How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
He looked at me in the fading light and said softly, "We will 'ave no other food tonight. You bes' eat dem, young bahss." With that, he pressed a piece of the fish against his teeth, sucking at it noisily.
Yes, they were different. They ate raw fish. (3.69-70)
Phillip is pretty freaked out by Timothy's seemingly uncivilized meal of raw fish. He draws the conclusion that Timothy – and all black West Indian people – are "different" from him. Is Phillip right or wrong? Why does Timothy encourage Phillip to eat the fish?
Quote #5
Once, our bodies touched. We both drew back, but I drew back faster. In Virginia, I knew they'd always lived in their sections of town, and us in ours. A few times, I'd gone down through the shacks of colored town with my father. They sold spicy crabs in one shack, I remember. (4.3)
Phillip describes his segregated hometown back in Virginia, where white and black people lived separately. Is it easier to maintain racist views if you don't live alongside other races? Why or why not?
Quote #6
"You say what you want." It was just that Timothy looked very much like the men I'd seen in jungle pictures. Flat nose and heavy lips.
He shook his head. "I'ave no recollection o' anythin' 'cept dese islan's. 'Tis pure outrageous, but I do not remember anythin' 'bout a place called Afre-ca." (4.13)
Phillip assumes that because Timothy is black he must be from Africa. What do we learn here about the differences between Phillip and Timothy? How does Timothy see himself?