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65 pages 2 hours read

John Dudley Ball

In the Heat of the Night

John Dudley BallFiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1965

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After Reading

Discussion/Analysis Prompt

How does Ball approach the relationship between Compassion and Empathy? How does he incorporate these words within his characterization of Tibbs, Sam, and Gillespie? Explain.

 

Teaching Suggestion: This Prompt invites students to connect their responses to the Personal Connection Prompt within the context of the story. Over the course of the novel, Ball uses Compassion and Empathy to deconstruct prejudices and stereotypes, and to add nuance to his characters. Since Sam and Gillespie both have a change of heart regarding Tibbs by the end of the novel, it may be helpful to map out character arcs to identify where and when these emotions encourage the characters’ personal growth.

Activities

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

DEBATE: “Empathy for All?”

In this activity, students will participate in a debate in which they argue either for or against the assertion that empathy should be extended to all people.

Using the text as well as your own research, you will argue either for or against the following assertion: Empathy should be extended to all persons, regardless of their beliefs. Working with your classmates, you will develop an argument, including opening and closing statements as well as rebuttals, that supports your point of view. Be sure to rehearse your argument with your group prior to the in-class debate. Finally, participate in a post-debate class discussion in which you analyze and reflect on each team’s argumentative approaches.

Teaching Suggestion: This activity invites students to apply their analytical and debate skills to the text’s themes of Systemic Racism Hurts Everyone, Compassion and Empathy, and Poor Infrastructure Harms Communities. Students may use arguments and specific details from the text, as well as their own opinions on the subject. This teacher-facing resource from Harvard University provides guidance on facilitating in-class debates.

Differentiation Suggestion: For lower-level classes, the above Activity may be amended to the following prompt: Working in small groups, select one of Ball’s characters and analyze how the author uses this person to convey a specific perspective about systematic racism and/or poor infrastructure in Southern United States.

Paired Text Extension:

During the era of the novel’s publication, several viewpoints existed regarding how to protest segregation. Two notable contesting viewpoints were Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Using the links below, read both philosophies regarding how to protest segregation. Which of the following views would the character Tibbs agree with? How about the author Ball? How do both civil rights leaders approach the topics of Systemic Racism Hurts Everyone, Compassion and Empathy, and Poor Infrastructure Harms Communities? In particular, how would each of these leaders respond to the above assertion in the main Activity? Explain.

  • Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr. was written in 1963 in response to another open letter, “A Call for Unity.” A guide to this text is available on SuperSummary.
  • The Ballot or the Bullet” by Malcolm X is a speech about Black nationalism that was delivered first in Cleveland, Ohio, and then in Detroit, Michigan, in 1964. A guide to this text is available on SuperSummary.

Teaching Suggestion: Students may complete this Paired Text Extension as either an extended in-class discussion to the above debate or a take-home written assignment.

Essay Questions

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Virgil Tibbs is a Black police detective in a story that takes place during the civil rights movement in America. Consider how Ball develops this character.

  • What characteristics and behaviors does Virgil Tibbs exhibit that surprise the southern city of Wells? (topic sentence)
  • Identify 2-3 examples of how the community of Wells responds to Tibbs and analyze their responses.
  • In your concluding sentence or sentences, consider the commentary Ball is making through this characterization about the theme Systemic Racism Hurts Everyone.

2. Round characters’ arcs are an essential part of fictional stories, as they provide readers with people who are realistic and relatable. Analyze Sam’s character arc throughout the course of the novel.

  • What is Sam’s character like in the beginning of the novel? How does this change by the end of it? (topic sentence)
  • Describe and analyze how Sam’s internal transformation is shaped by his relationships with Virgil, Bill, and Duena.
  • In your concluding sentence or sentences, discuss what Sam’s overall transformation says about the theme of Compassion and Empathy.

3. Consider the manner in which poverty interacts with racism in the novel.

  • How is poverty viewed by the townspeople of Wells? (topic sentence)
  • Identify 2-3 examples in which socioeconomic status is referenced in the story as an important factor to a person’s identity.
  • In your concluding sentence or sentences, reflect on the significance of Ball’s inclusion of poverty and racism alongside the theme Poor Infrastructure Harms Communities.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. Compare and contrast the characters of Duena and Delores. Does the author include complex women in the novel? Why or why not? What do these characters tell the reader about the role of women in southern society? Overall, what is the role of gender in Ball’s novel, and how are various women portrayed and examined within it through the male gaze?

2. Consider the novel’s representation of law enforcement. What does this representation highlight about contextually relevant issues at the time the book was written? Does the novel’s commentary on racism and law enforcement feel relatable to today? Compare one of the crimes in the novel to a current event. In what ways have these issues improved, changed, or remained the same?

3. Consider the relationship between the Black community and white community of Wells. Does Virgil change the way he speaks depending on his audience? How does he interact with other Black people compared to the hostile white townsfolk? Use examples from the text to explain your answer.

Cumulative Exam Questions

Multiple Choice and Long Answer Questions create ideal opportunities for whole-text review, exams, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following phrases best describes the opening passage of the novel?

A) An interview with the primary suspect for the case

B) A description of the weather conditions

C) An overview of race relations in the Southern United States

D) A synopsis of the protagonist’s life in California

2. Which of the following words best describes Gillespie’s character?

A) Diminutive

B) Bashful

C) Headstrong

D) Lackadaisical

3. Which of the following words best describes Tibbs in his first meeting with Sam?

A) Enraged

B) Compliant

C) Fearful

D) Sympathetic

4. Which of the following phrases best describes how Gillespie views his position of employment?

A) Necessary for the sake of humanity

B) Useless compared to his colleagues

C) Crucial to spreading compassion and awareness

D) Important as a stepping stone to his career

5. Which of the following phrases best describes why Gillespie and Sam decide to invite Tibbs to stay at the station?

A) Ridiculing opportunities

B) Diplomatic efforts

C) Racist scheming

D) Genuine interest

6. In his first visit to the Endicott house, Sam observes that “it seemed as if the man had suddenly grown tired, not the weariness of a single day, but the kind of fatigue that sinks into the bones and remains there like a disease” (Chapter 5). Which of the following literary terms does Sam use in his observation?

A) Synecdoche

B) Metaphor

C) Simile

D) Metonymy

7. Which of the following emotions does Duena exhibit when Sam mentions Tibbs’s race?

A) Empathy for being discriminated against

B) Fear for possible fraternization with a person of color

C) Shame for the atrocities that African American communities experience

D) Delight for the opportunity to meet a non-Italian individual

8. Which obstacle does Tibbs continually run into during the course of the novel?

A) Northern assimilation

B) Southern segregation

C) Non-American prejudice

D) Racial acceptance

9. Which of the following aspects does Sam struggle with throughout the novel?

A) Whether he is worthy enough to speak to the Endicotts

B) Whether he should prosecute Gillespie for negligence

C) Whether he likes Tibbs despite the racial differences

D) Whether he considers Oberst a friend or foe

10. After Mr. Gottschalk’s questioning, Pete tells Sam, “Virgil told Gillespie something; when Arnold went past the door, there was Gillespie, as meek as Moses, listening to Virgil explain it to him. Arnold didn’t get the drift, but it must have been something good” (Chapter 8). Which of the following literary terms does Pete use in his explanation?

A) Allegory

B) Alliteration

C) Allusion

D) Anaphora

11. How does the characters’ discussion of the term “miasma” link to the title of the book?

A) It centers on the hatred between segregated classes.

B) It refers to the night air.

C) It connects with the will to murder someone.

D) It rejects the notion of cold-blooded murder.

12. Which of the following words best describes how Gillespie responds to the locals of Wells ordering him to do something?

A) Obstinate

B) Dutiful

C) Obliging

D) Diligent

13. In Chapter 10, Tibbs asks Duena, “If I had had the honor of meeting your father, do you think he would have liked me?” Which of the following phrases best describes the motivation behind Tibbs asking this question?

A) To see if Mantoli hated law enforcement

B) To understand if Mantoli could make friends easily

C) To deduce if Duena is lying about her father’s discriminative background

D) To ascertain if Mantoli was a prejudiced individual

14. What interesting point does Tibbs reveal to Jess’s son about his first case?

A) That he was immediately well-respected by his superiors

B) That he became a detective only six months after joining the force

C) That he could go undercover easier because of his race

D) That he strongly disliked police work in the beginning of his employment

15. What information does Schubert share with Duena concerning the Southern United States?

A) That they are always prone to segregation

B) That they had been hit with economic difficulties

C) That they do not require the support of outsiders

D) That they do not look favorably on Italians

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating text details to support your response.

1. What is the setting of the novel? How does this setting link to the title and the historical context in which the novel was written?

2. What is the narration style of the novel? How do the narrators relate to the characterization and plot?

Exam Answer Key

Multiple Choice

1. B (Chapter 1)

2. C (Chapter 2)

3. B (Chapter 2)

4. D (Various chapters)

5. B (Chapter 4)

6. C (Chapter 5)

7. A (Chapter 5)

8. B (Various chapters)

9. C (Various chapters)

10. C (Chapter 8)

11. B (Chapter 8)

12. A (Chapter 9)

13. D (Chapter 10)

14. C (Chapter 11)

15. B (Chapter 12)

Long Answer

1. Ball’s novel In the Heat of the Night is set during the hot August months in Wells, South Carolina. This is important for many reasons. First, the “night” in the title refers to the time of day that Sam initially discovers the body. Second, it reappears in Sam and Tibbs’s discussion of the term “miasma.” Third, it links with the preservation of Mantoli’s body (by keeping it warm) and provides evidence for Ralph as a suspect, since hotter nights would lead to less traffic on the road, thereby reducing his visibility during the night of the murder. (All chapters)

2. Ball’s novel uses a third-person narration style with limited insight into the characters’ thinking. Most of the insight comes from either Sam or Gillespie, which further adds to the characterization of white characters as they grapple with their racist presumptions and individual opinions of Tibbs. (All chapters)

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