The Cay

Written by Theodore Taylor


Day 0 pre-reading questions:
1. Why are they hugging a palm tree?
2. Who is the old man?
3. Where are they?
4. Why is the story called The Cay?
5. Is there a flood?
6. Are they trapped on an island?
7. Are they related?
8. Why are they tied to a palm tree?
9. Will they live?
10. How did they get into the situation?
11. Are there other people on the island?
12. Do any people have disabilities?
13. Where are their families?
14. Do they speak English? [ Do they have any accents?]
15. Do they go to school?
16. Is there a title wave?
17. How does stew cat taste?
18. Why are the Germans invading Curacao?
19. What do the Germans want?
20. How did Phillip get his head injury?


  • Phillip is the young boy
  • Timothy is the older man
  • Phillip is blind
  • Timothy and Phillip are companions
  • Phillip's mother doesn't like black men
  • Timothy is a West Indian
  • It is hard for Timothy and Phillip to survive
  • A cay is a small chain of islands generally linked or by
  • Phillip has a father and a mother
  • Henrik is Phillip's friend
  • The family of three lives on a n island called Curacao

Our Main Idea

Our group came up with a summery of our predictions:

Phillip and Timothy are in a flood by the Caribbean sea. It is hard for both of them to survive.

Then together we read the back cover of the book:

Phillip's ship gets torpedoed while him and his mother were sailing to the U.S.A. Phillip's only companion is an old West Indian, Timothy. When they reach a small island, because of Phillip's head injury he is blind. He is dependent on Timothy. They struggle to survive. Phillip efforts to adjust to his blindness and to understand the dignified, wise, and loving old man, who is his companion.

Answers to Our Questions

2. Timothy
4. Because of the different islands they are going too, look at facts
7. No
10. The ship was torpedoed

Our Feelings

bballstate- I feel very sad that Timothy died. All Phillip has left is Stew Cat and a forgotten Cay. It makes you cry, but you know you can't.
k8sports- I felt sad that Timothy died and Phillip is blind and left alone with only Stew Cat. Phillip is only eleven and he is blind not to mention all alone on a tiny forgotten cay with only a little hope of rescue.

Day 1 Reflections:

What do you think about war? How do images on television and the movies make you feel about life where there is conflict? Do you know anyone who has gone "off to war"? Describe how the main character feels about the war and how it changes his life.

I think that the war was very unnecessary. All there is to it is killing and destruction. If you started a war, it’s like starting a fight for no reason and never ends, which is my opinion. When you watch television, almost all “kid” shows are shows that teach you lessons. When there is a conflict in life, it’s like people don’t care. When you watch a television show about war it makes you feel so bad that other people, who are just regular people, have to go out to war and die. You kind of, or at least I do, feel guilty, but for no reason. All the explosions just seem, unfair, and cruel. I don’t no anyone who has went off too war, if I remember. I can imagine though how much you want to serve your country but not go “off to war”! You don’t want to be killed, because you know there is a chance that you could get killed. I would hate the feeling knowing that you could die any second, but I would love the feeling that you are helping and serving your country. Phillip likes wars at the beginning, because he has always wanted to see one. He thought that they were just so cool. Then, when he figured out what war was all about, killing and destruction, he changed his mind. He realized that it was very dangerous. Philip over hears his mother and father talking about how him and his mother should leave the island and go back to the U.S. In the end, they decide to go.

- goheat8

I think war is cruel and unnecessary. If people want something from someone else, they should not use death and destruction as the solution. It doesn’t really get you anywhere. I really feel sorry for all the innocent people that get killed for no reason. That should not happen to them. Also, when there are shows on television about war, I feel sorry for the many men that have to go to war and fight for their country. Many of them die, and their parents ( if they have them ) would most likely be devastated to have their son die just because he had to go to war. I saw this one movie called Ann of Green Gables, and one part of the movie was when Ann’s boyfriend had to go to war. Ann did not want her beloved boyfriend to be sent into a death area, so she boarded the train to go to the spot where the war was being held. She didn’t want to, but she had to save her boyfriend from possibly dying. Luckily, Ann saved her boyfriend and both of them were unharmed.
B-ball 23
I think that war is a very violent thing. The only good thing about war is that if your in it you are fighting for freedom and America. From watching movies and television I have learned that instead of attacking the problem they attack the person and that dose not solve anything. No I do not know anyone that has gone off to war. Philip is the main character and he is excited when the Germans attack, but then he learns that war is just violence and death.

I think war is a thing that can bring a lot of death it is a bad thing to have it brings lots of desruction. On movies or on television you think that those wars are fake but things on movies or t.v. can happen. I know my grandpa was in the vieatnom war but he was making vehicles also my friend’s dad is in this war. The main character in this book thinks war is exciting until it happens to his town then he gets scared.

I think that war is awful the only thing to it is death and destruction, the world would be better off without it. I feel sorry for the country's/nations that have war all over and no one ever is safe. My grandpa was is World War ll was in war and came back with no injury. In the beginning he thought war was cool but once the Germans declared they were at war with them he found out the true meaning of war Damage, Cruelty, and Death.

I think war is uncool it is death and guns. It can go out of hand. The shows make war look not fun one bit. It is one big nightmare. i do know someone who served for the navy. At first phillips wants to attack the Germans but when a ship goes out called empire tern then he dose not want to have war

Day 2 Literal comprehension Describe what you know to be true about Phillip. Be sure not to include subjective statements or opinions, try to keep to the facts.

- goheat8
Phillip is a boy who is about eleven years old. He lives on an island called Curacao, where the Germans are attacking. One of his friends is named Henrik von Boven. The two like to go to the docks and watch the schooners do their work. But most of the time they get in trouble because Phillip’s mother is worried that the two will get shot. She tells them to stay in the house. You see, Phillip’s mother doesn’t want to be in Curacao because it is not safe. So she and Phillip go to board a ship to the U.S. Unfortunately, Phillip has to leave his father, who works in the oil refinery, and go with his mother. But just after leaving the harbor, the Germans blew up their ship and everyone aboard had to get on the life boats to stay alive. But Phillip missed the life boats because he got hit in the head with one of the masts. After a couple of hours at sea, Phillip finds himself on a raft with a Negro at his side. The Negro had large muscles, and had a thick neck, and seemed to speak Jamaican. He wasn’t to appealing to Phillip, but he was a very nice man. The Negro, whose name was Timothy, gave Phillip water and made a shelter for them both out of their clothes. But later on their journey to find land, Phillip finds out that he is blind. At first he was really angry at both his mother and Timothy, but later got tired of yelling and stopped.

he is almost twelve year old boy who has dark hair and moved to the caribean when he was seven. He has a friend named Henrik he thinks war is cool but he only hears about the war on the radio. His dad has a job in an oil refinery but, his mom is a stay home mom. He likes to go down to the docks with henrik. Phillip lives during World War 2 the Nazis attack their town. So his mom and him are going to leave but when their leaving their ship gets attacked and it sinks so he wakes up on an island with a big black man, Phillip turns blind

K8sports Phillip is almost twelve years old . The island he lived on is at war with the Germans, that is why him and his mother left. His farther works in the oil refinery. His mother had no job. Phillip was born in Virginia but was mostly raised on a small island. His mother thinks Negro's are much different then white people and tells Phillip to stay away from them. Phillip goes to school. Phillip's father comes home late at night. Phillip is scared of being blind.

He is a boy, and he thinks that war is exciting but then he realizes that it is just life and death. He lives on an island but then he sails to the U.S. His name is Phillip to. His father decides to stay on the island. He has a best friend named phillip, and they like to hang out by the docks. Phillip is twelve years old,and he lives with his dad who works at an oil refinery.

bballstate: Phillip is an eleven year old boy who is almost twelve. He lives with his dad, who works at an oil refinery, and his mom, who doesn’t work. They live on a small Island. Phillip and his family grew up in the U.S.A. and in Virginia. Phillip also goes to school. Phillip, along with his mother, dislikes black men, until he reaches Timothy. He begins to like him just a little and then he doesn’t like him at all. Phillip is also blind. He became blind when he had a head injury and when he stared at the sun too long, when he was with Timothy. One of his friends is named Henrick. He and his mother were on a ship to head back to the United States when the Germans, who they were at war with, torpedoed their ship. The next thing Phillip new was that he was in the water floating away from his mother. Then something fell on him, which caused his head injury. He became lost at sea.

Philip is a young boy who wanted to fight back the germans. His mom wanted to go back to the u.s.a when they were on the trip they got hit by a tropes and he was left on a raft with Timothy. Timothy was a black man. Philip is always made at Timothy if he is not doing what he wants.

Day 3 Reflections:

In the novel a tragic event takes place. Describe that event in detail. Think about the fear involved for the people. How would you react? Have you ever been out on the open ocean? What types of fears involving nature do you have?

bballstate Phillip and his mother boarded a ship. The germans, who they were at war with them, torpedoed their ship. The next thing they new, both Phillip and his mom were in the water. They were separated. Phillip also was hit in the head with a piece of wood. Then, when Phillip woke up, he was beside a black man, named Timothy, in the middle of the ocean, lost. If I were to be lost at sea, then I would try to be calm, but I would still be scared. When I think about how Phillip and Timothy feel, I bet they were scared. Phillip the most because his mother says that he shouldn’t be around black men. I bet Phillip is scared that anytime Timothy can do something mean, but Phillip can’t run away, because they are lost at sea. I have never been out in the open ocean alone. But I have been to the Gulf Of Mexico. I am scared if I am in the woods and there is a bear that will come up behind me and eat me. There are also some weeds I am allergic to and I am scared that I might be by them.

Phillip and his mom get on a ship to go to america. Then the germans torpedo the ship that they were on. Then Phillip and his mom fell over board into the water. Phillip and his mom get separated at sea and when Phillip fell over board he hit his head. Phillip was saved by a 70 year old black man named Timothy. I would cry and cry and cry and cry and cry until I become dehidrated. No I have not been out in the open ocean. I am afraid of getting lost in the forest, and never getting found.


Phillip and his mother go on a ship to take them of the island they are on. Something goes wrong and everyone has to get on life boats to leave then a piece of wood hits him on the head he, was unconscious for FOUR hours [So he was told]. When he is conscious he noticed his mother is not there in her place was a huge West Indian guy named Timothy. Phillip cries because he thinks he might never see his mother again. He worries tremendously he wonders if she is okay or is she is hurt. I would be scared if i were him but react less sad and try to help Timothy. I have been in open ocean before but I was on a boat watching dolphins. I have a fear of snakes, bugs, frogs, lizards, and Sharks.

- goheat8
Phillip and his mother had boarded a ship to the U.S. But the bad thing was that the Germans were attacking them. Phillip didn’t want to go, and his father didn’t want him to go either. But Phillip had to go because of his mother. Now, Phillip’s mother knew it wasn’t safe, but she thought it was safer to board the ship because at any time, the Germans could bomb the little island of Curacao in which they lived on. So she took the chance of boarding the ship. But just a few minutes after the ship had left the docks, the Germans unfortunately bombed it. All the people were scared to death and didn’t know what to do. I know if I was on that ship, I would be terrified. I don’t really have any fears of nature except maybe drowning, but luckily I have never been out in the open ocean, so that means that would have never happened to me. So anyways, the first blow made the ship’s bow sink, and the second blow took down the whole ship. Everyone was supposed to get on the life boats. But unfortunately Phillip got knocked in the head with one of the masts and was unconscious. So he didn’t make one of the life boats. But then, about four hours later, Phillip became conscious again, and woke up to see a very unpleasant sight. Phillip saw a black Negro hanging over him. He had lots of muscles and was Jamaican. Phillip didn’t get along very well at first. But after a while he learned to live with the old man.

Phillip and his mother are on a ship to leave the island when their on their second day their ship is attacked and they start to sink. Phillip wakes up and instead of seeing his mother he sees an old, huge west indian named Timothy. He asks if he saw his mother he says he thinks shes safe. Philip is scared in so many ways one he is afraid he may never see his mom again and two he is stranded with a black man. If I was stranded on a island with an old man I did not know I would be scared. I have never been out in the middle of an ocean.

The big ship is hit by a torpedo and he got stuck on raft with Timothy then he got hit hard and become blind. I beat the pillip is at lest sad that he is spread from his mother. I have not been in open ocean. I fear sharks and poison.

Day 4 Wiki Repsonse Question:

In reading, strong readers often make connections to help make their book more interesting, exciting, and desirable to read. One type of connection is a text to text connection. This means that the reader is connecting some aspect of the current book they're reading to another book they've read. List three (2) text to text (t-t) connections you've made so far about your novel.

1) In the book Phillip makes some remarks to Timothy [who is black] that are very raciest, and it remind me of books about segregation.
2) There is a war going on and the German attack, that reminds we of a book I read in fourth grade about the Nazis.
3) The ship that Phillip and his mother were on sunk like the Titanic did it reminds me of a book we read in third grade about the Titanic.

- goheat8
1.) In the book The Cay, the Germans are attacking the island of Curacao in which Phillip used to live on. I remember in fourth grade when my teacher was reading a very interesting book to my class. I don’t exactly remember the name of the book, but I know that in it, the Germans, or Nazis, were attacking a little town in Scotland. There was a girl in the book whose family wanted to escape to different lands where the Nazis weren’t attacking. So the book talked about how they made their escape.
2.) Also in the book, there is a part when Phillip says some racist things to Timothy. That reminds me of fourth grade when my class was reading in our social studies books. We were learning about the days when African Americans got treated very poorly. I felt really bad for the people in the text books, and I also felt bad for Timothy.

I have also read a book and it’s name is Hatchet, and in the book they also have a stranded person in the middle of nowhere. Also when I read in the forest The main character was strnded in the middle of nowhere.

bballstate 1. When Phillip says things that are very mean to Timothy because he is black, I think about a book about Jackie Robinson that I read. 2. When they talk about the Germans who are in a war with the English, it reminds me of a book, I can’t remember what it is called, but it is about the Nazis were attacking a town in England.
3. When Phillip went out to play with Henrik, and he wasn’t supposed to, it reminded me of a book that my family read about how these boys would go out when they weren’t supposed to.

1.) In 4th grade I remember reading in our social studies reading about segregation and how bad it was for the black people, and in this book their is a lot of racism and I remembered that.
2.) I remember in 2nd grade my teacher read us the Titanic in class and in the story the ship Phillip is on gets attacked and it sinks.

One is people lost. The second is trap on a island. The third is being blind. Almost all books have one of those things in them

Day 5 Reflection questions:

Phillip becomes blind during the story. This is a serious obstacle for him to overcome. What BIG problems have you overcame in your life?


I have a fear of heights but I like to go on really big roller coasters so i over came it by telling myself it is going to be fun and a fear of heights is not going to stop me from doing something fun. I have been on top of Stone Mt. in Georgia my mother and brother were queasy but i over came it and it was very fun. I used to be afraid of public speaking but I over came it after being in my Aunt’s wedding and seeing how fun it can be if you just try to enjoy it and not be fearful.

Once I afraid of me having to get a surgery because I had HSP. I was so scared I could run away. But it turned out that I didn’t get surgery.

I am afraid of losing my grandma because she is in a serious medical condition and she may not make it. She has recently came home to my house so that we can take care of her because she is mentally and physically weak. She is on a feeding tank and can’t keep her food down. I try to do everything that I can to help. I pray every night and make sure that she is comfortable. Now my grandma is getting better by the minute and I think it’s a miracle.

bballstate One fear that I have over came was that when I was four, I had a fear of swimming in lakes. Of course, I do swim in lakes now. I had to push myself [not literally] to go into the lake every day. It was hard but with my family and friends helping me, I continued with my goal. Soon, I forgot what I was doing and I wasn’t scared at all.

- goheat8
One big fear I have is of roller coasters. Whenever I go on them I feel like I’m going to die because somehow I think that it is going to run off the tracks and everyone is going to crash and die. I have always had this fear, and sort of been embarrassed by it but the truth is that I cannot stand roller coasters. I have only rode on one roller coaster in my whole life, and that was at Disney World. It was called Space Mountain, and luckily I felt ok on that one because it was all in the dark. So I couldn’t see any of the tracks, and then I wasn’t scared of dying. Unfortunately, I still haven't overcome my fear of roller coasters. But some day I hope I do.

When I was really little around five I was scared (freaked out) of tubing but my parents one day forced me to go tubing, I was really scared but after a while it was really fun and I wanted to do it again, and I overcame the fear of tubing.

Day 6 Wiki Response

List a strategy that you used to help you better understand the text thus far.

  • I recalled what I know about the topic.

  • I asked myself questions as I read.

  • I was reminded of personal connections.

  • I thought about the reasons why things happened.

  • I pictured what was happening.

Give at least two examples from the book to show how you used this comprehension strategy.

bballstate I used the “pictured what was happening” strategy. When Phillip and Timothy were in the middle of the ocean, I could imagine the water and the raft. The clearest picture was when Phillip fell into the water and almost got eaten by sharks. Another picture was when they were both on the island, and he said Timothy made a hut. In my head I pictured a little hut. It is like there is a movie theater in my head.


I pictured what was happening for example the book says phillip was talking bad timmthy and anther i can picture a blind kid on a island that he is only with Timothy. he was whith his mom when he was on a raft and now on a cay.

I pictured what was happening: When Phillip fell off of the raft and timothy had to dive in to save him from the sharks. I saw it all in my head.
I also recalled what I knew about the topic: I went to Harris Nature day camp and we learned how to make a shelter, and Timothy made a shelter on the cay. So I new some stuff about making a shelter.

I pictured what was happening and it helped. I pictured where they were and they were on an island well it was more like a cay. They were stranded so when they found land it was important. I also used the stradagy when they were on the raft in the middle of the ocean. This is an important thing to picture because they were at sea I mean come on people they are at sea.

- goheat8
One strategy I used to better understand the book was picture what was happening. That helps me better understand the book because it’s like a little movie in my head. I can see everything that is happening. Like when Phillip and Timothy were on the raft. I pictured them out in the middle of the ocean on a little wooden piece of wood about 6 feet wide and 6 feet tall. Another thing I pictured was when Phillip and Timothy were on the deserted island. I pictured them on this beautiful island, stranded. They were in ripped up clothes and had a little hut built on the sand. Another strategy I used was thinking about why things happen. A time I used it was when the Germans were attacking. I thought about why they attacked. Another time I used it was when Phillip was being racist to Timothy. I wondered why he was doing that

The strategy I used was I pictured things that were happening. I pictured the surroundings of the area as the story describes it. I pictured when Phillip and Timothy were on the cay and when they were stranded in the middle of the ocean on the raft. Also when their on the beach and in their hut.

Day 7 Response Questions

Phillip and Timothy both are becoming more comfortable with each other as people. Phillip starts to warm up to Timothy. Phillip thought that the Dutch boys were racist, but many of his thoughts were very similar. Why do you think that Phillip thought he wasn't racist, but had very strong feelings that might otherwise prove he was? Explain - BE SPECIFIC!

ballstate Sometimes, Timothy tells Phillip to do something, but Phillip thinks that he shouldn’t, because Timothy is trying to help them survive. Phillip thinks that Timothy is just doing that because he wants to relax sooner and he is just doing all the work. Phillip gets mad when he falls over board and almost gets eaten by sharks, but why he gets mad is that Timothy swears and Phillip gets very mad. Phillip knows that they are swear words and his mother doesn’t like when he listens to them. Phillip didn’t think he was racist at first, but that was a while ago. He was the only person he knows that is with him, and the only person who can help him survive. Then when Timothy makes Phillip work, he starts to think bad things about him.

I think the reason that Phillip thinks that he is not raciest is because he has seen people that are a lot more raciest then him so he assumes that they are raciest and he is not. Some of the feelings that Phillip had that are raciest are, when they were on the island Timothy makes Phillip mad and Phillip calls him a stupid old black man that can’t even spell. in the begging when Phillip had just meet Timothy he said his face smashed-in face was ugly.


I think it was because Phillip didn’t think it was as bad as the Dutch boys did it but he said some very mean and racist. Phillip called Timothy a stupid black old man.

When Phillip started to know Timothy they both felt more comfortable and so they both started to open up to each other so it was a lot like how the old saying went “you cant judge a book by it’s cover”.

- goheat8
I think the reason that Phillip thinks Timothy is not racist is because he was really nice to him after they were with each other for a while. At first, Phillip thought that Timothy was an ugly old black man with a smashed face. But then after he got to know him, Phillip realized how kind and helpful Timothy was. I think the reason why Phillip thought that the Dutch boys were racist was because they might have looked sort of scary and mean. Phillip was also taught by his mother that black people were bad, and that he shouldn’t be hanging around them. But thankfully, Phillip learned that some black people are not bad.
I think Phillip dose not know what racist is. He might have a lot of anger him stunk on a island. He might be so mad from losing his mom


Day 8 Response Questions:

Both castaways were experiencing physical problems, what were the problems for each? In your opinion, which one was worse, why?

Why was Timothy helping to change the island's landscape? How was it related to his condition? What big problem happened?

bballstate Timothy is getting weaker and weaker. He is about seventy and he could die any day. Phillip is blind, [he can’t see]. I think that Timothy’s problem is worse. Phillip is getting better at using his other senses, so him being blind, hardly hurts him. On the other hand, Timothy can die any second in his life. He is an old, seventy year old, weak, black man. Timothy knew he would die. So he tried to think on ways that would help Phillip to live when his time came to an end. During a hurricane, Timothy did die.


Phillip is blind. Timothy was just old so he was getting weaker. I think that Phillip’s condition was worse because, Timothy at least was once strong and healthy, but Phillip is blind and will be for as long as he lives it will not go away, or get better or worse, his vision will stay the same all he will see is black.

The reason Timothy was changing the island was because he knew he would die and we wanted Phillip to be independent so he would have a chance to live when Timothy died. A big Hurricane hit the cay and while Timothy was trying to save Phillip he got himself killed. So it is only Phillip and Stew Cat on a small cay.

- goheat8

The problem with Phillip is that he is blind. I feel really bad for him because he was stranded on a beautiful, but dangerous cay with an old man named Timothy. First of all, I would want to actually know where he was at the time, and if he was even alive. Secondly, I would like to know how beautiful the cay is. Plus, if I was walking right into danger, or if something was going to hurt me, I’d definitely want to know about it. So that’s Phillip’s problem. Now Timothy is a different story. He is a black man, who is sadly getting very old. He is in his late seventies, and that’s exactly his problem. Timothy is on a deserted island with a blind boy named Phillip. He basically has to take care of himself and Phillip, and make sure they are both safe from harm. Now, as you know, Phillip is blind, so he’s not much of a help to Timothy. So Timothy has to do all of the work by himself, and worry about dying of old age. I think that’s crazy! But although they are both bad, I would have to say that Timothy’s case is worse because he is really old and has to take care of himself and Phillip, plus make sure that he doesn’t die, because if he did, Phillip would probably die also from being bitten by something dangerous on the island, drowning, or even starving because of not having Timothy to guide him. But unfortunately, Timothy knew he would die sooner or later on the island. He did try as hard as he could to stay alive, but had a tragic death in a huge hurricane. Luckily, before that, Timothy had set the island up so that Phillip could easily move around it and hopefully not get injured or have something tragic happen to him too. Timothy had dug a fishing hole, and made a pole so that Phillip could fish for food. He also made a cane so that Phillip could walk with ease around the island. Timothy made a hut and mats for both of them to sleep in, but they both got blown away in the severe winds of the massive hurricane that swept through the cay. So Phillip still had to make those on his own, but at least Timothy tried to help with that. So as you see, Phillip and Timothy went through a lot together, but unfortunately, Phillip has to learn to live alone now. With no one else but Stew Cat, Timothy’s loyal feline. Hopefully they will make it. If they do, it’s survival. But if they don’t, it’s death.
The problem for Phillip was that he was blind so he wouldn’t be able to avoid the storm because he was blind. So when the storm came he had to tie his hands to a tree so he wouldn’t be swept away to sea. Timothy did the same thing but he was over Phillip so that Phillip wouldn’t get pelted by the rain. Timothy saved Phillip but Timothy got hurt and so he died from the pelting rain. I think that Timothy’s physical problem was worse because he was old and he had bad health and so he died in the storm.


Philip was blind that was his big physical problem and Timothy’s problem was he was old. I think Phillip’s problem was worse because he was stranded on an island with only one old man.

dogman10Timothy is doesn’t know how old he is and is going to die. Phillip is blind. I think timothy is worse. Timothy is doing the land scape because is going to die. A storm is

Day 9 - 6 questions to answer

The novel ends with a rescue. What discovery did Phillip make about himself during the trails he endured on the cay? How did he get rescued? How was the rescue different than if the novel took place during today instead of in the 1940's? What was the author's purpose for writing THE CAY? How much did you enjoy the novel? What was your favorite part?


That he is not raciest, and black people are fine. A plane him and signaled to a boat and the boat got close and Phillip got on. He would have been found a lot sooner and he probably would no have been raciest, he might not have survived cause he didn’t now as much about survival. To teach people that color did not matter and the people can change and have a different way of thinking. I really enjoyed this book I liked how you had to make different voices and it was hard to put down. My favorite part was when He fell of the raft and Timothy had to jump in and save him not that I enjoyed Timothy getting yelled at, it’s just it was so detailed and realistic. But over all this book was an amazing read and I loved it it was awesome.

- goheat8

One thing Phillip found out was that some black people are really nice and helpful toward others, like Timothy was to Phillip. He also learned that anyone can do something if they put their mind to it, and keep working hard to succeed. Why Phillip learned that is because he was stranded on the island and he had to survive for a while on his own because Timothy died in the storm. Phillip then got rescued by a few American men in a plane, who saw Phillip’s smoke column and decided to come down and help. They rowed a boat over to where Phillip was and helped him to the plane. If the rescue would have taken place now instead of in the 1940s, I think a helicopter would have lowered itself on the cay and Phillip would get on and be checked over thoroughly to make sure he was in good health, be given fresh food and water, be able to relax a bit, then be taken to a real hospital where they would do procedures, and then Phillip would finally be able to see his parents. I think the purpose of writing The Cay was to inform readers about surviving on your own and how hard it is. Also that black people can be very kind and helpful, plus that if you work hard, you will succeed. I really enjoyed the book a lot. I had a fun time reading it, and I think it had a good message. But what made it even more interesting was how the author really put emotion into it. I found myself really feeling for Timothy and Phillip, and the pain they must be having. Especially when Phillip was on his own. If I was in that situation, I would be devastated, and a mix of furious and mirthless. In my opinion, emotion makes a book so much better. I would have to say that my favorite part was a little after the hurricane when Timothy dies and Phillip realizes that he has to live on his own. I thought that part was really moving.

bbalstate He discovers that he can survive with out Timothy and Timothy was a true friend to him. A boat pulled up and somebody shouted, “There is a naked boy and a cat!” So they decided they should take him. If the novel took place in the present time, then there would probably be an airplane or helicopter that would come and rescue them. I think the author wrote this novel because she was either going through tough times or she has experienced it. This book is now one of my most favorite book. My favorite part was when Phillip almost got eaten by sharks.

Bball 23
Phillip realizes that he can learn from all people and that to dosen’t matter what color, gender, or the age. Phillip also realizes that he lost a great and truthful and wonderful friend. He learned to love stew cat , even though he was a cat. He learned to look at something without using his eyes. There was this air craft and Phillip sent black smoke into the air and so then the air craft raidiod a schooner that was near by so then they came and picked up Phillip. It wouldn’t be different, well thats what I think. Maybe she had experienced something like that. or she may be doing it for fun. I think that it was a little plain and that it could have been more exciting. My favorite part is when Phillip got rescued.


Phillip learned that black people really aren’t that bad and that even if your blind you can do things. He got rescued by a small ship came by and picked him up. Well, if it took place in the present day then they would have rescued him in a helicopter. The purpose the author made for making this book was for the survival theme and that you can stuff. I enjoyed this novel very much, my favorite part was when they were stuck on the cay.

He can do stuff without having to see. A boat with men came and gave him a spot on the boat. There would be more things to help him to be better. To think about being snouted on a island and blind. I really loved the book because it was really detailed. My favorite part of the book the end.