Kindred Power Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph) or (Chapter.Section.Paragraph)

Quote #1

"You want her to read to you? […] Then you got something to say to me." (3.8.11)

Tom Weylin is willing to give Rufus what he wants for one simple little thing in return. He wants Rufus to apologize and to acknowledge Tom's total authority over him as his father. That's quite the tradeoff.

Quote #2

"Didn't I tell you I didn't want you reading!" (3.8.87)

Tom Weylin is pretty cheesed off when he catches Dana reading after he specifically told her not to. He's so mad in fact that he gives Dana a brutal whipping. Tom thinks he is the master of his house and he'll do whatever it takes to show everyone that he's in control.

Quote #3

I thought Weylin meant to kill me. I thought I would die on the ground there with a mouth full of dirt and blood and a white man cursing and lecturing as he beat me. (3.8.93)

Dana can't believe that she's going to die from being whipped by a white slave master. This is the essence of how awful power can be. It can destroy not only human life, but whatever deeper meaning this life is supposed to have. After all, what's the point of anything if a powerful person can just kill another person whenever they want?