How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)
Quote #7
He remembered other beatings, and his back quivered. Naw, naw, Ah sho don wan im t beat me tha way no mo. (206)
On a metaphorical level, Mr. Saunders's threat to Dave represents the fact that he doesn't see his son as a man. Instead of teaching him why killing Jenny was wrong, he takes out his anger in an unproductive way. Does he honestly think it will solve anything?
Quote #8
Dam em all! Nobody gave him anything. All he did was work. They treat me like a mule, n then they beat me. (206)
This sums things up perfectly. Dave is treated like a workhorse, a dull thing whose only purpose in life is to work, instead of as a boy on the cusp of manhood. He might be a bit whiny about it, but he has a darn good point.
Quote #9
Lawd, ef Ah had just one mo bullet Ah'd taka shot at tha house […] t let im know Saunders is a man. (210)
What would this prove? Dave sees Hawkins, to a degree, as the epitome of manhood—he's wealthy, focused, and often mean. What better way to become a man than to knock off the dude sitting in the top spot?