Document Information

• Section & Chapter: Part Three, Chapter 60
• Scene: Unpublished. Jim thinking about Marcus and Louise after they leave plantation.
• Draft: Early manuscript
• File location: Box 3, folder 10

Discussion Questions

1. In this scene, Jim is pondering on Marcus and Louise, and thinking about himself. What does Jim mean when he says he wishes he was an animal? Why might he have expressed this thought?
2. Jim uses the phrase “I must do” in this scene. Does he feel as if he is in control or not in control of his future? Is this idea expressed in the published novel?
3. This scene doesn’t exist in the published manuscript. What purpose might it have served before it was removed, and why might it have been removed?

But what else can I do? What? What? No, it would never change anything. Even if I died it would not change anything. But His never changed anything. Nobody’s here ever changed anything. Nobody’s will change anything. But what can I do? What? What? If I’m a man and I must do. That is the point, I must do. I can’t sit there and not do, I must do.

I’m no hero, I’m no savior of man—but I have a conscious. God, I wish I didn’t have conscious. I wish I was the animal he is. Not animal-bad; but animal without conscious. If a man is going to kill me, I kill the man first. If I see food and I am hungry, I take it. If I see a woman I love, I take her. Oh, to be able to live like that. If I was that kind of animal. But I’m not. I feel sorry [unintelligible] for the whore. Look at me. I’m soft. Didn’t I give her the extra money. And didn’t I even kiss her on her titties when she looked so good laying there. He woulda probably stomped her in the belly, but no, me, I kissed her on her titties. I wish I was that animal he is, not animal bad; but animal without conscious. She’s an animal too. Not animal bad, but animal like. Not her corrupted, yet. So they’ll make it together a while. Both animals. One don’t care, the other don’t

Document Information

• Section & Chapter: Part Three, Chapter 60, pages 377-380
• Scene: Unpublished. Jim thinking about Marcus and Louise after they leave the plantation.
• Draft: Early typescript
• File location: Box 3, folder 27

Discussion Questions

1. This scene doesn’t exist in the published manuscript. What purpose might it have served before it was removed, and why might it have been removed?
2. The last line in this section reads, “Love is everything; dust is what’s left.” Dust is a theme throughout the novel. How does this line change how the reader understands the meaning of dust throughout the novel?

Yes, somebody would have to pay for them running away. I just wish I wouldn’t have to pay it with my life. A thrashing? I didn’t care if all I got was a thrashing--as long as it wasn’t with my life.

Now, I was there. The house stood big and black behind me. The trees was all big and black. I could hear the dog whining the yard like as if somebody had died.

I thought about Marcus and Louse and ‘Tite. I wondered where they was now. I wondered what route they had gone. I tried to figure exactly where they would be, but my mind wouldn’t act for me. It was too full of fear to act for me. I didn’t want to be anywhere near where I was right now, but God knows I wouldn’t ‘a’ been able to live with myself if I hadn’t come up here. Death--what did it mean? God knows I didn’t want death--but to go on living, know that you didn’t even try. Wouldn’t that be worse? Wouldn’t it?

I looked at the house again. It was black and quiet. I could hear the dog whining like as if somebody had died. I turned away and looked down the quarters. The place was black—pitch black. I couldn’t even see the light of a cigarette. My people, I thought; my people. My poor, poor black people Maybe this will do something for them. Maybe if I died it would do something for them. God, I don’t want to die; God knows, I don’t; but maybe if I died it would do something for them.

And me thirty-three--I don’t like that. That’s not a good age to go around saying what you want to do for people. The philistines might just go and do it good and final for you. And what about the people afterward? Would they change? Would they be any different? Could one measly little life change all the fear that three hundred years of slavery had wrought upon them? Your life, poor soul, your life--what would one life matter? Do you think--you poor fool.

But what else can I do? What? What? No, it won’t change anything. Even if I died it wouldn’t change anything. His never changed anything. Nobody’s ever changed anything. Nobody’s will ever change anything. But what can I do? What? What? I’m a man and I must do. That is the point, I must do. I can’t sit there and not do, I must do.

I’m not hero. I’m no savior of man--but I have a conscious. I wish I was the animal he is. I don’t mean animal bad; but animal without conscious. If a man is going to kill me, I kill the man first. If I see food and I’m hungry, I take it. If I see a woman I love, I take her. Oh, to be able to live like that. If I was that kind of animal--but I’m not. I feel sorry for the whore. Look at me; I’m soft. Didn’t I give her the extra money? And didn’t I even kiss her titties because she looked so good laying there? He woudla probably stomped her in the belly--but no, not me; I had to kiss her titties. I wish I was that animal he is. Not animal bad; animal without conscious. She’s a’ animal too. Not animal bad, but animal who’s not been corrupted, yet. So, they’ll make it together well. Both animals. One don’t care, the other one don’t know any better. They’ll make it fine--for a while. And then the world will get them. Running there won’t help them at all. They’re too primitive to survive in this rot. They must pay, and they will pay.

I love those two people, I love them very much. And I love these here. That’s why I’m here; that’s why I’m here. I’m no brave man--God knows I’m not. But I’m a man, and man must do, and man must surely love. “Love is everything; dust is what’s left.”