July 10, 2011
Page 158
"They sentence you to death because you were at the wrong place at the wrong time, with no proof that you had anything at all to do with the crime other than being there when it happened. Yet six months later they come and unlock your cage and tell you, We, us, white folks all, have decided its time for you to die, because this is the convenient date and time."
- Grant's thoughts after hearing about Jefferson's execution date
Grant's resentment toward white people, really comes up to the surface when he heard Jefferson's date to be executed has been decided. He wonders how it is fair for the white men to "play God." I noticed Grant refers to them as 'they', 'we', 'us', and 'white folks.' The most confusing words used are we and us. Usually those are used to refer to a group that the person speaking is a part of. But Grant doesn't consider himself white. My best guess is that he is insinuating that African Americans, the group he is a part of, and all other races don't matter, nor do they deserve a pronoun used to refer to them.
He also depicts the picture of an animal. "... they come and unlock your cage...," which goes back to Jefferson's belief he is a hog. As well as the white man's belief all blacks are hogs. Something Grant is trying to hard to disprove, he is now alluding to. So why? Maybe he feels now that his time with Jefferson is running out, he just has to accept that Jefferson will die believing he is a not a human being.
Why do you think Grant pushes so hard to get that acknowledgement of humanity from Jefferson? According to previous logical statements, Jefferson may be refusing to acknowledge his humanity in an act of self preservation and kindess to those around him? What does Grant--or anyone else for that matter--gain by Jefferson acknowledging humanity. Also, what does Jefferson-or anyone else for that matter-lose without this acknowledgement?
ReplyDeleteI just read something that will answer that question. I would be a great quote, but it's a page long explanation, so my next reading response will answer that.
ReplyDeleteit would be*
ReplyDelete