The CayBy Theodore Taylor

Introducing….

SettingThe novel is set in the 1940’s during WWII in the Caribbean. Young Phillip has to flee his home in Willemstad, Curacao, a Dutch colonized island, because of the threat of German attack. After U-boats torpedo their ship, he ends up stranded on an isolated small island, or cay, with an old Negro man and the ship’s cat.

Willemstad, Curacao

Curacao is an island in the Caribbean off the coast of Venezuela, part of the Dutch West Indies, that is still connected with the Netherlands (Holland) today. People are of Dutch citizenship. It is part of the Lesser Antilles chain, which includes Aruba and Bonaire, also known as the ABC islands.

Oil in the Caribbean

Oil Refinery, Willemstad, Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, West Indies, Caribbean, Central America

The Caribbean region has been a major source of oil since before WWII and still produces oil today. During the war, the area became a target for German U-boats that wanted to cut off oil supplies to the allied forces.

U-Boats in the CaribbeanThis was one of the most important areas fought over in the entire U-boat war. In May 1942, the German U-boats began to sink merchants in these waters at a shocking rate. Here they saw the chance to effectively choke the allied war effort by cutting the vital supply line of oil. Attack on Aruba

16 Feb 1942

Characters

Phillip Enright- an eleven-year-old American; a lean boy with dark brown hair. He lives in Willemstad, Curacao, just off the coast of Venezuela. Phillip is intrigued by the war because he has never experienced it before.

Characters

Henrik- a little Dutch boy who is one of Phillip’s best friends. He lives with his family on the island, too. He’s a boy who grew up without the same prejudices Phillip has learned from his mother.

CharactersPhillip’s mother- an American woman who lives with her husband on the island of Curacao, but she doesn’t like it there and is distrustful of its people. She does not like the black people on the island and fears them. When war breaks out, she wants to return to the United States.

Characters

Philip’s father- a responsible and devoted husband and father; an American man who spends much time working at an oil refinery on Curacao, supporting the war effort. He feels it is safe on the island.

Characters

Timothy - an old black man with white hair. He has a very thick Caribbean accent. He is not good with reading or spelling, but he knows a lot about living and surviving. Phillip thinks he is ugly, but doesn’t really understand that beauty is only skin deep.

PlotThe Island of Curacao where Phillip lives is attacked by U-boats. The year is 1942. Phillip’s father sends the boy and his mother on a ship to the states. Their ship is torpedoed, however, and sinks. He awakens on a raft after a blow on the head. He is alone with Timothy, an old black man, and the ship’s cat. Phillip then loses his sight from his head injury. Phillip and Timothy arrive on a small island or cay surrounded by coral reefs, where they are stranded. Phillip has to learn to trust Timothy.

Vocabulary

Mussels - edible shellfishPapaya – sweet tropical

fruitSchottegat – a large natural

harbor in CuracaoU-boat – a German

submarine used during WWII

Refinery – a place where oil is processed into gasoline

Koenoekoe – countrysideDivi Divi Tree – windblown

tree that always points west

Veer boots- boats similar to ferries

Negro- a person of black appearance, whether of African descent or not

Cay – a small, deserted island in the Caribbean

Theme

Surviving Against the Odds – How to adapt and endure Life Hardships

The survival theme in The Cay is about living in harmony with nature. Having spent his entire life fishing the cays, Timothy’s knows the assets of nature as well as its hazards. His wisdom helps Phillip to survive.

ThemeLearning from Different Cultures and Races

The novel focuses on the relationship between Phillip and Timothy, and Phillip’s efforts for survival on the forgotten cay. When Philip becomes blind, he has to totally depend on kind and compassionate Timothy. He learns a life lesson not to discriminate between white and black people. He had always lived in a world that segregated black people from white people. Read the Dedication of the book. Who is it dedicated to? As you read the novel, think about how the dedication relates to the theme of tolerance.

Imagine Surviving On a Desert Island

• What would you eat? • How would you get it?• Where would you get

water to drink?• How would you build a

shelter?• How would you signal for

help?

• Discuss these questions with a partner. Remember, you are a castaway with no supplies. You have only what nature provides you to use for your survival.

Could You Survive? Now, imagine you had to do all of those things and you couldn’t see what you were doing! What if you were blind?

Food You Could Eat• Mussels –

• Flying fish –

• Langosta (Caribbean Spiny Lobster) –

• Coconuts –

Stranded, Blind, Isolated….

It can’t get any worse than this! Oh,yes, it

can!

There Must be a Jumbi!• Timothy thinks there is

an evil spirit on the cay that is causing all the bad luck…a Jumbi! But has he just gone mad? Is Phillip stranded on a deserted island with a mad man? And what has happened to Stew Cat?

Oh, no! Is There a Storm Brewing?

Dat Be True…

Yikes! Will They Survive?Read and Find Out!

And even if they do, will they ever be rescued?