Dry September Language and Communication Quotes

This is an interesting line. It shows how difficult it is for Hawkshaw to express why he believes so strongly in Will's innocence other than by saying something nasty about Minnie. He stereotypes her in an effort to save Will.

It's hard to know if this if this line is meant to be from Minnie's perspective, or if it's an observation by the narrator, or both. So we have to keep all possibilities open. Say it does come from Minnie. Does this prove she's the rumor starter, as some critics imply, or is she just expressing a common anxiety – that of being unattractive?

Even as they near the ice plant, Hawkshaw tries to use reason and argument to get through to the vigilante mob. It doesn't work, because they don't care if Will is guilty or not. Is there some other method of communication Hawkshaw could have used which might have been effective? If so, what?