How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
The tenements glowed like furnaces and the tenants had no water to drink. The sink at the bottom of the stairs was dry. Fathers raced through the streets looking for ice. [...] Horses exploded in the heat. Their exposed intestines heaved with rats. (3.7)
In comparison to the beautiful palaces of the rich, Doctorow shows a version of living hell in the tenements, where the conditions are inhumane, and where the wealthy don't care to go.
Quote #2
Thaw was not really fond of the jail fare so they brought in his meals from Delmonico's. He liked to feel clean so they passed along a change of clothes delivered each morning to the jail doors by his valet. He disliked Negroes so they made sure no Negro prisoner was lodged near his cell. (4.4)
This is the prison experience of Harry K. Thaw. You can bet the experience for the black prisoners he doesn't like being near is far, far worse. This is a perfect demonstration of how much life differed between those with money and those without.
Quote #3
One Hundred Negroes a year were lynched. One hundred miners were burned alive. One hundred children were mutilated. There seemed to be quotas for these things. There seemed to be quotas for death by starvation. (6.3)
To be a worker or an African American—or a poor child—was horrible during these times. Life expectancies are short, and it's no wonder, given the fact that their lives are not valued by wealthy society and companies regularly mistreat their workers.
Quote #4
At palaces in New York and Chicago people gave poverty balls. [...] One hostess invited everyone to a stockyard ball. Guests were wrapped in long aprons and their heads covered with white caps. They dined and danced while hanging carcasses of bloody beef trailed around the walls on moving pulleys. Entrails spilled on the floor. The proceeds were for charity. (6.3)
Talk about adding insult to injury! Here Doctorow really drives home the idea that the rich —and rich corporations—didn't just think poor people were a lesser form of human being, but they actually enjoyed mocking them.
Quote #5
His own wife, to feed them, offered herself and he has now driven her from his home and mourns her as we mourn the dead. (7.3)
Doesn't it seem an injustice that Mameh is thrown out of her house, never to see her daughter again, for simply trying to feed her family and pay the rent? Part of us might want Tateh to forgive her, but Doctorow is being realistic about the rigid morals of the time.
Quote #6
There were many incidents. A woman worker was shot in the street. The only ones with guns were the police and the militia, but the two strike leaders, Ettor and Giovanetti, were arrested for complicity in the shooting. (16.4)
This is an example of the injustices committed against laborers as they tried to form unions, which corporations said were against God.
Quote #7
The volunteers waited until this was done and then advised him that he was traveling on a private toll road and that he could not drive on without payment of twenty-five dollars or by presenting a pass indicating that he was a resident of the city. (23.3)
This is the moment when Coalhouse's life takes a serious turn for the worse. The volunteers, emboldened by their Chief, and angry with the black man passing by in his fancy car, have decided to make an example of him. Just imagine how much twenty-five bucks was back then.
Quote #8
The big policeman came to a decision. He took Coalhouse aside. Listen, he said, we'll push your tin lizzie back on the road and you be on your way. There's no real damage. Scrape off the s*** and forget the whole thing. (23.10)
Because Coalhouse is black, the attitude of the policeman is that Coalhouse should just be thankful he's getting his car back. This is the attitude that Coalhouse so adamantly fights against, knowing that if the firemen had vandalized a white man's car, the policeman would have acted differently.
Quote #9
Sarah broke through the line and ran toward him calling, in her confusion, President! President! Her arm was extended and her black hand reached toward him. [...] A militiaman stepped forward and, with the deadly officiousness of armed men who protect the famous, brought the butt of of his Springfield against Sarah's chest as hard as he could. (25.6)
This is the straw that breaks the camel's back. In her innocence, Sarah tries to go to the Vice President on Coalhouse's behalf, and is assaulted, leading to her death. It's no surprise when this happens that Coalhouse commits to a plan that will ultimately lead to his death. The world that he thought was just now has no meaning for him.
Quote #10
In the bright floodlit street the black man was said by the police to have made a dash for freedom. More probably he knew that all he must do in order to end his life was to turn his head abruptly or lower his hands or smile. (40.1)
The final injustice to Coalhouse. A man who would never run from anything in his life is said to have run from the police, just so that they can rationalize their killing him. The only comfort is the understanding that Coalhouse knew the police would act this way.