Question
What is the central theme of the story "How I Became Stink Daley" and how does the author develop this theme throughout the text?
I counted the cows packed into each barn and kept a tally of how many died. At night, I bent over my notebook, making sketches and writing down everything I’d learned.
Then, just when I had all the information I needed, I got caught.
One afternoon I went to get a drink of water at the pump. Mr. Glander was standing behind me. As I leaned over, my notebook fell out of my pocket. Mr. Glander picked it up and began turning the pages. His face turned red with rage. “Why, you little scoundrel!” Without thinking, I snatched the notebook. I began running, slipping and squelching through mud and filth. I ran out of the yard, past the distillery, and down Hudson Street. I ran all the way to the address I had memorized: 19 City Hall Square.
The sign on the door read: FRANK LESLIE'S ILLUSTRATED NEWSPAPER.
“Are you all right, lad?” A man got up from a desk. He looked startled. No wonder: I was covered in mud and panting hard. I held out my notebook. “I need to give this to Frank Leslie.” The man took it. “What’s this all about?” “Swill milk,” I panted. “Swill milk is hurting babies.” He turned over one page, then another. He gave a low whistle.
“My name is Danny Daley. I work at the 16th Street Dairy. My boss caught me with this. I took it and ran. I read the paper all the time. I thought . . . I wanted . . .” “You thought Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper should take on these villains, is that it?” Had I been wrong in coming here? I thought of Bitsy. I raised my head and met his eyes.
“Yes sir! Someone needs to expose this scandal. Babies are getting sick. And the animals suffer too.” The man looked at me for a moment. Then he called to a teenage boy nearby. “Thomas, bring a glass of water for our young hero here.” “I’m not a hero at all! I was scared,” I whispered. “I’m just an ordinary boy.” If I had acted sooner, I might have saved Daffodil. And maybe Bitsy wouldn’t have gotten so sick.
“Most heroes are just ordinary people. And I’d bet most of them also feel scared at some point,” the man said. “Now, sit down. You look as if you’re about to topple over.” “I shouldn’t. I stink. And I’m covered in mud.” “Nonsense,” laughed the man. “Reporters are always up to their necks in mud. That’s the only way to get the story.” I wasn’t sure I believed him.
“Is Mr. Leslie here today?” “My boy, I’m Frank Leslie.” He took the glass from the boy and handed it to me. “And this is my crack illustrator, Thomas Nast, who’s not much older than you. He’s 17. Thomas, this boy wants to make a stink about swill milk. His name is Danny Daley. I think we should call him ‘Stink Daley.’ Does that suit you, lad?” Stink Daley. I grinned. “Yes sir.” Frank Leslie reached out to shake my hand. “Welcome, Stink.” So that’s how I got my name—and my start as an illustrator.
I learned three important things my first week as a part-time newsboy and apprentice artist at Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper.
The first was to keep my head up. The second was to raise my voice. And the third was always to ask hard questions, because that was the only way to get to the truth.
It turned out that the scandal was even bigger than I imagined. The 16th Street Dairy wasn’t the only one making swill milk. Mr. Leslie himself took on the investigation, visiting other dairies in New York City and Brooklyn, and discovered mistreated cows and contaminated milk. Thomas drew more pictures for the story.
A few weeks later, in May 1858, the front page of Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper carried a startling exposure of the swill-milk trade, calling particular attention to the conditions at the 16th Street Dairy.
I wish I could tell you our efforts led to the immediate downfall of distillery owners like Mr. Johnson and his friends, who tried to cover up the swill-milk scandal because profits were more important to them than people’s health.
Make it sound like if i was writting it?
I counted the cows packed into each barn and kept a tally of how many died. At night, I bent over my notebook, making sketches and writing down everything I’d learned.
Then, just when I had all the information I needed, I got caught.
One afternoon I went to get a drink of water at the pump. Mr. Glander was standing behind me. As I leaned over, my notebook fell out of my pocket. Mr. Glander picked it up and began turning the pages. His face turned red with rage. “Why, you little scoundrel!” Without thinking, I snatched the notebook. I began running, slipping and squelching through mud and filth. I ran out of the yard, past the distillery, and down Hudson Street. I ran all the way to the address I had memorized: 19 City Hall Square.
The sign on the door read: FRANK LESLIE'S ILLUSTRATED NEWSPAPER.
“Are you all right, lad?” A man got up from a desk. He looked startled. No wonder: I was covered in mud and panting hard. I held out my notebook. “I need to give this to Frank Leslie.” The man took it. “What’s this all about?” “Swill milk,” I panted. “Swill milk is hurting babies.” He turned over one page, then another. He gave a low whistle.
“My name is Danny Daley. I work at the 16th Street Dairy. My boss caught me with this. I took it and ran. I read the paper all the time. I thought . . . I wanted . . .” “You thought Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper should take on these villains, is that it?” Had I been wrong in coming here? I thought of Bitsy. I raised my head and met his eyes.
“Yes sir! Someone needs to expose this scandal. Babies are getting sick. And the animals suffer too.” The man looked at me for a moment. Then he called to a teenage boy nearby. “Thomas, bring a glass of water for our young hero here.” “I’m not a hero at all! I was scared,” I whispered. “I’m just an ordinary boy.” If I had acted sooner, I might have saved Daffodil. And maybe Bitsy wouldn’t have gotten so sick.
“Most heroes are just ordinary people. And I’d bet most of them also feel scared at some point,” the man said. “Now, sit down. You look as if you’re about to topple over.” “I shouldn’t. I stink. And I’m covered in mud.” “Nonsense,” laughed the man. “Reporters are always up to their necks in mud. That’s the only way to get the story.” I wasn’t sure I believed him.
“Is Mr. Leslie here today?” “My boy, I’m Frank Leslie.” He took the glass from the boy and handed it to me. “And this is my crack illustrator, Thomas Nast, who’s not much older than you. He’s 17. Thomas, this boy wants to make a stink about swill milk. His name is Danny Daley. I think we should call him ‘Stink Daley.’ Does that suit you, lad?” Stink Daley. I grinned. “Yes sir.” Frank Leslie reached out to shake my hand. “Welcome, Stink.” So that’s how I got my name—and my start as an illustrator.
I learned three important things my first week as a part-time newsboy and apprentice artist at Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper.
The first was to keep my head up. The second was to raise my voice. And the third was always to ask hard questions, because that was the only way to get to the truth.
It turned out that the scandal was even bigger than I imagined. The 16th Street Dairy wasn’t the only one making swill milk. Mr. Leslie himself took on the investigation, visiting other dairies in New York City and Brooklyn, and discovered mistreated cows and contaminated milk. Thomas drew more pictures for the story.
A few weeks later, in May 1858, the front page of Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper carried a startling exposure of the swill-milk trade, calling particular attention to the conditions at the 16th Street Dairy.
I wish I could tell you our efforts led to the immediate downfall of distillery owners like Mr. Johnson and his friends, who tried to cover up the swill-milk scandal because profits were more important to them than people’s health.
Make it sound like if i was writting it?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The central theme of "How I Became Stink Daley" revolves around the importance of standing up against injustice and the power of youth activism. The author, through the character of Danny Daley, illustrates that even an ordinary boy can make a significant impact when he chooses to speak up for what is right.
As the story unfolds, we witness Danny's transformation from a scared worker at the dairy into an empowered young advocate for change. The author effectively develops this theme by showcasing Danny’s journey—his initial fear of Mr. Glander, his instinct to protect his findings, and his determination to expose the scandal surrounding swill milk. This evolution is marked by pivotal moments, such as when Danny bravely runs to Frank Leslie’s newspaper office with his notebook, ready to present the truth about the harmful milk and the suffering of the animals.
The encouragement he receives from Frank Leslie and the realization that "most heroes are just ordinary people" reinforces the idea that anyone can become an advocate for justice, regardless of their background or circumstances. As Danny starts to learn the ropes of journalism and advocacy, he internalizes essential lessons about raising his voice, asking hard questions, and seeking the truth. These lessons serve as stepping stones in his development, propelling him towards playing an active role in exposing the larger scandal.
Moreover, the culmination of their efforts is highlighted when the newspaper publishes an exposé of the swill-milk trade, demonstrating the tangible impact of their work. While Danny acknowledges that the fight isn’t over and the changes may not happen immediately, the author emphasizes that every act of courage—no matter how small—counts towards creating a better world.
Through Danny’s journey, the author poignantly captures the essence of youthful determination, the significance of questioning the status quo, and the belief that even the smallest voices can challenge powerful adversities. Overall, "How I Became Stink Daley" serves as an inspiring reminder of the potential that lies within us all to ignite change.
As the story unfolds, we witness Danny's transformation from a scared worker at the dairy into an empowered young advocate for change. The author effectively develops this theme by showcasing Danny’s journey—his initial fear of Mr. Glander, his instinct to protect his findings, and his determination to expose the scandal surrounding swill milk. This evolution is marked by pivotal moments, such as when Danny bravely runs to Frank Leslie’s newspaper office with his notebook, ready to present the truth about the harmful milk and the suffering of the animals.
The encouragement he receives from Frank Leslie and the realization that "most heroes are just ordinary people" reinforces the idea that anyone can become an advocate for justice, regardless of their background or circumstances. As Danny starts to learn the ropes of journalism and advocacy, he internalizes essential lessons about raising his voice, asking hard questions, and seeking the truth. These lessons serve as stepping stones in his development, propelling him towards playing an active role in exposing the larger scandal.
Moreover, the culmination of their efforts is highlighted when the newspaper publishes an exposé of the swill-milk trade, demonstrating the tangible impact of their work. While Danny acknowledges that the fight isn’t over and the changes may not happen immediately, the author emphasizes that every act of courage—no matter how small—counts towards creating a better world.
Through Danny’s journey, the author poignantly captures the essence of youthful determination, the significance of questioning the status quo, and the belief that even the smallest voices can challenge powerful adversities. Overall, "How I Became Stink Daley" serves as an inspiring reminder of the potential that lies within us all to ignite change.