How we cite our quotes: (Entry. Paragraph)
Quote #7
An army officer hurried to get at the rear of the white line. I stepped back to let him get in front. He refused and went to the end of the colored portion of the line. Every Negro craned his head to look at the phenomenon. I have learned that men in uniform, particularly officers, rarely descend to show discrimination, perhaps because of the integration of the armed forces. (10.67)
It's pretty cool that this Army officer decides to wait in line for the bus instead of skipping all the black people. Why do you think that is?
Quote #8
Scenes from books and movies came back—the laces, the shaded white-columned veranda with mint juleps served by an elegantly uniformed "darky," the honor, the magnolia fragrance, the cotton fields where "darkies, happy and contented," labored in the day and then gathered at the manse to serenade their beloved white folks with spirituals in the evening after supper… Until the time when they could escape to freedom. (10.263)
Ah, here's another mode of racism. Instead of dehumanizing black people, this mode pretends that slavery and subjugation are actually the best way for black people to live. That makes the racists feel better because then they are doing a good thing, and the black people are happy. Everybody wins! Except this is a big fat lie, and everyone loses.
Quote #9
"No use trying down here," he said. "We're gradually getting you people weeded out from the better jobs at this plant. We're taking it slow, but we're doing it. Pretty soon we'll have it so the only jobs you can get here are the ones no white man would have." [...] "We're going to do our damndest to drive every one of you out of the state." (14.9)
This scene amazed us because this man straight up explains his whole racist plan to Griffin. That takes some cojones… and some freaking evilness. Besides this guy, everyone else seems to pretend that they aren't being racist when they are. So, at least he's honest? No, we're not even going to give him points for that.