Towers Falling

Dèja approaches her class, “daring anyone to disrespect” her, but instead she overhears everyone discussing what they did over summer break (5). She hopes that she won’t be assigned to write an essay about her summer because she’ll have to not complete the assignment. She thinks that she doesn’t have anything good to say and looks forward to being 18, when she won’t have to live in a shelter or start at a new school.

She also thinks about how Avalon is “in a nicer part of town than I’ve ever lived before” and that the school is more diverse than her last one because “[k]ids here are all colors” (7).

Dèja sits in a seat in the back row, where she meets Ben, another new student, and they start to talk. She’s defensive at first but then thinks that Ben is pleasant, “nice in a dumb kind of way” (8). She thinks that all the other kids have probably been in school together since first grade and that she’d be cool if she had nicer clothes. 

This chapter opens with Dèja’s description of Miss Garcia, her teacher. Dèja notes that her new teacher seems somewhat nervous because she didn’t introduce herself, even though her name is on the whiteboard. Ben nods, acknowledging that it’s unusual for teachers to be nervous on the first day.

Miss Garcia announces that Principal Thompson has implemented a new curriculum, one that is “integrated” and focuses on the idea that “[h]istory is alive” (12). Dèja starts to suspect that this is what is making Miss Garcia nervous.

The new students then introduce themselves. Everyone welcomes them.

Miss Garcia then says that they will have a “special” start to the school year. It is September 6th, and she says that “this is an important week […] An important month” (15). Dèja isn’t sure why, since school always begins at this time of year.

All the students are then assigned to write about their summer vacation. Ben passes Dèja a pencil, and Sabeen, another student, passes out the paper. Dèja thinks Sabeen is a teacher’s pet and doesn’t take the sheet of paper, making her classmate set it on her desk.

Sabeen then sits between Ben and Dèja.

At lunch, the other students go through the line, paying for their lunches. Dèja walks into the hall, finding a bulletin board that reads:

Brooklyn Collective Elementary

Who We Are—Where We’re From

On it, pins hold threads connecting New York to different parts of the world. Sabeen appears, asking where Dèja is from, and she explains that her grandparents are originally from Istanbul, pointing to the marker for Turkey. Ben says that he’s from Arizona, and Sabeen adds a pin connected to Arizona to the map before asking where Ben’s family came from before that. He says Mexico, and Sabeen continues the thread to add another pin to that country.

Dèja says that the map is stupid, and Ben suggests that maybe she is from Africa, making Dèja say “You mean slavery. How come every white person sees a black person and thinks slavery?” (21). She then says her mom is from Jamaica, and Sabeen puts a pin there.

Then, Ben offers a sandwich to Dèja, and Sabeen gives her a cookie.

Ben remembers his fourth-grade textbook saying that “America is a land of immigrants” (21). Dèja reminds him that some people were forced to the US through slavery, and they also acknowledge that indigenous peoples were killed and had their land taken. Sabeen highlights the Lenape, who first settled New York, as an example. Dèja puts another pin in the African coast and connects it to New York.

She thanks Ben and Sabeen for lunch and thinks that even though she hates Avalon, she likes her new school.

Dèja picks up her siblings from Avalon’s day care. Ray got paint on his shirt, and she comments that Pop will be upset as a result—but then immediately feels bad for scaring her brother.

They sit outside on the steps until their mother gets home, unsure if Pop is there and whether he’s feeling well. Ray plays with some other boys, and she keeps an eye out to make sure he isn’t being bullied.

Dèja watches the other families of all shapes and sizes. Some drink beer from bottles wrapped in paper bags, and she thinks that she is grateful that Pop doesn’t drink. She then offers to tell Leda a story. She tells her little sister about the Lenape and how they lived in New York a long time ago.

Each of the siblings is happy, and Deja decides that “[t]oday was a good day” (26).  

School is busy and difficult. Dèja struggles in math, and while Miss Garcia explains concepts, she gets more upset when her teacher comes over to tell her how to solve an equation because she feels like the other students don’t need the same amount of help. Ben offers to show her after school, and Dèja appreciates when he acknowledges that it’s difficult.

Miss Garcia says to “[t]hink critically” about what makes New York memorable (28). She then shows them a picture of Manhattan and its buildings before asking the class to look out the windows. She tells the students, “Think. See. Compare” (32). Ben points out that the two towers are gone, and Dèja then recognizes that they’ve been replaced by one building. Dèja feels frustrated because she doesn’t understand, hearing students talking about how relatives died and how people don’t talk about it. Ben adds that the 15th anniversary is coming up. Miss Garcia then says that they’ll study what happened on September 11, 2001.

One boy says that it was before he was born, so why should he care? Dèja agrees with him. Another student blames Muslims. Eventually, Miss Garcia says that they will visit the memorial, but they’re going to start with home. She assigns students to write about where they live and to show it in some form. In response to a question about why “home” is important, a student states that “[i]t’s where we come from. Who we are” (36).

Miss Garcia asks to Dèja to stay after class, and Ben offers to wait for her. Miss Garcia says that she doesn’t have to draw Avalon, that she can draw where she lived before. Dèja says that she’ll show where she lives now, then wonders if everyone knows. Miss Garcia tells her that only she, other teachers, and the principal do. She also reminds Dèja that she must turn in her essay about her summer, though she doesn’t have to write about Avalon or even her summer break.

Dèja asks how home is connected to the city skyline, and Miss Garcia says that’s what they’ll be working on for the month. Dèja then says goodbye to Ben and goes to pick up Ray and Leda.