How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"That'll be a few years yet," she answered, readjusting the cardboard lining she had placed in her shoes to protect her feet from the dirt and gravel which could easily seep through the large holes in the soles. She set the shoes on the floor and stepped into them. Now, with the soles facing downward and Mama's feet in them, no one could tell what the shiny exteriors hid; yet I felt uncomfortable for Mama and wished that we had enough money for her to have her shoes fixed, or better still, buy new ones. (6.112)
Imagine if you had to do this on any kind of a regular basis. It would get old very fast. We think Mama is pretty heroic for making sacrifices like this. Plus, Cassie comes off as admirable for wishing her mother had better shoes. The situation really bothers her; she's "uncomfortable" that she has to see her mother wear cardboard lining in her old, worn-out shoes to protect her feet from rocks and pebbles.
Quote #5
Mama had to buy our clothes in shifts, which meant that we each had to wait our turn for new clothes. (6.132)
Did we mention that times are tough? We think we might have. This is just one more example of the hardships the Logan family face.
Quote #6
"When cotton-pickin' time comes, he sells my cotton, takes half of it, pays my debt up at that store and my interest for they credit, then charges me ten to fifteen percent more as "risk" money for signin' for me in the first place. This year I earned me near two hundred dollars after Mr. Montier took his half of the crop money, but I ain't seen a penny of it. In fact, if I manages to come out even without owin' that man nothin', I figures I've had a good year." (4.252)
Slavery may be over, but sharecropping is almost as good. By which we mean bad. The poor farmers will never get out from under the control of the landowners until they are able to buy their own land (like the Logans). And for most of them, that's as likely to happen as Mr. Granger dressing up in a Santa suit and handing out shiny new toys to all the good little girls and boys.