How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
"You done got snatched over here, an' got your foot cut, you thinks you been through all dey is! Well, you ain't de only one had it bad." (54.13)
Kunta tends to retreat into himself when he undergoes suffering, but the fiddler's saying here that he is far from the only one who's had to deal with such painful stuff. Instead of being a bummer, however, this warms Kunta's heart. It shows him that he is not alone in his suffering, and that others will help him bear it.
Quote #8
The lives of all black people in the toubob land seemed full of suffering, but he wished he could spare her some of it. (82.27)
This is a heart-breaking moment because Kizzy ends up suffering more than anyone else in the novel, both physically and psychologically. As a parent, Kunta would do anything to protect his daughter, but he can't do much in the face of the institution of slavery.
Quote #9
"An' I left, figgered somewhere [...] had to be better. But seem like the only somebody even give me the time of day been your n*****s." (111.61)
This is an important detail to note, but we're not quite sure why the family is the only people who help out Ol' George. Is it because they've endured so much suffering themselves and are empathetic? Or are they just plain old good people? What do you think about this one?