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The King
Lizzie is the daughter of Jim and Sadie. Like her parents, she is enslaved by Miss Watson. She and the other enslaved children learn how to speak “slave talk” from Jim, to pacify their white abusers. Young Sammy reminds Jim of Lizzie, prompting him to take her with him when he runs from Henderson. Reuniting with Lizzie and Sadie is Jim’s primary motivation.
Lizzie Quotes in James
The James quotes below are all either spoken by Lizzie or refer to Lizzie. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 1, Chapter 1
Quotes
“But what are you going to say when she asks you about it?” I asked.
Lizzie cleared her throat. “Miss Watson, dat some cone-bread lak I neva before et.”
“Try ‘dat be,’” I said. “That would be the correct incorrect grammar.”
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 1, Chapter 2
Quotes
That evening I sat down with Lizzie and six other children in our cabin and gave a language lesson. These were indispensable. Safe movement through the world depended on mastery of language, fluency.
[…]
“White folks expect us to sound a certain way and it can only help if we don’t disappoint them,” I said. “The only ones who suffer when they are made to feel inferior is us. Perhaps I should say ‘when they don’t feel superior.’”
Part 3, Chapter 11
Quotes
“I am the angel of death, come to offer sweet justice in the night,” I said. “I am a sign. I am your future. I am James.” I pulled back the hammer on my pistol.
Get the entire James LitChart as a printable PDF.
Lizzie Quotes in James
The James quotes below are all either spoken by Lizzie or refer to Lizzie. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 1, Chapter 1
Quotes
“But what are you going to say when she asks you about it?” I asked.
Lizzie cleared her throat. “Miss Watson, dat some cone-bread lak I neva before et.”
“Try ‘dat be,’” I said. “That would be the correct incorrect grammar.”
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 1, Chapter 2
Quotes
That evening I sat down with Lizzie and six other children in our cabin and gave a language lesson. These were indispensable. Safe movement through the world depended on mastery of language, fluency.
[…]
“White folks expect us to sound a certain way and it can only help if we don’t disappoint them,” I said. “The only ones who suffer when they are made to feel inferior is us. Perhaps I should say ‘when they don’t feel superior.’”
Part 3, Chapter 11
Quotes
“I am the angel of death, come to offer sweet justice in the night,” I said. “I am a sign. I am your future. I am James.” I pulled back the hammer on my pistol.
