The Fall of Rome

Reading Response


     I am reading "The Fall of Rome" by Martha Southgate. This fascinating novel tell three simultaneous stories of three people all related in a number of ways. They are all connected by the boarding school that two teach at and one is enrolled at. The all boy's boarding school is new to a recent divorcee from Cleveland escaping back home to Connecticut after she feels romantic towards a student. It is also new to a boy from New York City ghetto who never dreamed of as good an education as the boarding school offers. However, a veteran, Mr. Washington who has taught Latin at the primarily white school, finds himself alongside a black boy for once. I find it fascinating, the way that southgate connects the characters is amazing.

     The relationships of the three characters are amazing. The female teacher finds herself somewhat attracted to Mr. Washington. She also likes the black boy she teaches english to. She calls him "shy but full of thought" and Mr. Washington doesn't know how he feels about the kid exactly. Will it be awkward being the only two black people at the school? I really wanna know how the story develops. Also, the boy runs track. He is very good and Washington is one of the coaches. I also wanna see what friendships Jana (the female teacher) because she left cleveland out of nowhere. I wanna see how she develops as a character. So far she has made a few "friends" with her colleagues. They had brunch together but I still think it will be interesting what interactions southgate comes up with.

    I think Martha Southgate did a really great job taking a somewhat boring setting like an all boys boarding school in Connecticut and making a very intense story out of it. Although all the characters are related through the boarding school, I think they are also all related through a shooting. Washington's friend was killed in a hold up. The boy's older brother was also killed in a hold up, and the student that Jana liked was arrested in a holdup. Coincidence? I think not.

     I would definitely recommend this book. It is magnificent and very good. I can't wait to see how the characters develop even more and how their relationships change in new and even more complex ways like they have so far.