How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
She was small, Spanishy looking, with dark eyes that went quickly from me to Mr. Pugh. (1.9)
The first thing that Reese notes about anyone he meets is their ethnic identity. It's not a judgmental thing; it's just information… or is it? Over to you, Shmoopers.
Quote #2
"If we find out who beat up the Puerto Rican kid, we're going to have his ass on the menu for lunch," Pugh said.
"He ain't Puerto Rican," I said. (3.20-3.21)
Though Toon's family is from India, Mr. Pugh refers to him as Puerto Rican. He does not seem to be aware of ethnic identity in the same way that Reese is.
Quote #3
When Wilson marched us to dinner, there were about nine white people sitting on one side of the mess hall with Mr. Cintron. (4.32)
Most of the Progress staff, and all nine people on the facility reform committee, are white. Most of the Progress inmates are not. What do you think of this dynamic?
Quote #4
It looked like all the help at Evergreen were colored and the residents were all white. (7.13)
Sounds like the color divide at Evergreen is similar to the one at Progress…and the white people always get the better end of the stick.
Quote #5
"You murdered somebody?" he asked me.
"No, sir," I said. "I didn't murder anybody."
"White or black person?" he asked. (7.67-7.69)
Why do you think Mr. Hooft asks Reese if the (imaginary) person that Reese murdered was black or white? We're thinking it's because there's a racial hierarchy in Mr. Hooft's mind.
Quote #6
The right papers didn't mean anything. You were still yourself in your own black skin and you couldn't sound like some white dude or some la-dee-da black dude who was heavy into what was going down with education or being middle class. (9.21)
In looking for a job, Reese thinks that race matters more than his qualifications. What presumptions do you think he thinks people make based on race?
Quote #7
The newspapers would run stories about why people should vote for some black girl from Harlem but then Icy would come out and blow everybody away with her plans to make New York City the best city in the world for everybody (not just white people) and she would be mayor. (14.13)
Reese says that New York City is the best city in the world…but just for white people. What do you think he means?
Quote #8
"I'm going to be a rich white dude," he said. "Then I won't have to do nothing but sit around and worry about people like you coming into my neighborhood." (23.9)
Play jokes that his life plan is turning into a rich white guy. As it turns out, he loses his case and is transferred to another facility, though. Not that becoming a rich white guy was ever going to be possible…
Quote #9
"I know there's a curtain that divides your world from mine."
"Because you're black, you mean?"
"You sure jumped on that in a heartbeat," Kat said. (26.33-26.35)
Kat is right to criticize Miss Rossetti for assuming that Reese was talking about race. He wasn't—he was talking about freedom, or the lack thereof. Boom.
Quote #10
"I would rather be mean than an African!"
"Yes, darling." Nancy started to close the door […]. (29.40-29.41)
Mr. Hooft is forever making ugly comments about race. And the people he insults—like Nancy, who is from Nigeria—just have to put up with it. You know, because he lives at Evergreen and she (and Reese) just work there.