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**Theodore Taylor**
 * The Cay by**

// The Cay is // a survival story set in the West Indies during World War II. The central characters are Timothy, an old black West Indian sailor, and Phillip, a bigoted white eleven-year-old. Following an attack by a German U-boat, the two are marooned on a cay, a small island. Blinded by the effects of the shipwreck, Phillip comes to rely on and trust Timothy whose resourcefulness, kindness, and wisdom enable the pair to survive. Eventually, Phillip comes to realise that his racism is a product of sight, for Timothy “feels neither black nor white.” Timothy sacrifices his life to protect Phillip during a hurricane. After Timothy dies, Phillip lives alone on the cay for two months. He is rescued finally by a U.S. Navy ship, reunited with his parents, and has his vision restored. At the end of the novel, he vows to return to visit the cay.

Middle School students from Wycliffe Christian School are compiling a series of fact files related to objects, events and themes in the book. We hope these will help other middle school readers to understand and enjoy The Cay.

Our fact sheets are listed on the menu on the right-hand sidebar. The following links might also be useful.

__[|Robinson Crusoe]__ __[|Cast Away]__ __[|Shipwrecked]__