The World Made Straight

A Summary In seventies Western North Carolina, a young man stumbles across a grove of marijuana, sees an opportunity to fill some easy money, and steps into the jaws of a bear trap. He is discovered by the ruthless husbandman who set the trap to protect his plants, and begins his struggle with the evils of his communitys present as well as those of its history. Before long, he has displaced egress of his parents home to live with a onetime schoolteacher who at one time lives in a trailer outside town, deals a few drugs, and studies journals from the Civil War.Their fates become entwined as the communitys awful past and corrupt present lead to a violent reckoning with the marijuana farmer and with a Civil War massacre that continues to divide an Appalachian community. Major themes Knowledge vs. Ignorance self knowledge is the intimately important part of the protagonist, Travis. Here Travis is trying to portray a tough guy, ignorant attitude when rightfully he is a scrawny bo y. Travis gains knowledge from the books he finds in Leonards trailer.He gains knowledge by Leonard direction him in the trailer. Knowledge never leaves you. Travis goal as the protagonist in this book is to better himself and blow up a change in his life. Why would he want to better himself? Travis is trying to find out who he is. He starts off as a want to be tough guy who hangs with the rebels. Thats the way of life in the North Carolina Mountains no one really gives school a retrieve in the fact that most of the students end up as farmers.Travis ignorance for school and life in the ascendent is very high. Knowledge consumes us in the fact we are always looking for new teaching and trying to obtain that all knowing self. Travis finds his way not the usual way of going by grade school but successfully gaining a GED. This sets him at an accomplishment something also his father never did. Travis sees himself heading down a road of hardships, Success, and failure.But Travis wil l learn from the mistakes and gain knowledge of the subject and move on to better himself for the future and what ever it may hold. Characters Travis Shelton, 17 years old, high school dropout discouraged from bettering himself by his tobacco farmer father. Leonard Shuler, a former schoolteacher, now small-time drug dealer, whose career was stop by a student. Carlton Toomey, a ruthless and wily farmer and drug dealer. Dena, once a passably young woman, who has become a heavy drug user.