Character Analysis
It's a bummer when you meet up with an old buddy only to realize that person has radically changed. This is exactly what happens to Ben when he reconnects with Jacob, his best bud from childhood. At first Ben thinks his friend is the same kid who played outside with him, but before long he figures out that Jacob is as racist as they come. When Jacob drags Ben along to a KKK meeting, he tells his childhood friend:
"You're missing the point, Ben. The Klan is here to fight against all injustice. We're not here just to educate n*****s. We're here to educate anyone who needs educating." (79.13)
Oh, okay…So the Klan is racist and terrible to everyone, not just Black people. While we can easily see how horrifying this logic is, Jacob's primary job is to shed a bit of light on the thinking of the KKK, which is exactly what he does. Ugh.