The+Good+Time

This chapter introduces the characters, the plot, and in the many stories from the NC mountains. Jess, a 10 year old boy who lives on an big farm, knows little about the complicated world around him. A good reader learns from this chapter that his family appears close, however, without the farm they would not be as close. Although Jess is isolated on the farm, he processes great curiosity and an immense imagination. (Rollins)
 * The Big Questions: How does this chapter fit the novel as a whole / Why is it important / What should a good reader take away from this chapter?**

This chapter sets up the entire book. All of the main charachters are introduced, and it shows off their personalities. It shows off how close Jess, Joe Robert, and Johnson are. It also shows how they love to joke around and pull pranks on everyone. Also, in this chapter, it explains how life is for them on the farm, and how well everyone knows each other. (McKinnie) Being the opening chapter, its main job is to show us around and tell who is who, what theyre like and how the interact. but this chapter also tells us how theyre common farm life is in a suprising way that keeps the reader entertained. Jess, Joe, and Johnson are best friends and seem like they will be forever, which is important for the rest of the book as their relationships change.(gangemi)

I think this chapter is certainly the introductory one, but it's also at the top of the happiness scale. It seems that after this, not only does the book get weirder and weirder, but sadder and sadder. This is probably the only chapter without an element of confusion or sadness somewhere in it. He really starts here, a small child, happy, and grows up more and more and gets unhappier and unhappier. (Huff)

This chapter is the main introduction to the characters and setting. I found it very interesting how there is not much information given about the mother? Possibly she has passed? Future information later on in the book could be given? Who knows. Getting back on track, we learn that the family lives on farm that they work and manage by themselves, until a young man comes along to join the family and help. The calm and composed father and the new boy (Johnson) clash heads, and for no particular reason don't quite get along. After one big fight suddenly they became inseparable. This made me start to think about my fights with friends and how they've resulted. Shocking, but after fights, friendship grows stronger. Each fight brings others together when resolved, and that's what I believe happened with Joe and Johnson. Their fight erupted into unstoppable friendship. Also I am a strong believer in there being a person who just pulls out the crazy and childish personality out of you (this person usually being your best friend). With this person you do the dumbest, most irresponsible things with and it could not be more fun. Johnson and Joe Roberts symbolize that friendship. Although this book really pushes loving your family and what not, it to me also symbolizes friendship. It also shows that friendship doesn't judge by race, age, nationality, etc. Look at the age difference in Joe Roberts and Johnson! This chapter in my opinion evolves around friendship. (Puskas)

This chapter has great importance to the story.The importance of this chapter is introducing one of the main characters Johnson. Also in the chapter you get each characters perspective on Johnson and the impact he will have on the family. Something that stood out to me, was where Jess, the narrator of this book, says that he doesn't think Johnson is going to get along with his father. This statement immediately becomes invalid and these two character become inseparable. Another major role this chapter plays in the book is how Jess's father instantly becomes a whole different person around Johnson. He becomes lazy, childish, and he has no incentive to do anything anymore. Jess and his mother and grandmother are astonished by his behavior and don't know what to do. These two are so happy together, they act like best friends that have not seen each other in years and are catching up on old times.(Izlar)

This chapter is very important, seeing as it introduces Johnson Gibbs for the first time. The Good Time also lets us know a little more about the main characters and setting in the book. We learn about Joe Robert’s silliness, and the close bond he has with Johnson. We also see Johnson Gibbs life change with the fact he now has a family, and has joined the army. Jess, like his dad, has also formed a brotherly bond with Johnson. This chapter is when these relations between the characters become obvious. This is the beginning of Johnson fitting in with Jess’s family, and the start of how he affects them. (Dorothy Spratlin)

**Important Quotes (and commentary)** - These quotes and many others inform the reader that the grandmother isn't one to mess with and that she is bossy, in addition, she loves to criticize her son-in-law.(Rollins)
 * 1) "Got brains as big as June peas,"
 * 2) "While you're sitting there you could at least swat some of these flies,"


 * "'Don't worry,' I said. 'I won't tell, never.' But I didn't understand the reason for secrecy. I knew that Johnson had joined the army so he could go to Europe and whip Hitler's sorry ass. What was wrong with that? My father was continually saying that somebody had to do it, and so Johnson, taking him at his word has signed up for the job. It was a straightforward proposition. I only hoped Johnson wasn't thinking of taking Hitler in a baseball game." (p. 22)
 * This quote is helpful in understanding Jess because it partly reveals his innocence and naivity. After reading this quote, it becomes obvious that Jess does not yet grasp the weight or severity of death. He talks about killing a person like it is just another 'job', and it never occurs to him that Johnson may die while in Europe. So, it's clear that Jess doesn't really understand the concept of war either. Also, because Jess does not seem at all worried that Johnson might fail to 'whip Hitler's sorry ass', it seems that Jess thinks Johnson is somewhat invincible. Jess looks up to Johnson, and does not acknowledge the possibility that Johnson could ever be defeated. (Woodham)

> > ~This is very important seeing that it will create the conflict of the story in later chapters. (Dorothy Spratlin) >
 * “ ‘I’ve enlisted,’ he said gravely. ‘I went down to the post office and joined up.’ ‘Joined up what?’ ‘I’ve joined the army’ he said.”

**Moments of astonishingly good writing** "The first time my father met Johnson Gibbs they fought like tomcats. My father was still feisty in 1949-he was thirty years old-and restless, maybe a little wild beneath the yoke of my mother's family. He truly had married not only my mother but my grandmother as well, and also the mule and two elderly horse and the cows and chickens and two perilous-looking barns and the whole rocky hundren acres of Carolina mountain farm." Page 7. "Johnson's wind-up was a spectacle of some magnitude. It proceeded with grave deliberateness as he raised the baseball to eye-level, then lowered it with agonizing slowness to his belly button. Then he closed his eyes and made a frightening tortured grimace. Then he lifted his left leg shoulder high and rocked his torso back back back until the knuckles of his pitching hand nearly scraped the ground, and. Stopped. Stopped dead still with his left leg cocked like a dog aiming ot pee on a cloud and with his righthand knuckles brushing the grass blades behind him: a hunk of nightmare statuary.... Then he came to the plate in a windmill melee. Arms, legs, head, shoulders, and torso flew apart in every direction. The body of Johnson Gibbs seemed to disintegrate like flung confetti. How would these scattered limbs ever come together again to compose a man?"
 * This opening paragraph was interesting to read because it had loads of detail, left you with good questions, and immediately let the reader know the father was restless and perhaps dissatisfied. (Rollins)
 * This quote has great imagry that makes me really picture Johns Gibbs' pitching. I actually laughed to myself the first time I read this paragraph. I love how he took the time to over describe his pitching. (Miller)

//The stream where he let us off wasn't much wider than a kitchen table, but it rushed by fast and we knew there'd be pools and broad quiet stretches above. We struck out upstream, dodging through laurel thickets and clambering over rock faces. We came to a pool all dark and silent except at the head, where the cold breathing water boiled beneath an eight-foot waterfall."//
 * This quote paints a picture of the waterfall and the setting around it.

> >
 * “ ‘There ain’t nothing better than this,’ Johnson said. ‘From here on out it’s all downhill.’ He sat up and hugged his knees. ‘I bet the best time is over for me after this.’ We fell silent to hear the water and the woods. Downstream below us two tall poplars stood on either side."
 * ~There is some foreshadowing in this quote. I also enjoy the feeling the quote gives the reader. It really makes me think. It’s a very peaceful quote, despite the fact he feels his life won’t get any better, it is almost bittersweet, with a bit more sweet than bitter. (Dorothy Spratlin)