Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Poverty Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

Mama frowned down into the flour barrel. 'Only one tablespoon, Cassie, and not so heaping."

"But, Mama, we always use two."

"That barrel will have to last us until Papa goes back to the railroad. Now put it back." (9.23-25)

Many families had to ration food during the Great Depression, and the Logans are no different. They weren't rich to begin with, but now with their land possibly in jeopardy, they have to stretch things to make them last.

Quote #8

"Mr. Granger making it hard on us, David. Said we gonna have to give him sixty percent of the cotton, 'stead of fifty . . . now that the cotton's planted and it's too late to plant more . . . Don't s'pose though that it makes much difference. The way cotton sells these days, seems the more we plant, the less money we get anyways—" (9.69)

Mr. Granger and the other landowners are punishing the black sharecroppers for boycotting the Wallace store by demanding a higher percentage of cotton for rent. This will put the families in an even worse situation—and some may be kicked off of the land they're renting.

Quote #9

"We'll probably have to sell a couple of the cows and their calves to make them July and August notes . . . maybe even that ole sow. But by the end of August we should have enough cotton to make that September payment." (10.12)

Uh oh. It's never good when you have to start selling your animals. What might be the financial repercussions of selling the farm animals? What does the family do with these animals currently?