Throughout her days at Central High, Beals recalls much more discouragement and strife than progress. I can hardly imagine the emotional exhaustion that the students must have had from attending a school where almost the entire student body hated them without knowing a thing about them. Melba's discouragement even grew to the point of manifesting itself as illness. She said, "I stayed in bed all day Sunday, telling myself I was ill, but the truth was I was partially suffering from downhearted blues... With my head under the covers... I cried myself to sleep. I know I am fighting for a good cause... but will it really make a difference?" (181). I know that if I had been in Melba's position I would not have been able to stand the cruelty and continue fighting as she did. Her brief bout with what seems like depression is very mild compared to what could have been, which indicates her strong character. One event that was a great discouragement to the Little Rock Nine was the gradual removal of the armed forces that protected them throughout their day at school. A newspaper informed the families that, "101st DIVISION UT BACK FORCE TODAY; 1/2 GOING BACK TO KENTUCKY... The announcement of their departure to Kentucky gave segregationists reason to celebrate, and it was eident in the students who bragged about their renewed hope of getting rid of us" (182). Since the students were now in more danger at school than they had ever been before, it seems reasonable that they would prefer to give up. However, despite the huge danger they faced, they continued to suffer through the day to make history.
Discouragement was even more evident inside the walls of Central High. When one of the black students, Minnijean Brown wanted to participate in the school talent show, parents of the white students complained to the point of banning the girl from the program. In a newspaper article the students were told, "that we should not be allowed to participate in any extra-curricular activities" (202). This exclusion from any other activity shows the failure of the school to actually support integration. Another instance where Minnijean was deeply hurt was, "When one girl pretended to befriend Minnijean, only to betray her a short time later, Minnijean was crushed. She cried in front of school officials. That's when I knew she must be on the edge, because it wasn't like her to show her vulnerability in front of white people" (214). This practice of some students of pretending to be friends with the black students only to lure them into a vulnerable position to be either physically or emotionally abused is probably one of the most debilitating tactics of cruelty. Because they knew any person who was nice to them presently may at any point betray them took away any possibility for them to have trusting friendships with white people.
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I certainly agree with what you say about falsely befriending someone then betraying them being one of the greatest acts of cruelty. It hurts much more when someone you thought was your friend turns on you than when someone you already know dislikes you causes you harm.
It is always a travesty when you are befriended and then stabbed in the back by the person who befriended you. The case is ten times worse if the "friend" never even liked you. One would never expect a friend to do something like that which is why the reaction, in this case, is one of utter devestation. Because of what will naturally follow if this occurs, one can only wonder not only why, but how a person would go through with committing such an act.
It is very sad that even though the nine know that they are doing the right thing, they often have thoughts of quitting because it wouldn't matter in the end. It is good that they didn't give up though. By giving up the segragtionist would have ssen that they could win against black people.
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