Call It Courage Study Guide

In the opening chapter, Mafatu recalls for the reader a life-changing even that happened to him early in his childhood, an event that has shaped his fear of the sea. One day, Mafatu's mother took him out to the barrier reef to look for sea urchins. A storm was coming their way, and the other fishermen turned their canoes around and headed for the safety of dry land. Mafatu's mother decided to brave the elements, much to the concern of the other fishermen. They warned her against staying out in the water, but she paid them no attention. Finally, though, she decides to head back to shore, but she finds the way blocked by a current that had formed by the shoulder of the reef passage. The current took hold of their canoe, leaving them defenseless against the elements. Their boat capsized, and ... (read more)