How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Book.Paragraph)
Quote #4
Vera brought her plate and sat opposite him. Bigger felt that even though her face was smaller and smoother than his mother’s, the beginning of the same tiredness was already there. How different Vera was from Mary! He could see it in the very was Vera moved her hand when she carried the fork to her mouth; she seemed to be shrinking from life in every gesture she made. The very manner in which she sat showed a fear so deep as to be an organic part of her; she carried the food to her mouth in tiny bits, as if dreading its choking her, or fearing that it would give out too quickly. (2.154)
Bigger realizes that his sister Vera lives with the same fear he does—and he realizes that Mary lived without fear. This has everything to do with race and class.
Quote #5
No; he did not think they would suspect him of anything. He was black. Again he felt the roll of crisp bills in his pocket; if things went wrong he could always run away. He wondered how much money was in the roll; he had not even counted it. He would see when he got to Bessie’s. No; he need not be afraid. He felt the gun nestling close to his skin. That gun could always make folks stand away and think twice before bothering him. (2.436)
Because the gun gives Bigger a certain amount of power, it also lessens his fear. This makes it seem like Bigger’s fear isn’t simply about white people, but being powerless in the hands of those who hold the power.
Quote #6
"Bigger, honey. I—I don’t know," she said plaintively.
"You wanted me to tell you."
"I’m scared."
"Don’t you trust me?"
"But we ain’t never done nothing like this before. They’ll look everywhere for us for something like this. It ain’t like coming to where I work at night when the white folks is gone out of town stealing something. It ain’t. . . ."
"It’s up to you."
"I’m scared, Bigger."
"Who on earth’ll think we did it?"
"I don’t know. You really think they don’t know where the girl is?"
"I know they don’t."
"You know?"
"Naw."
"She’ll turn up."
"She won’t. And, anyhow, she’s a crazy girl. They might even think she’s in it herself, just to get money from her family. They might think the Reds is doing it. They won’t think we did. They don’t think we got enough guts to do it. They think n*****s is too scared. . ." (2.784-797)
Bigger tries to coax Bessie to join him in sending a ransom note to the Daltons, in order to get money, but fear prevents her. This is Bigger’s exact reasoning why they’ll never be suspected—because everybody would think black people are too scared to do something like this.