Timothy of the Cay facts for kids
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| Author | Theodore Taylor |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Historical fiction |
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Publication date
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1993 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| ISBN | 978-0-152-06320-7 |
| OCLC | 28422724 |
| Preceded by | The Cay |
Timothy of the Cay is a book by Theodore Taylor. It tells the story of Timothy's life before The Cay. It also shares what happened to Phillip after the events of The Cay.
Contents
Discovering the Story: What's Inside?
This book explores Timothy's life before the exciting events of The Cay. It shows his early days in "Back O' All," a poor area in Charlotte Amalie. This city is on the island of St. Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands. At that time, St. Thomas was controlled by Denmark.
The book also continues Phillip Enright's story after he was rescued. A main idea in this book is how people can make their dreams come true.
Timothy's Early Life and Dreams
According to the book, Timothy was left as a baby in "Back O' All." Hannah Gumbs, a kind washer-woman, raised him. She was like a mother to him. Timothy called her "Tante Hannah."
As a boy, Timothy dreamed of becoming a ship captain. He wanted to name his own schooner after Tante Hannah. When he tried to get a job on a ship, the captain chose a white boy instead. This was because Timothy was Black.
He finally got a job on another ship, the Gertrude Theismann. Timothy was only fourteen, but he said he was sixteen to get the job. Later, he claimed to be sixty years old. He was actually over seventy, but he wanted to join the crew of the Hato.
Hannah Gumbs passed away during Timothy's early years at sea. Timothy came home with gifts for her, only to find she was gone. Timothy worked very hard, both at sea and on land. By his forties, he could afford his own schooner. It was first called the Tessie Crabb.
Timothy had a master's license under the name "Timothy Gumbs." But he always thought of himself simply as Timothy. He renamed his schooner the Hannah Gumbs, just as he had always planned. As its captain, Timothy learned a lot about the sea. This knowledge helped him later to save Phillip Enright on a small island.
A Difficult Journey and Guilt
The story tells how Timothy became a temporary captain of the Hettie Redd. He was asked to bring the captain's body back for burial. Timothy did this even though he worried a big storm, or "tempis'," might hit.
A terrible storm did strike. It sank the Hettie Redd and everyone on board, except Timothy. He tried his best to save them. Even though he was found innocent, Timothy felt guilty for the rest of his life. He often wished he had drowned in the storm too.
Timothy's Last Voyage and Sacrifice
When he was over seventy, Timothy joined the S.S. Hato. This was a Dutch cargo ship. He had sold the Hannah Gumbs and retired two years earlier. He signed on as a sailor in early 1942. This was because a German U-boat had attacked the S.S. Hato.
The Hato picked up Phillip Enright and his mother in Curaçao. They were trying to escape to their home in Virginia. But the Hato was hit by a torpedo. As it sank, Phillip was hit on the head by wood. This made him blind two days later. Most of the events in The Cay happen after the Hato sank.
Timothy later taught Phillip how to survive alone. About three months after the shipwreck, another "tempis'" hit. Timothy saved Phillip's life by shielding him from the storm. The wind and flying pieces from the storm hit Timothy. He was badly hurt and died. Before he died, Timothy had taught Phillip everything he needed to know. Phillip survived alone for almost two months after Timothy's death.
Phillip Enright's Life After Rescue
After being rescued from the island, Phillip was reunited with his parents. His mother, Grace Enright, had also survived the sinking of the Hato. For a long time, his mother still thought of him as a ten-year-old. She was unsure about an operation that might fix his eyesight.
But Phillip's father, Phillip Enright Sr., supported his son's choice to have the surgery. Phillip had come to believe Timothy was like a guardian angel. He felt he could sometimes talk to Timothy. His mother, however, thought this idea was not real.
Restoring Vision and Remembering Timothy
Phillip and his parents flew to New York. A surgeon there could perform the eye operation. The surgery was a success! Phillip got most of his vision back. He would need to wear eyeglasses from then on.
Phillip and his father planned to visit the island where he and Timothy had lived. They had survived there for over three months. Timothy had died in a hurricane on the island. He used his body to protect Phillip from flying debris. Timothy gave his life to save Phillip's. Phillip survived alone for almost two months after that. This was all thanks to Timothy's training and sacrifice.
