Fighting back door Catherine Macphail

Title: Fighting Back
Author: Catherine MacPhail
Year of first publication: 1998
Number of pages: 151

Summary

Chapter One-

Kerry Graham and her mother are in a taxi, heading towards their new home. They have just left their old home. Their new home is in a very bad neighborhood full of gangs and violence and drugs. Mum is very upset. When they get there Mum disappears and Kerry tries to guard the truck full of their things. A crowd gathers to investigate Kerry. Tess Lafferty, a leader of a gang of girls, teases Kerry and they throw an expensive vase back and forth. It breaks and they all leave by the time Mum comes back out and tells Kerry to be more careful.

Chapter Two-

Their new flat is a horrible mess. Mum is upset and said that it’s all Dad’s fault because he left them. In a rage she throws her purse to the wall but it misses and hits one of the movers, causing him to drop the television and break it. Mum says he broke her television and he says it’s because she threw a purse at him and they argue. Kerry says she wants to go to a chip shop nearby and goes to leave. She wonders if all the kids are mean like Tess here.

Chapter Three-

On the lift on the way down Kerry runs into a bunch of fat old ladies heading to bingo who tell her to get off because she had red hair and is unlucky. She enters the chip shop and before she can order some boys, lead by Ming, mock her about the way she talks. The man at the chip shop tells them to get lost. When she gets off the lift on her way home Ming and his gang steal her fish and chips.

Chapter Four-

Kerry tells Mum that the boys took her dinner, but doesn’t tell them how they jostled her around and called her names and how she almost cried. Mum goes to get the dinner back and the door is answered by an enormously fat woman, Ming’s mother, who acts like she doesn’t believe what Mum is saying, and Ming acts like he and Kerry are friends. They go back to the apartment and Kerry thinks about Dad, who abandoned them and went to America with his new love Rachel.

Chapter Five-

The next morning Mum’s in a better mood because she’s been throwing darts at pictures of Dad. They both go to the grocery store where Ali, the shopkeeper, and Sadie, another patron, are friendly. Then Tess comes in again with her gang of girls and Sadie, Mum, and Kerry all see her shoplift bottles of shampoo. Ali catches her and Mum says she saw her shoplift but Sadie wouldn’t because for some reason Sadie is afraid of Tess. Tess threatens Kerry and Mum.

Chapter Six-

They are eating breakfast, courtesy of Ali, when Ming’s mum starts to listen to the television really loudly. The police come by about the shoplifting and tell them that the Lafferty’s are well known criminals in the area and the mother, Ma Lafferty, is a moneylender. Mum also tells the police about Kerry’s food being stolen and the police also know about Ming’s mum, whose name is Sandra Ramsay and say they will talk to her about it. They tell Mum that there are some very wonderful people in the neighborhood as well, but Mum won’t hear of it and insists they will move out as soon as possible. 

Chapter Seven-

On the balcony Kerry sees Ming hanging up laundry. He warns her about the Lafferty’s and says that Ma Lafferty is the worst of the bunch. He tells her that the police are useless to her now.

Chapter Eight-

Ma Lafferty comes over and tries to intimidate Mum into dropping the charges, but Mum tells her she can’t threaten her. Ma Lafferty tells her she better not go to the police because there is nothing they can do and that she better learn quick how things work around here. Mum says she is just trying to scare them and Ma Lafferty leaves.

Chapter Nine-

On her way to school Kerry runs into Ming. He pleads with her to drop it. His mum owes Ma money as do a lot of people up there and she is the law. Kerry makes Ming laugh and she decides she likes Ming. On her way back from school that night she sees that Ali’s shop has been attacked, but he says he’s glad he finally has someone else to stand up to the Lafferty’s.

Chapter Ten-

For the next few days things where pretty quiet. Kerry met another neighbor, McCurley, who Mum tells her to stay away from but Ming say’s he’s alright. Kerry sees Ma again, but Ma ignores her and Kerry thinks it all might have just blown over. Mum is crying a lot so Kerry is spending more time with Ming. He even walks her home from the bus after school. One day when they where walking back they saw the Lafferty brothers. They almost hit her with a ball and they tell her be careful, because if something happens to her people won’t help her and her Mum like how they help Ali.

Chapter Eleven-

When Kerry comes home there is man there to fix the television named Tommy. He tries but can’t do it and leaves to get more tools. Kerry says he’s just there because he thinks Mum’s attractive. Mum find this pleasing but Kerry doesn’t because Tommy is ugly and only has one tooth. She tells Mum about the Lafferty brothers. Mum says they are going to the police but Kerry doesn’t want this to happen.

Chapter Twelve-

The next day they go to the police. The police tell Mum that they will talk to the Lafferty’s about it. They tell her again that it’s a nice neighborhood, only people are scared of the Lafferty’s and if they could get them out everything would be a lot better. Mum is in a better mood and things she will get no more trouble from the Lafferty’s.

Chapter Thirteen-

Kerry and Mum go to do the laundry in the basement. They run into Sandra, who tells Mum that Tommy is her boyfriend and that she’d better stay away from him. Mum says that’s fine with her but Sandra tries to choke Mum. They leave and Mum says she’s just going to buy a new TV.

Chapter Fourteen-

Kerry and Mum go television shopping and she picks out one she likes. On the day that the new television is to be delivered Kerry cuts through the park but is met by Tess and a few of her friends. The neighborhood is pretty deserted. Tess gets into the usual about how much tougher she is than Kerry. Kerry is fed up and wants to fight.

Chapter Fifteen-

During the fight Kerry manages to knock Tess down and win the fight, but her girls start to attack her. Ming shows up and rescues her and they run back to the building. Mum is upset and crying because someone has poured bleach on the new television before Mum had a chance to get it inside.

Chapter Sixteen-

Mum says she wants the police, but before she can even call them they show up. Mum tells them about the television and she thinks Sandra did this but the police think it’s a warning from the Lafferty’s. They are there because Kerry beat up Tess, they just wanted to check up on Kerry. Mum tells them that they are owned by the Lafferty’s too and that they better not tell Kerry to behave herself because she needs to protect herself from the “animals” that live up here too. The police are mad at Mum now.

Chapter Seventeen-

Ming tells Kerry that Ma Lafferty’s been over at his home a lot lately. Mum takes Kerry to lunch and tells her that she is looking for work now and that she’s spoken to the rent agency and that she hopes she’s convinced them to evict Sandra. Mum and Sandra have a confrontation in the hallway and all the neighbors watch. That night Kerry wakes up to the smell of smoke.

Chapter Eighteen-

Kerry wakes up and yells for Mum. The front door is on fire and they can’t get out. Kerry almost jumps over to Ming on his balcony but hesitates because she would fall thirteen stories if she dropped. Mum yells at her to help her and they put the fire out with wet towels. McCurley comes to see if they are okay and all the neighbors are in the hall. She yells at Sandra that she set this fire but Sandra is shocked by the fire and denies it.

Chapter Nineteen-

The police tell them that someone started that fire. Mum says Sandra did it and Sandra says Mum did it so she could get out of her flat. Kerry accuses the Lafferty’s and the police agree, but there is nothing they can do about it because they won’t find any evidence. In the meanwhile Kerry and her Mum aren’t going anywhere.

Chapter Twenty-

Mum has been feeling pretty terrible and doesn’t leave the house, just lies on the sofa all day. Kerry needs to do the all the shopping and is terrified. They argue about Dad, but Sandra comes over and interrupts. She says she has the best intentions and begs her to drop the charges against the Lafferty’s. She knows Mum didn’t start the fire but the Lafferty’s but she’s too afraid to go to the police. Ma Lafferty’s been threatening Sandra too. Mum says that everyone in the neighborhood isn’t so bad and just acts so bad because they are afraid of the Lafferty’s.

Chapter Twenty One-

Mum says she is going to go around and ask people questions and Kerry tells her she will do the same thing. The way Ming’s behaving Kerry thinks that there is something wrong with Sandra. Neither her nor her mother get anywhere because they are all too afraid to speak out about Ma Lafferty. That night the TV is turned up too loud again and Mum goes next door to complain. Ma Lafferty answers and Mum sees that Sandra has a black eye from her-Sandra lost her job and can’t repay her debts to Ma Lafferty.

Chapter Twenty Two-

Mum says she is going to the police again to tell them about Sandra but Kerry doesn’t want any more trouble. Kerry meets Ming on the stairs. He tells her that they saw the Lafferty boys through the mail slot and that’s why the fire brigade came so quickly. Before he was too scared to say anything but because of what happened to his mum he knows he isn’t protecting her anymore. He tells Kerry that he has a big secret but she has to act like she discovered it on her own.

Chapter Twenty Three-

The police have told Mum to leave the policing up to them. Kerry tells them to check the chutes because Ming told her he saw them throw a kerosene tank in it that has their prints all over it. Kerry convinces the police to come and look. The police know that someone told Kerry this but they don’t press it.

Chapter Twenty Four-

The evidence they need is found in the chute. The whole building watched except Ming and Sandra. The Lafferty brothers are arrested. Ali tells Mum and Kerry that they are very brave when they are in his shop, but Ma Lafferty comes in and threatens them again.

Chapter Twenty Five-

Ming says that it isn’t over, that the brothers just did the dirty work for their Mum and that she’s the boss. Kerry knows it’s true. Mum is in a great mood when she gets back because they are being moved to a different house for their protection. She says all the neighbors are scum, but Kerry says it’s not true, they were all just afraid.

Chapter Twenty Six-

They look at the new place where they are to go. It’s a lot nicer. Mum is very smug about it and rude to all the other people in their old flat now. Kerry is having tea with Ming on the balcony and warns her that Ma Lafferty is up to something and to watch out, even at their new place.

Chapter Twenty Seven-

It’s only a few more days before they leave. Mum goes to the basement to do the laundry. Kerry sees Sandra and tried to be friendly with her, but Sandra is acting really weird. She tells her to stay out of the basement but she goes to get her Mum because she knows the Lafferty’s are planning something.

Chapter Twenty Eight-

On her way down to the basement Kerry runs into Ming, who tells her to stay put, but she goes anyway. The basement is empty except for Tess, who tells her that her mum is having a “conference” in their with Kerry’s mum. Kerry pushes Tess and says she isn’t going to get away with it, but Tess laughs and says she will because she has the people here under her thumb. But then a voice says “Not anymore she hasn’t”

Chapter Twenty Nine-

McCurley, Sandra, and many more of the neighbors are there. McCurley knocks the door down and rescues Mum before the could be hurt by Ma Lafferty. They wait there and keep Ma Lafferty there until the police come to take her away. Mum and the neighbors make up about how snobby she’s been. Tess is being lead away by a policewoman and tells them they will all be sorry but they just laugh at her because it really is over now.

Epilogue-

A few weeks later everyone is at an engagement party for Sandra and Tommy. Mum now works for Ali and is driving everyone crazy with her perfectionist ways. The neighborhood breathes a lot better because the Lafferty’s are gone. Their house was ransacked by the neighborhood and a lot of evidence is up against her so she won’t be coming back. Kerry and her Mum aren’t leaving the building any time soon. Mum shows up to the engagement party with the police officer she thought was cute. Ming and Kerry are great friends.

Characters

Kerry Graham-thirteen year old girl who moves in with her mother into a bad neighborhood when her Dad leaves.
Jane Graham-Kerry’s Mum
Ming-Kerry next door neighbor and first friend in the neighborhood.
Sandra-Ming’s Mum
Tess Lafferty-local criminal girl
Ma Lafferty-Tess’s mum who’s a crime boss
Ali-Man who owns the grocery store and is one of the first people to be nice to Kerry and her Mum

Theme

There are two major themes in this book. The obvious one is that it’s easy to buckle under to someone who is bullying you and being a tyrant, but it’s harder to stand up to them. However, standing up to them, no matter if it’s a local criminal or a government, is the only way to ever resolve the problem and make things better, even if it's dangerous. Many of the heroes of the world, people like Martin Luther King Jr and Nelson Mandela and Ghandi, have stood up for what’s right even though it was very dangerous for them to do so.

The second theme is not to judge people too quickly because you don’t know what they’ve been through or what kind of stress they are under. Mum thought that everyone was just mean to her but it wasn’t because they were bad people, it’s because they were terrorized and afraid. People thought that Mum was a snob but she had just been left by her husband and lost her home and was under a lot of stress herself.