Heat of the Night Questions Essay The Heat Of The Night John Ball s The Heat Of The Night Essay "In the Heat of the Night" by John Ball Heat Of The Night Analysis

1. Heat of the Night Questions Essay
Novel Study Questions: I n The Heat of the Night by John Ball Chapter 1 1. What descriptive
details does the author use to make it clear that the setting of the story is a small town? 2. The
character of Sam Wood is developed in several instances in Chapter 1. Discuss and develop his
character by referring to: a) his opinion of his job b) the reference to killing the dog c) the Delores
Purdy incident d) the conversation with the night worker at the restaurant e) Sam's ability to cope
with a crisis 3. How is the racial issue – a main theme of this book – clearly introduces in Chapter 1?
Chapter 2 1. In a well–developed paragraph, describe the character of Chief Gillespie as he is...show
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What is the reader's impression of Ralph's testimony? 2. What is the significance of Gottschalk's
parting remark: "That's a relief; I wish all cops were like you. And if I may say so without
offense, I'm glad that democracy has hit the South in something besides the political sense." 3.
How is the blundering bully, Gillespie, once again made to 'look the fool' by Virgil? 4. What is
the structure that the author uses to set up each chapter? Chapter 8 1. What is the significance of
Reverend Whiteburn's statement "As long as I have been in this community, this is the first time
that I have ever been consulted by the police. I take it as an honor." 2. Virgil comes to the
Reverend for help in his investigation. a) What two things are Tibbs interested in discovering? b)
Summarize additional plot information given to the reader by means of Virgil's interview with
the Rev. 3. Explain why the following statements are significant: "To the Best of my Knowledge,
no one has suggested that the murderer is necessarily a Negro." "That is in itself a small
miracle." 4. Using references to specific characters and speeches, show how the Council Members
or Wells are guilty of prejudice and bigotry. 5. Explain the significance of the exchange between
Sam and Virgil about 'the heat of the night'. 6. Summarize in point form the racial issues as seen in
the discussion of Virgil and Sam as they drive
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2. The Heat Of The Night
Based on the applicable options dealing with cultural issues in our eligible films, In the Heat of
the Night seems be ahead of the pack when it comes to exploiting our societal vices. The 1967
mystery/drama is based on John Ball's 1965 novel with the same title. The film is set in the fictional
rural town of Sparta, Mississippi. Sparta is a southern town that is racially discriminatory on
institutional, social, and judicial levels. In the Heat of the Night seems to make many negative
cultural assumptions about southern states, especially Mississippi. Sparta is portrayed as desolate
town whose only citizens consist of slave–owning plantation owners, racist hicks, and racist hicks
who happen to be cops. All the white characters in the film seem to be negative stereotypes. The
plantation owner even has a small lawn gnome portraying a black servant. The film begins at a
local dinner in Sparta where Sam Wood, a well–known town sheriff, is having dinner and a
discussion filled with racist content. After leaving the diner, Sam runs over a dead man in the
middle of the street. He alerts superior officer, Chief Bill Gillespie, who begins searching the town
for any suspicious drifters because he believes that the murder was the outcome of a mugging gone
wrong. Upon searching the train station, Gillespie finds Virgil Tibbs; an African–American homicide
detective from Philadelphia who is visiting his mother. Tibbs is the one major exception to the
negative stereotypes within the town
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3. John Ball 's The Heat Of The Night Essay
John Ball's In the Heat of the Night was published in 1965, in a decade of racial injustice and some
of the most violent years in American history, in the form of hundreds of city wide riots across the
nation. As the book is both a mystery–detective story and an exploration of the relations between
whites and African Americans, it was a case of timing. The concerns outlined in the book were
exactly those that had America tightly in its grip. Yet, more than 30 years of passing time have done
little to diminish its impact, which speaks volumes about the power of the film and the fact that race
relations are still a haunting problem.
The story involves the murder a rich Northern businessman who recently moved to the fictional
small town of Sparta, Mississippi, in the hopes to build a factory. AnAfrican American named Virgil
Tibbs happens to be waiting in the train station late that night after his visit to relatives in another
town, as the police notice him sitting, arrest him, not only because he is black, but because he is
a definite outsider. Tibbs was clearly an outsider who had come in from another town, as he was
described to be dressed in city clothes, as the Deputy Sam Woods identifies his facial features as
unlike many southerners. Likewise, the book ends Tibbs leaving town by train, proving how his
being in town was in a state a flux. This emphasis of his traveling is important to note as the book is
arguably as much about the North/South divide as it is about the
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4. "In the Heat of the Night" by John Ball
Main Characters: Sam Wood is the protagonist in the story because the story starts off with him
driving around Wells, and he was the one who discovered Mr. Mantoli's body. On page two, it
says, "He slipped the car into gear and moved it away from the curb with the professional
smoothness of an expert driver." This quote shows how Sam is an expert driver. Another quote on
page thirty nine, "Sam reached up and removed his uniform cap ashamed that he had forgotten to
do so until now. I'm terribly sorry to have to bring you this news." This quote describes how Sam
is a sensitive person internally. In addition, Sam Wood hates to be called Sam and rather be called
Mr. Wood. Sam has been a police officer for three years, (pg.2) and is a night...show more content...
Virgil Tibbs could be described as a secondary protagonist. Virgil is round because he has many
sides to his nature. He is static because he does not change or grow and is the same sort of person
throughout the story. And he is realistic because he shows many human characteristics. Bill
Gillespie is the chief of police in the city of Wells (pg.10) and has only been chief and a Wells
resident for only nine weeks. (pg.11) Bill is six feet four and the author gives us the idea that he is
a big, tough, confident, and determined character. For example, on page 11, it says "His
forcefulness cost him the girl he wanted to marry, and swept away many obstacles as though they
had never existed." Bill Gillespie had abundant confidence in his own ability to meet whatever
challenges thrown at him; despite he was only thirty–two. (pg.11) He gets annoyed when people tell
him what to do. (pg.13) Bill is educated because he went to a police school in Texas. (pg.11) Bill
is quick to make decisions and he does not like to admit his mistakes. He is bad tempered,
demanding and rude. On page 27, it says, "He shaved, put some deodorant under his armpits in lieu
of a shower, rebrushed his hair, and drove back through the morning traffic to the police station."
This quote shows that he is aware of his physical presentation. His internal conflict is being
extremely racist to black people.
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5. Heat Of The Night Analysis
During the 60's, having less melanin in the Southern states gave you endless privileges; a higher
quality of education, worthier water fountains, washrooms provided with soap and hand towels,
guaranteed seats on the bus, admittance to numerous restaurants and jobs. The neglect and
discrimination the black community received before the Civil Rights Movement was inhumane. In
The Heat Of The Night by John Ball is a novel that thoroughly captures the atmosphere of the
southern states as they were caught in between of the Civil Rights Movement. The novel is based
around how 3 policemen; Bill Gillespie, Sam Wood and Virgil TIbbs tries to solve who murdered the
wealthy orchestra conductor, Maestro Enrico Mantoli. Although adjusting to the presence
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