How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)
Quote #1
The ones that could fly shed their wings. They couldn't take their wings across the water on the slave ships. (2)
Here, the shedding of the wings represents the confinement of slavery. At one time, these people could go (literally) wherever they wanted, but everything changed so suddenly. Now their every move will be limited.
Quote #2
The slaves labored in the fields from sunup to sundown. The owner of the slaves callin himself their Master. (6)
The people are confined both physically and mentally. They have to work all day, every day; they are expected to call this jerk their "Master;" and they're not even given any time to talk to one another. That takes a toll on a person.
Quote #3
The Overseer rode after her, hollerin. Sarah flew over the fences. She flew over the woods. (20)
Sarah has just done what every person on the plantation has been dreaming about for a long time, so good for her. This image attempts to describe the indescribable feeling of freedom.
Quote #4
She flew like an eagle now, until she was gone from sight. No one dared speak about it. Couldn't believe it. (20)
Yeah, we don't think we'd believe our eyes either. Although the slaves are surely overjoyed, they're too scared to express it. After all, their situation is unchanged—they're still imprisoned. For now, at least…
Quote #5
The ones flyin were black and shinin sticks, wheelin above the head of the Overseer. (22)
Suddenly, tons of people are free. The Master and his henchmen are shocked by this—they never realized what power these people had, not only as individuals, but together.
Quote #6
The Driver got his whip ready to curl around old Toby and tie him up. The slaveowner took his hip gun from its place. He meant to kill old, black Toby. (24)
With the mass exodus now underway, the bosses turn to violence. Violence has worked well for them in the past, after all, so why not now? As usual, they underestimate the people, these so-called slaves. They don't realize that their drive for freedom is so strong that nothing can stop them now.
Quote #7
"Hee, hee! Don't you know who I am? Don't you know some of us in this field?" He said it to their faces. "We are the ones who fly!" (25)
The Master and his cohorts believed that they could destroy the peoples' spirits by confining them to the plantation, but that's not how things work. These are freedom-loving people by nature (funny how that works with humans), so no matter how much abuse he heaps on them, the Master will never be able to change this fundamental fact.
Quote #8
They rose on the air [...] Way above the plantation, way over the slavery land. Say they flew away to Free-dom. (27)
The people who could fly are now free, as they were always meant to be. Although they'll never be able to return home to rebuild the lives that were stolen from them, they'll now be able to determine their own fate.
Quote #9
Toby couldn't take them with him. Hadn't the time to teach them to fly. They must wait for a chance to run. (29)
Unfortunately, there are many people would can't fly left stuck on the plantation. For them, escape is much more dangerous and frightening possibility—but that's not going to stop them from trying.
Quote #10
The slaves […] told about the people who could fly to their children. When they were free. […] They did so love firelight and Free-dom, and tellin. (32).
In case this wasn't spoiled for you by a history class, the enslaved people are eventually freed. Here, we see how stories became an integral part of this now-freed people's identity. After spending generations in unthinkable conditions, the only things that helped them retain hope for the future were stories—just like this one.