Summary of Alligator Bayou

Donna Jo Napoli, the author of Alligator Bayou got her insperation from a newspaper article. It was about five Silician grocery workers in Louisiana, who helped an african customer before a caucasian customer, which was sadly lynched by a town mob. Alot of the characters in the book are historical figures, but Napoli added another character to the book, Calogero. His family is from Silicy, because of that they dont understand the Jim Crows law, and when he shook hands with black boys close to his age they we shocked and speechless. Caleogero begins to like a very gorgeous black girl named Patricia, who likes hims back, but the have to keep their relationship very secretive. The white people of the town do not like the Silicians, because they are stereotyping them as violent people and gang members. While the black residents are very welcoming and kind towards the Silicians.

But the trouble soon begins. Not only because Calogero stayed out all nigth alligator hunting in the dangerous swamps, and when he wants to go to the all black school. But when one of his cousins goats is set free and keeps going to the towns medic house and congregating on his patio. So when they hear shots in the night, they find that the medic (Dr. Hodge) kept his threat about killing the goat if it kept going onto his property. Soon the fighting begins between the medic and Calogero’s cousins. Which sends Calogero running for his life.