School District superintendent issued a statement removing the books from the district’s required reading lists for its …

When was the book The Cay written?

The Cay is a children’s novel and book one of the Cay series, written by American author Theodore Taylor, and published in 1969.

Why did the author write The Cay?

Theodore Taylor is an American writer who also makes documentary films. His inspiration to write “The Cay” came from his research into German submarines that fought in the Second World War. He is now married with three children and lives in California.

What is the name of the bridge that gives Phillip and Henrik a view of the harbor?

Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge.

How old is Timothy in the Cay?

Timothy an African American man, who is over 70 years old, working as a deckhand on the S.S. Hato, from St. Thomas islands, grew up with no family and little education. Timothy is kind and caring towards Phillip and teaches him to become independent.

What bad news do Timothy and Phillip discuss about where the island is situated?

Bad News. Phillip asks Timothy where they are. Timothy says that this is a cay, or small island, that he has never seen before. There are many islands around, but Timothy doesn’t know this one.

How does Phillip change in the Cay?

When he is blinded and shipwrecked on a tiny cay, or island, Phillip goes from being helpless and afraid to being able to survive on his own. In his relationship with Timothy, he changes from being prejudiced and mistrustful to appreciating and valuing Timothy’s friendship.

How does Phillip get rescued in the Cay?

Phillip is rescued by sailors from a destroyer. The destroyer contacts his family and takes him to a naval base, where his parents come for him. Phillip goes home with his family and has surgery in New York to recover his vision.

What race is Timothy in the Cay?

In The Cay by Theodore Taylor, Timothy is an old African-American man who is shipwrecked with the narrator, Phillip.

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What is the main theme of the cay?

The Cay by Theodore Taylor is a story about a boy who survives a shipwreck. The themes of The Cay include a friendship between very different people, overcoming obstacles to accomplish a goal, and personal growth through life experiences.

Is the cay a good book?

The Cay is the best kind of survival novel, with a protagonist who triumphs over seemingly impossible and thrilling challenges, and emerges changed for the better.

What award made Theodore proudest?

The Cay, winner of 11 literary awards, including the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, “…of which I’m the proudest, since the book was deemed worthy of being on a shelf with Alice In Wonderland…”, was a Universal film presentation starring James Earl Jones.

What year did the cay take place?

The Cay by Theodore Taylor takes place in 1942 during World War II, when German submarines are bombing Dutch islands in the Caribbean Sea.

What does Timothy tell Phillip is missing from the cay?

He tells Phillip that Stew Cat was on the raft off shore while he chased away the jumbi. Timothy says that now their luck will change.

What does Philip hide under his makeshift bed on the couch?

The islanders used motorboats and rifles to attack. What did Phillip put under his pillow for protection? Phillip put a hatchet under his pillow so he can protect himself from the Germans.

What do Timothy and Phillip make to help Phillip get from the campsite to the signal fire pile?

Timothy builds a hut and a brush pile for a signal fire.

What did Philip and Timothy eat for breakfast?

He tells Phillip that beneath the skin, “all is d’same” (10.13). After Timothy falls asleep, Phillip wishes his father and mother could see them together. He snuggles against Timothy, who feels neither white nor black. The next morning they have pompano (a fish) for breakfast.

How did Philip get around the island?

Timothy makes Phillip a cane to help him get around the island, and Phillip learns how to do things like fish. Phillip even eventually climbs a big palm tree to get coconuts – a major triumph for him. Despite his blindness, Phillip is becoming more independent and empowered.

Why did Timothy hit Phillip?

Why did Timothy hit Phillip? Phillip threw the palm fronds at Timothy and then yelled at him calling Timothy an ugly black man. Phillip began to change the day Timothy hit him. How did he change?

What language did Timothy speak in the Cay?

AuthorTheodore TaylorLanguageEnglishGenreHistorical fictionPublication date1993Media typePrint (Hardback & Paperback)

What happened to stew Cat in the Cay?

In The Cay, Stew Cat is stranded with Phillip and Timothy on a cay, or island. He provides Phillip comfort and company, even though Timothy thinks he is a jumbi, or an evil spirit causing them bad luck. Stew Cat survives the tempest and is eventually rescued with Phillip.

Where was Timothy's home?

Timothy was from the Lycaonian city of Lystra or of Derbe in Asia Minor, born of a Jewish mother who had become a Christian believer, and a Greek father. The Apostle Paul met him during his second missionary journey and he became Paul’s companion and missionary partner along with Silas.

How many surgeries did Phillip have in the Cay?

What happened to Phillip after he was rescued? He was sent to a naval ship, he reconnected with his parents, after 3 surgeries he regained his sight. 17.

What did Timothy do in the Cay?

Timothy is the kind-hearted West Indian man who saves Phillip’s life again and again. He pulls him on the raft, rescues him from sharks, and shelters him from the hurricane. As a character, Timothy’s purpose in the novel is to aid in Phillip’s character transformation.

Where does Phillip's father work?

Phillip’s father (like his mother) is kind of a one-dimensional (or flat) character. We know that he’s an oil refinery expert who works for Royal Dutch Shell and had to relocate his family to the Caribbean to help with the war effort (1.49). Other than that, all we really know is that he’s the most awesome dad ever.

How did Phillip react to being blind in the Cay?

Lesson Summary Phillip learns more about Timothy’s past. In the morning, Phillip wakes up with a terrible headache and hazy vision. After a nap, he wake up fully blind. Phillip reacts in fear and anger as Timothy tries to comfort him.

Who is the antagonist in the Cay?

The main conflict in The Cay is man versus nature, so the island itself acts as the primary antagonist in the novel.

Where does Phillip from the cay live?

Phillip Enright lives with his parents on the island of Curaçao where his father works for Royal Dutch Shell.

How does Timothy protect Phillip?

Timothy is protecting Phillip from the storm with his body. As the water rises, the waves hit them. As the tide goes out, the waves pull them backward away from the tree. Timothy fights against the pull of the waves and keeps them both upright.

How many awards did the book The Cay win?

At one point the novel was required or recommended reading in 38 states, including California. “The Cay” received 11 literary awards, was made into an NBC television movie starring James Earl Jones and was published in several languages.