Discussion Topic
Phillip Enright's defining characteristic in The Cay by Theodore Taylor
Summary:
Phillip Enright's defining characteristic in The Cay by Theodore Taylor is his initial prejudice. Throughout the novel, his journey of survival and reliance on Timothy, an older Black man, leads to a transformation where Phillip overcomes his biases and learns the value of friendship and equality.
What characteristic best describes Phillip Enright in The Cay by Theodore Taylor?
At the beginning of the book, Phillip is spoiled and naive. For example, after German submarines have blown up tankers in the neighboring island of Aruba, he asks his father, "Why can't we go out and fight them?" (page 16). He treats the war as if it were a lark until the boat he is on is sunk by a German submarine.
After Phillip is rescued by Timothy, a black man, Phillip treats Timothy with a great deal of disrespect. When Phillip keeps asking for water, though there is only a limited supply, Timothy does not allow him to have any. Phillip thinks, "It was then that I began to learn what a stubborn old man he could be. I began to dislike Timothy" (page 36). Part of what Phillip dislikes is that Timothy does not give him what he wants, and Phillip is too naive to understand that Timothy...
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is rationing water for their own mutual good. In addition, Phillip is spoiled and racist, and he does not like that a black man is not giving into his demands. He recalls that his mother said that black people were "different" than he was, and he seems to agree at this point in the book. Phillip maintains that a schooner will find him, though Timothy is not sure, because Phillip believes that he is more important than others and that his family is more powerful than the German subs. Over time, Phillip will change to become more respectful of others, less spoiled, and less naive.
Which characteristic best describes Phillip Enright in The Cay? Name two incidents that illustrate this.
This is a tough question because Phillip changes so much over the course of the novel. I'm also not sure if the characteristic in question has to apply to Phillip over the course of the entire novel, or if it can be any characteristic with supporting evidence. I'm going to go with the latter.
In the beginning of the novel, Phillip is a complete jerk. He's rude, antagonistic to just about everybody, a racist, and believes that he is superior to most people. For example, Henrik is one of Phillip's friends, but Phillip doesn't exactly talk about Henrik in positive terms. Phillip flat out tells the reader that he finds Henrik annoying.
. . . Henrik had an irritating way of sounding official . . .
Phillip follows that thought up by describing what Henrik looks like.
His face was round and chubby. His hair was straw-colored and his cheeks were always red.
That's not exactly a glowing description of a friend.
Phillip doesn't hold back from his mother either. He's equally rude and insensitive to her.
Then I became angry and accused her of being a coward. She told me to go off to school. I said I hated her.
The above thoughts are all from people that Phillip at least supposedly respects. Here's what Phillip has to say about Timothy.
"You ugly black man! I won't do it! You're stupid, you can't even spell."
From the early parts of the novel, if I had to pick a single way to describe Phillip's personality, I would say that he is an insensitive jerk.