Roll of Thunder, Hear Me Cry / This popular novel explores life in southern Mississippi, when racism was still common in The South and many were persecuted for the color of their skin. The 'Berry Burnings' mentioned in many chapters and Mr. Tatum who was tarred and feathered in the fourth chapter are prime examples of the racism that still existed, with people taking the law into their own hands at the expense of the black population.
Throughout the novel, the reader learns about the importance of land and the effects of racism, at the same time as Cassie Logan (the narrator) learns 'the way things are'. It is key to this story that the narrator is a child as it adds emphasis upon what it was like to grow up in "The South", and it also helps the reader to understand the true impact of racism at this time.
