Roots: The Saga of an American Family Family Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

"You jes' came from bein' wid yo' mammy an' pappy both?" Mizz Malizy couldn't believe it. "Lawd, ain't many us gits to know both our folks fo' somebody git sol' away!" (84.32)

Although it was insanely traumatic for Kizzy to be stolen away from her parents at such a young age, the sad truth is that she's way better off than most enslaved people in America, many of whom never met either one of their parents, much less both. Despite what's happened to her, it's up to Kizzy to carry that legacy into the future.

Quote #8

"Massa don't care nothin' bout you. He may be yo' pappy, but he don't care nothin' 'bout nobody but dem chickens!" (89.21)

Heck of a way to tell your son that his owner is his father, huh? As you can imagine, this revelation really throws Chicken George for a loop, forcing him to reckon with the fact that his dad has done unspeakably evil things to him and his family.

Quote #9

"Gran'mammy say de African make us know who we is!"

"He do dat!" said Gran-mammy Kizzy, beaming.

For the first time in a long time, Chicken George felt that his cabin was his home again. (97.43)

This one's a biggie, as it shows us that the family is literally held together by the oral traditions passed down from Kunta through Kizzy. Chicken George sometimes struggles to be a family man, but Kunta's legacy is a constant reminder of the importance of staying together.