Chapter 4 Summary and Analysis

Dennis Smith lives in Washingtonville, a town that is 60 miles north of New York City. Dennis lived in the city all his life. He wanted a better place to live with his wife and their three sons. Washingtonville is a bastion of Goldwater Republicans, a mind-your-own-business kind of community. Dennis' Democratic soul was heartened however when the John Birch Society failed to get a teacher fired who allowed a student's artwork of the American Flag surrounded by question marks. The town is historic as it had been a stopping place for the underground railroad, which provided freedom for many blacks just prior to the Civil War. As a result, Washingtonville has a generous share of blacks in the community.

Although Dennis was anxious to move away from the city, he earns his living there. He cares what happens to it and...