How we cite our quotes: Paragraph
Quote #7
The man came back, and his own dog panted about them. "Well, I scared him off that, time," he said, and then he laughed and lifted his gun and pointed it at Phoenix.
She stood straight and faced him.
"Doesn't the gun scare you?" he said, still pointing it.
"No, sir, I seen plenty go off closer by, in my day, and for less than what I done," she said, holding utterly still. (52-55)
The hunter wins the showdown between the dogs and then turns the violence on Phoenix in the most dangerous moment of the story. This is a life or death situation, but Phoenix is so used to witnessing racial violence, she's not even scared. The hunter has the upper hand here—he could shoot Phoenix and the Jim Crow culture of the South would tolerate that. But Phoenix is not intimidated, and she does not back down. More power to you, Phoenix.
Quote #8
She walked on. The shadows hung from the oak trees to the road like curtains. Then she smelled wood smoke, and smelled the river, and she saw a steeple and the cabins on their steep steps. Dozens of little black children whirled around her. There ahead was Natchez shining. (58)
Black children playing on the outskirts of the city… is this a sign that younger generations of the black community might fare better than Phoenix has?
Quote #9
A lady came along in the crowd, carrying an armful of red, green, and silver-wrapped presents; she gave off perfume like the red roses in hot summer, and Phoenix stopped her. (60)
Phoenix asks this woman to help her tie her shoes. Welty uses this moment to give us a scenario in which people of two different races can meet each other in a peaceful way—a very different kind of interaction than what people were used to at the time.