The Beet Fields Memories Of A Sixteenth Summer

Becca’s Story Report:

Kaleigh Robinson

Main Characters:

Becca Case: The main character Rebecca (Becca) Case is a proper and well-trained 14-year-old, whose dream is going back to her native land of Brooklyn. However, in the meantime, she is struggling to decide between 2 boys Alex and Charlie who want her love. However, in the end, Becca ends up as a “soldier's girl” just hoping that both boys will return home from the war safe and sound.

Alex: Alexander (Alex) Forman a 17-year-old boy who is fighting to win Becca’s love. He was a very serious boy who had bright plans for his future, such as college and work. Becca believes that he is too serious, and should lighten up a little, have some fun and laugh.

Charlie: Charlie Gregory another 17-year-old boy, who was fighting for Becca’s love was the complete opposite of Alex. Charlie was youthful, curious, and adventurous. He was secretly Becca’s favorite even though she could not see him settling down anytime soon. He loved adventuring untraveled roads and thought that he belonged out west instead of in Jonesville, Michigan, where he currently lived.

Main Conflict: The main conflict of this story is actually kind of double-sided. The first side of the conflict is Becca’s love triangle between Alex and Charlie, she just cannot decide which one she likes the best because each of them has pros and cons. The second fold to the conflict is they both go into the civil war, which makes her decision even harder. Three main events that add to the conflict is when Charlie Gregory gives Becca her first kiss, then when the boys leave, they promise Becca that they would stick together, the last main event is when they get separated and only one returns.

Quotes: “Absent, as usual, from the family circle, was Pa” (Forman 3). This quote shows historical significance because in this time period the man of the house was often absent due to work or war.

“ ‘You’d think there might be a middle ground between North and South’ ” (Forman 21). This shows historical significance about the Civil War, the north and south were definite rivals and did not have any middle ground in their views.

“Confederates would attack soon”. The Confederates were one side of this war and they would often attack the union, which adds historical accuracy to the book.

I chose these three quotes because I thought that they were the most significant of all both to the plot and historically.

Historical Perspective: This book was very historically accurate. It included aspects of the battle of Gettysburg where young Charlie and Alex just watched in shock. Another historical aspect is the young 17-year-old boys going to war, these days young kids often fought in the war. The last historically accurate event was the whole event of the civil ar. All these events added accuracy and realism to the story.

Overall Success: The overall success of the book was very successful. I think the addition of the love triangle was a major hit. It made the book more relatable to the audiences and the current time period.

Author’s Facts and Statistics: James D. Forman was an attorney and author of novels for young readers. He lives in Port Washington, New York, and he is known for several other award-winning books such as Ring the Judas Bell, Horses of Anger, Call Back Yesterday, The Big Bang, and more.