The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Race Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

"That's all right. Now, where you going to sleep?"

"In Ben Rogers's hayloft. He lets me, and so does his pap's n***** man, Uncle Jake. I tote water for Uncle Jake whenever he wants me to, and any time I ask him he gives me a little something to eat if he can spare it. That's a mighty good n*****, Tom. He likes me, becuz I don't ever act as if I was above him. Sometime I've set right down and eat with him. But you needn't tell that. A body's got to do things when he's awful hungry he wouldn't want to do as a steady thing." (28.31-32)

Here, Huck demonstrates that he is both conscious of racial divisions and that he is able to look past them.

Quote #8

"It ain't the millionth part of it! He had me horsewhipped!—horsewhipped in front of the jail, like a n*****!—and with all the town looking on." (29.30)

Here, Injun Joe shows that he is conscious of his own racial identity and they do suggest that he has been a victim of prejudice.

Quote #9

""It's all plain enough, now. When you talked about notching ears and slitting noses I judged that that was your own embellishment, because white men don't take that sort of revenge. But an Injun! That's a different matter altogether." (30.36)

The Welshman shows just how deeply ingrained racial prejudices can be.