Hurricane Song Essay, Paul Volponi

Hurricane Song, by Paul Volponi, tells the story of a boy and his father, surviving Hurricane Katrina. Miles, the boy, lives in Texas with his mom, and is sent to live with his Dad in New Orleans. His parents split when he was very young and he didn't really know his father. His time with his dad was very awkward. They didn't talk and didn't appreciate each others' interests. Miles enjoyed football, his father enjoyed playing the trumpet and playing jazz at clubs. When Hurricane Katrina struck Miles and Pap were sent to the Superdome, a football stadium that was being used to hold the citizens of New Orleans. The stadium smelled horrid and the people were shady and rowdy.  Over the course of the story, Mils and Pap replace their old, separate interests with interest in each other.

In the beginning of the story Pop only cares about jazz. Pop puts his music before Miles. 

For example, for Miles birthday, when he is shopping for football gear, Pop buys him a drum for his birthday instead. Miles gets very angry at his father, and feels that his father doesn't understand him. 

But later, in the story, when Miles and Pop are searching the old, flooded streets of their block, they see men stealing a piano from a club Pop used to play in. They try to stop them, but the men start fighting them for the piano. Miles gets tackled, and Pop, using his trumpet, beats up Miles's attacker. "He stood up slow and staggered away, with Pop waving his smashed horn at him. 'Don't you ever touch my son again…" then to Miles, "I just couldn't lose you, Miles, not for anything." Pop saves Miles life and shows that he truly cares about Miles, putting Miles before his interest in music. Additionally, when Miles helps his father save the piano and wrestles the robber for it, it shows Pop that Miles will help him and respects his love of jazz music, his interests, too.

In the Superdome, at a funeral for a friend, Pop and 'Uncle Roy', another musician friend, play their instruments together for the ceremony. On one song, Miles plays along on his drums, and surprises his dad by participating in Pop's music. This is a big moment for them, showing that they can share in and appreciate each other's interests.

Hurricane Song tells the story of a boy, Miles, and his father, surviving Hurricane Katrina. The book shows the changes and events they went through that bring them closer together. This book showed me that when people are faced with a disaster, they can come together in a deeper way. Perhaps Miles and Pop wouldn't have become as close as they did, if the Hurricane hadn't come and thrown them into this traumatic situation.