James

by Percival Everett

“I thinks praying is for the people round you what wants you to pray.

I was as much scared as angry, but where does a slave put anger?

“Way I sees it is dis. If’n ya gots to hab a rule to tells ya wha’s good, if’n ya gots to hab good ’splained to ya, den ya cain’t be good. If’n ya need sum kinda God to tells ya right from wrong, den you won’t never know.”

but in which direction does one run from lightning?

After being cruel, the most notable white attribute was gullibility.

“Listen, Bilgewater,” the older man said. “Bridgewater.”

Besides, French is a very complicated language. Hearing it might cause yer ear a consternation from which you might never recover.

You sayin’ you is makin’ a ’stinction ’tween chattel slavery ’n’ bonded slavery?”

“Don’t you just hate getting sold?” Luke asked. “As bad as getting bought,” I said.

“I thought you were going to say I was dead,” I said. “I just couldn’t kill you off,” the boy said.