How we cite our quotes: (Entry. Paragraph)
Quote #1
Here sensuality was escape, proof of manhood for people who could prove it no other way. Here at noon, jazz blared from juke boxes and dark holes issued forth the cool odors of beer, wine and flesh into the sunlight. Here hips drew the eye and flirted with the eye and caused the eye to lust or laugh. It was better to look at hips than at the ghetto. (8.18)
What do you think would happen if the people that Griffin describes did not use sexuality as an escape from their lives in the ghetto?
Quote #2
Customers came—whites, Negroes and Latin Americans. Well- dressed tourists mingled with the derelicts of the quarter. When we shined their shoes we talked. The whites, especially the tourists, had no reticence before us, and no shame since we were Negroes. Some wanted to know where they could find girls, wanted us to get Negro girls for them. We learned to spot these from the moment they sat down, for they were immediately friendly and treated us with the warmth and courtesy of equals. I mentioned this to Sterling. "Yeah, when they want to sin, they're very democratic," he said. (8.115)
Why do the attitudes of these white people change when they want to have sex with black women? Also, why do the white men have no shame in front of Griffin and Sterling?
Quote #3
"Well, you know you don't want to even look at a white woman. In fact, you look down at the ground or the other way." (10.143)
Okay, so we just saw how these white guys are pretty excited to have sex with black women, but a black guy can't even look at a white woman? What's up with these rules?