Be Specific About Books To They Cage the Animals at Night

Original Title:	They Cage the Animals at Night
ISBN:	0451159411 (ISBN13: 9780451159410)
Edition Language:	English
Literary Awards:	Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (1996)

They Cage the Animals at Night Paperback | Pages: 304 pages

Point Based On Books They Cage the Animals at Night

Title	:	They Cage the Animals at Night
Author	:	Jennings Michael Burch
Book Format	:	Paperback
Book Edition	:	Special Edition
Pages	:	Pages: 304 pages
Published	:	October 1st 1985 by Signet (first published January 1st 1984)
Categories	:	Nonfiction. Autobiography. Memoir. Biography. Academic. School

Commentary Supposing Books They Cage the Animals at Night

Caging More Than Just Animals
Interestingly enough, we got to read this in middle school. We also got to keep the books that were assigned to us. I still remember certain scenes where Jennings, the narrator, and the author of this autobiographical novel either received amazing amounts of love or terrible amounts of abuse.

Set in the 1950s, in New York City and its environs, we get the unforgettable account of a few years of Jennings's childhood. With his mother too tired, sick, and beaten down to care for him and his brothers, he is shipped off several times to either foster homes or to orphanages. Early in the book we meet his constant friend, Doggie, a white and tan stuffed animal that was given to him, (at first) only at night, at the first home he stayed at. Each night the nuns would come around and collect the animals, caging them in little cubbies. This metaphor grows into the entire essence of the book. Through hardship, pain, emotional rampage, Jennings learns that stuffed animals are not the only thing that is caged for protection.

The orphans are locked up during the night and also during the day. Forced to listen for a clicker to get them to line up for dinner or a clap of the hands to get them to line up for lunch. The orphanages were sometimes a blessing in comparison to the homes Jennings is lent out to, where he learns that love and compassion are hard to find, even if they can be found anywhere. He cages up his ability to say that he loves anyone. There are times when there is much love in the world and Jennings cannot bear to find it in him to speak the words because if he does, if he lets them escape, just like the stuffed animals or the orphans, he might get doubly hurt. The cruelty that he finds in the world seems to confirm his need to lock himself up into himself. Yet, Jennings is a child of firm compassion. He is rarely judgmental and often very accepting and docile to the harsh world he has been thrown into. Often he cries, but rarely retaliates. He is resourceful and a master of escapism though his ever-trusty friend Doggie and through his own mind. The young boy cannot find much solace, even at home, as conditions go from worse to hellish. Each page makes it seem like the world might fall apart for our narrator.

Although much of the depth of the story was lost to me on a childhood level, reading it again brought out much more from the pages. It's a story of love for those around you and a story of overcoming overwhelming odds. There is triumph and defeat at every paragraph. A roller coaster of pain and joy.

I got to meet Jennings Michael Burch. I was in middle school, we had finished the book, and he came to speak with us. I remember our teacher telling us to speak up and to speak clearly because Jennings, because of old age and being boxed on the ears so many times by individuals in the story, could hardly hear.

This old man came shuffling within. He was balding and in a thick sweater vest over his button down shirt. We were silent as we watched years of suffering and hardship settle into a seat the teacher provided for him. Our teacher introduced us to him and we said 'hello' in unison. He smiled slightly, lowered his eyes to a duffel bag he had with him, and opened it silently. Out of it he produced Doggie, thread-bare, discolored, but still with him, his constant companion.

Rating Based On Books They Cage the Animals at Night

Ratings: 4.32 From 8344 Users | 700 Reviews

Criticism Based On Books They Cage the Animals at Night

It's a true story thats really shocking,The book They Cage The Animal At Night is a very sad and depressing book(I cried). It talks about a little boy named Jennings Michael Burch. He is a little boy who was left by his mother at an orphanage. He is 8 years old, curly red hair, white with freckles. Also while he was their at the orphanage he was being teased and laughed at by all the other boys in their. It took place mostly in a small room in the orphanage, very plain gloomy feeling , cramped

One of my favorite books! My 5th grade teacher read it aloud to my class each afternoon, and then, I had my mom buy it and read it with me at home!

read it - like a bookI had heard this was required reading in some schools - and boy do I feel sorry for those kids! This book was terribly depressing and it wasn't until the end that I found out this was a true story! I am not quite sure what kind of lesson you learn from this book except to thank your lucky stars you were not growing up during this time when orphanages were basically child abuse centers. Check this one off the list.

They Cage the Animals at Night, written by Jennings Michael Burch, is one of the many abuse-related books that I have read, and this one, like the Dave Pelzer series, is one of my favorites. The first time I read this book, I was still a tween, and rereading the book now, five years later, I understand it more deeply. By understanding the main points of the book, I paid more attention to other aspects of this heart-throbbing book. For example, I explored the emotions that the protagonist, little

I absolutely love this memoir. I read it for my Honors 9 English class as a summer assignment and at first I was really bummed because I thought it would be so boring. Well, it's not. It made me realize what's important and to be grateful for everything and everyone in my life. I definitely think everyone should read it.

They Cage the Animals at Night by Jennings Michael Burch is an autobiography about the hardships the author encounters as his family undergoes social, financial and emotional struggles. The story starts with young Jennings being taken to an orphanage because his mother is sick. To make matters worse, one of his temporary monitors is Sister Frances, an irascible nun who isnt afraid to use physical contact to get her point across. Hes lost in a world filled with clickers and mealtimes until he

3.5/5 starsThis is such a gripping story, and the fact that it's a true makes my heart ache.From the age of 9 through 11, Jennings goes from home after another, suffering from loss, by losing his family when he had to leave, to losing his friends he made in the home, to dealing with sickness and death. Jennings goes through so much at a young age and it's heart breaking to read his story. This novel really gives us an insight as to how the foster care system works (though not as many churches in