Charlie Simms Character Analysis in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Charlie Simms is the father of the Simms children, and he’s described as “a mean-looking man.” He pushes Cassie off the sidewalk because she accidentally bumps into his white daughter. Though his family has a similar economic situation as the Logans, he believes he and his family are superior because they are white.

Charlie Simms Character Timeline in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

The timeline below shows where the character Charlie Simms appears in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...trying to understand what just happened. As she’s walking, she accidentally bumps into Lillian Jean Simms, who demands that Cassie apologize for running into her. Cassie apologizes, but it’s not enough... (full context)

...Ma tries to interrupt and keep Cassie from telling him about the incident with the Simms. Cassie forges on, however, and tells Uncle Hammer about Mr. Barnett and then the incident... (full context)

Cassie says she hopes that Uncle Hammer will knock some sense into Mr. Simms, but Mama sends her off to bed early. Mama soon follows her into the room,... (full context)

...one, she could get the family into a lot of trouble. Cassie promises that Mr. Simms will never find out about how she’ll handle things with Lillian Jean. (full context)

Cassie asks Mama later why the older Simms boys hang around T.J., and Mama says that it probably makes them feel better to... (full context)

When T.J. and the Simms brothers went to Strawberry to get the pistol, the Barnett store was already closed. The... (full context)

Afterwards, T.J. asked to be taken home, but the Simms brothers refused. T.J. then threatened to tell on them, and that’s when R.W. and Melvin... (full context)

...slips into his bedroom window, however, several cars drive up. The cars belong to the Simms, the Wallaces, and several other white men. They accuse T.J. of being a murderer. R.W.... (full context)

...they go out and try to fight the fire. When it’s close to dawn, Jeremy Simms shows up to check on them. He says that everyone’s fighting the fire still: the... (full context)

...home, Mama tells the children what happened. When the fire started, Mr. Granger stopped the Simms and the Wallaces from hanging T.J. and instead got everyone to fight the fire. Cassie... (full context)