Everything That Rises Must Converge Race Quotes
How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)
Quote #1
"They should rise, yes, but on their own side of the fence." (24)
We hear notes of Booker T. Washington here: "In all things that are purely social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress" (source).
Quote #2
"And I remember the old darky who was my nurse, Caroline. There was no better person in the world." (32)
The mother is thinking back on the glory days of the family, when she lived in a mansion and had a nurse. You know, back when "darkies" actually did what they were told. Yikes. This isn't really endearing us to her.
Quote #3
When [Julian] got on a bus by himself, he made it a point to sit down beside a Negro, in reparation as it were for his mother's sins. (33)
Whoa. Julian has absolutely no sympathy for his mother when it comes to her views on race and integration. Unfortunately, Julian is about as good at making friends as he is at being happy. (Not very.)
Quote #4
[I]n spite of all [the mother's] foolish views, [Julian] was free of prejudice and unafraid to face facts. (62)
Um, really? When Julian starts thinking about all the experiences he's had with black people, this seems a rather inaccurate statement. The real facts? He doesn't have any black friends, he isn't an active participant in the Civil Rights movement, and he seems to be a little afraid of black people, when it comes right down to it.
Quote #5
Instead, [Julian] approached the ultimate horror. He brought home a beautiful suspiciously Negroid woman. (75)
Where do we begin? Julian's wants to bring home a black woman just to shock his mother? Wait, no, not a black woman exactly, but a "suspiciously" black woman? Is this fictional sort-of-black woman going to get a name, or is she just going to be the equivalent of a shocking tattoo or taking up smoking—a way to get attention?
Quote #6
[Carver's mother] stood up and yanked the little boy off the seat as if she were snatching him from contagion. (91)
And you can't exactly blame her. Getting two groups of people together after hundreds of years of separation and oppression is no easy feat. But getting rid of animosity, rage, and fear is even harder.