1.Rampart Story Statement:
Born into poverty, mama is a prostitute, papa is not around, Louis must make his own way. He luck will change when he starts working for brothers, Morris and Alex. He overcomes his life’s demons with the encouragement and support from the brothers’ family. He must face his own family, square up with the law, learn to blow the horn, all while figuring out a way into musical greatness.
2.Antagonist:
Louis Armstrong Sr was too busy in his debauchery to give his son anything but a name. Louis Jr learns as a youngster that his papa wasn’t someone he would or could count on. Louis Sr doesn’t give his son any encouragement, love or support much less attention. He will relentlessly pursue his Pappa’s attention and approval only to be shot down again and again. He tends to his little sister Lucy and his prostitute mother Mayann by working for a Russian immigrant family. Papa disapproves and will try to spoil the relationship and poison his chances of opportunity. After a scuffle with the law, Pappa allows Louis Jr to be sent away to the colored waif’s home instead of vouching for his son. Every time Louis Jr makes headway out of poverty and shame, his papa is there to break him down. In spite of his evil, Louis must rise up and confront his Pappa. He will overcome and prosper despite his bone of contention of a father.
3.Working titles:
Rampart
Born for the Horn
Rise of Sachmo
Lifting Dipper
Dipper Rising
4.Comparables:
The Kitchen house. Kathleen Grissom
Where the Crawdads Sing. Delia Owens
Lawn Boy. Jonathan Evison
5.Hook Lines:
A young pennies boy tries to forgive his papa, take care of his momma and sister. All while working for learning from his chosen family who facilitates his rise to greatness.
After lifting himself out of poverty with the help of his chosen family, young Louis must confront his deadbeat father, prostitute momma and his calling to the musical world.
Young Louis must struggle through his poverty, confront his deadbeat Papa, tend to his prostitute mother all while trying navigate a musical future with the help of his chosen family.
Conditions For Inner Conflict:
Young Louis forages for food at the market and behind the fancy hotels and saloons of New Orleans. In 1905 New Orleans is divided into two. The affluent white southern gentry make the rules and often break them at will, and the immigrant, ex con, free slave folks are holed up in the “back o’ town.” Storyville, where a man can go for extra circular enjoyment, attracts both worlds. Back behind the French Quarter, “Vieux Carre”, Storyville offers gentleman adult entertainment which is divided by color, Black and White Storyville. Mayann, young Louis’ momma, is a black working girl who births Louis at age 15 and is often not around to care for her son. He stays with his Grandma some and usually on the street foraging for food. He meets and starts working for two white boys with a wagon. They collect “rags and bones” in the day and sell coal at night. The brothers invite young Louis to their home and it is the first time Louis is ever cared for, fed a decent meal and offered a warm welcome. He cannot forget about his family, he must continue to help them, which he does every week by handing his momma his earnings. Momma has another child, his little sister Lucy, he must tend to her too. His Pappa is not around and there are many men that enter and exit his momma’s world. Louis is able to see the white world while working on the wagon and is exposed to the new sound of Jazz. He must find a way to learn to blow a horn, this will be his first act of helping himself, and can also save his family. The conflict of obligation verses personal determination will consistently rear its head throughout the novel.
Secondary Conflict
It is New Years Eve and Louis wants to celebrate with all the others on the street. He makes his way back to his Momma and Lucy to hand them his earnings. He is feeling so proud that he can provide for his family. Louis takes “Momma Lucy”(his sister’s pet name) for a special New Year’s treat then brings her back to his Momma’s room. His momma, Mayann, will be going out for work and Momma Lucy will go down for bed soon. He is humming one of white brothers Russian lullaby to Lucy when he discovers a real gun under the bed. It must belong to one of Mayann’s gentlemen friends. He better be careful with it but, wow, he would like to shoot up to the sky, especially since its new Years Eve and the sounds from the streets are already reaching a crescendo! He kisses Momma Lucy and exits with the gun in his pocket, as he turns on to Perdido street he eyes his pals and runs up to show them his treasure. Soon after, he points it up to the sky and shoots the gun. His face turns red as he looks straight at the officer walking right towards him. Louis feels regret, sorrow and angst like he has never felt before, and his humiliation is heightened as he is taken away to the paddy wagon. Louis must forge his path through this next hurdle which will be filled with challenges and maybe some opportunities.
Setting
“Back o’Town” is the other side of the tracks in New Orleans in 1900. Perdido and Rampart Streets are the veins that pulse the life in and out of this strange world. White and Black Storyville are situated next to each other but are also different worlds. The immigrants, ex cons, free slaves and other unwanted soles are the citizens of the Back o’Town and create a sense of lawlessness. The stench of the dirt streets that are covered in the droppings from the horses and discarded trash of the night before, is most days intolerable by one who resides uptown. The cribs of Black Storyville line the alley ways and the rooms where the working girls stay up and down Jane Alley carry the stench of rancid food, dead animals and the public privy behind the rooms. Many of the lean-to wooden shotguns are beginning to settle and most look like they won’t make it through the next big storm. The street corners have men in small circles hunching over and gambling with dice, howling and screaming when they win or lose. The corner bar serves ale like water, which is most of the time the cleaner and safer to swallow. Children wander the streets shirtless and barefoot, often hungry and untended. Many of the young mothers are working girls and receive little or no help from their men or pimps. The Back o’ Town is also referred to as the Jungle which aptly paints an accurate picture of daily life. Further downtown in White Storyville, the streets may be laid with brick and some modern sewage lines but the decadence and debauchery still prevails as the common link throughout this ghetto. There are a few immigrant owned businesses, pawn shop, junk yard, small markets and saloons, most owners living upstairs above the street level businesses. They must protect it and their family, so living close makes sense. Besides, they could not afford to live anywhere else. These folks can venture out to other parts as needed. They will walk over to the river to the Decatur Street market to buy good produce, meats and cheeses. Their dress defines them as vagabonds, immigrants and the unwanted. It is best if they keep their head down, tend to their business and hurry back to their part of town.
Genre:
Narrative fiction
Historical Fiction
1.Rampart Story Statement: Born into poverty, mama is a prostitute, papa is not around, Louis must make his own way. He luck will change when he starts working for brothers, Morris and Alex. He overcomes his life’s demons with the encouragement and support from the brothers’ family. He must face his own family, square up with the law, learn to blow the horn, all while figuring out a way into musical greatness. 2.Antagonist: Louis Armstrong Sr was too busy in his debauchery to give his son anything but a name. Louis Jr learns as a youngster that his papa wasn’t someone he would or could count on. Louis Sr doesn’t give his son any encouragement, love or support much less attention. He will relentlessly pursue his Pappa’s attention and approval only to be shot down again and again. He tends to his little sister Lucy and his prostitute mother Mayann by working for a Russian immigrant family. Papa disapproves and will try to spoil the relationship and poison his chances of opportunity. After a scuffle with the law, Pappa allows Louis Jr to be sent away to the colored waif’s home instead of vouching for his son. Every time Louis Jr makes headway out of poverty and shame, his papa is there to break him down. In spite of his evil, Louis must rise up and confront his Pappa. He will overcome and prosper despite his bone of contention of a father. 3.Working titles: Rampart Born for the Horn Rise of Sachmo Lifting Dipper Dipper Rising 4.Comparables: The Kitchen house. Kathleen Grissom Where the Crawdads Sing. Delia Owens Lawn Boy. Jonathan Evison 5.Hook Lines: A young pennies boy tries to forgive his papa, take care of his momma and sister. All while working for learning from his chosen family who facilitates his rise to greatness. After lifting himself out of poverty with the help of his chosen family, young Louis must confront his deadbeat father, prostitute momma and his calling to the musical world. Young Louis must struggle through his poverty, confront his deadbeat Papa, tend to his prostitute mother all while trying navigate a musical future with the help of his chosen family. Conditions For Inner Conflict: Young Louis forages for food at the market and behind the fancy hotels and saloons of New Orleans. In 1905 New Orleans is divided into two. The affluent white southern gentry make the rules and often break them at will, and the immigrant, ex con, free slave folks are holed up in the “back o’ town.” Storyville, where a man can go for extra circular enjoyment, attracts both worlds. Back behind the French Quarter, “Vieux Carre”, Storyville offers gentleman adult entertainment which is divided by color, Black and White Storyville. Mayann, young Louis’ momma, is a black working girl who births Louis at age 15 and is often not around to care for her son. He stays with his Grandma some and usually on the street foraging for food. He meets and starts working for two white boys with a wagon. They collect “rags and bones” in the day and sell coal at night. The brothers invite young Louis to their home and it is the first time Louis is ever cared for, fed a decent meal and offered a warm welcome. He cannot forget about his family, he must continue to help them, which he does every week by handing his momma his earnings. Momma has another child, his little sister Lucy, he must tend to her too. His Pappa is not around and there are many men that enter and exit his momma’s world. Louis is able to see the white world while working on the wagon and is exposed to the new sound of Jazz. He must find a way to learn to blow a horn, this will be his first act of helping himself, and can also save his family. The conflict of obligation verses personal determination will consistently rear its head throughout the novel. Secondary Conflict It is New Years Eve and Louis wants to celebrate with all the others on the street. He makes his way back to his Momma and Lucy to hand them his earnings. He is feeling so proud that he can provide for his family. Louis takes “Momma Lucy”(his sister’s pet name) for a special New Year’s treat then brings her back to his Momma’s room. His momma, Mayann, will be going out for work and Momma Lucy will go down for bed soon. He is humming one of white brothers Russian lullaby to Lucy when he discovers a real gun under the bed. It must belong to one of Mayann’s gentlemen friends. He better be careful with it but, wow, he would like to shoot up to the sky, especially since its new Years Eve and the sounds from the streets are already reaching a crescendo! He kisses Momma Lucy and exits with the gun in his pocket, as he turns on to Perdido street he eyes his pals and runs up to show them his treasure. Soon after, he points it up to the sky and shoots the gun. His face turns red as he looks straight at the officer walking right towards him. Louis feels regret, sorrow and angst like he has never felt before, and his humiliation is heightened as he is taken away to the paddy wagon. Louis must forge his path through this next hurdle which will be filled with challenges and maybe some opportunities. Setting “Back o’Town” is the other side of the tracks in New Orleans in 1900. Perdido and Rampart Streets are the veins that pulse the life in and out of this strange world. White and Black Storyville are situated next to each other but are also different worlds. The immigrants, ex cons, free slaves and other unwanted soles are the citizens of the Back o’Town and create a sense of lawlessness. The stench of the dirt streets that are covered in the droppings from the horses and discarded trash of the night before, is most days intolerable by one who resides uptown. The cribs of Black Storyville line the alley ways and the rooms where the working girls stay up and down Jane Alley carry the stench of rancid food, dead animals and the public privy behind the rooms. Many of the lean-to wooden shotguns are beginning to settle and most look like they won’t make it through the next big storm. The street corners have men in small circles hunching over and gambling with dice, howling and screaming when they win or lose. The corner bar serves ale like water, which is most of the time the cleaner and safer to swallow. Children wander the streets shirtless and barefoot, often hungry and untended. Many of the young mothers are working girls and receive little or no help from their men or pimps. The Back o’ Town is also referred to as the Jungle which aptly paints an accurate picture of daily life. Further downtown in White Storyville, the streets may be laid with brick and some modern sewage lines but the decadence and debauchery still prevails as the common link throughout this ghetto. There are a few immigrant owned businesses, pawn shop, junk yard, small markets and saloons, most owners living upstairs above the street level businesses. They must protect it and their family, so living close makes sense. Besides, they could not afford to live anywhere else. These folks can venture out to other parts as needed. They will walk over to the river to the Decatur Street market to buy good produce, meats and cheeses. Their dress defines them as vagabonds, immigrants and the unwanted. It is best if they keep their head down, tend to their business and hurry back to their part of town. Genre: Narrative fiction Historical Fiction