How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Rolling along the dusty Spotsylvania County roads, he would tell her the Mandinka names of things the passed along the road. (74.7)
Kunta keeps his ancestry alive by teaching Mandinka words to Kizzy and regaling her with tales of the family's illustrious past. This is a life-changing moment for Kizzy, true, but it's also huge for Kunta. He's never had someone who he could share his past with like this, not even Bell.
Quote #8
"Mammy, I been thinkin'. Same as you done fo' me, I gwine tell my chilluns 'bout gran'-pappy." (88.41)
From the time he's young, Chicken George dedicates himself to preserving the family legacy. And he does. In fact, with the help of the entire family, he keeps the story alive long enough for his great-great-grandson Alex Haley to turn it into something even more special.
Quote #9
This key that had unlocked a door into the past fascinated me. I seemed to feel it had some special personal significance, but I couldn't imagine what. (118.3)
Haley's talking about the Rosetta Stone, by the way. This is a powerful moment for him, as it represents his realization that he can use his family's stories to find his actual origin. That's a big deal. As you should have learned from the great onslaught of superhero movies, origin stories are very important to one's identity.