52 pages 1 hour read

Virginia Hamilton

The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales

Fiction | Short Story Collection | Middle Grade | Published in 1985

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Important Quotes

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“He Lion just went on, stickin out his chest and roarin, ‘ME AND MYSELF. ME AND MYSELF.”


(Part 1, “He Lion, Bruh Bear, and Bruh Rabbit”, Page 5)

Imagery shows the muscular pride of he Lion, and repetition reinforces his self-centered word view. The lion repeats “me” and “myself”—initially, all he cares about is himself.

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“Oh, mercy, don’t do that! […] Whatever you do with me, don’t dare throw me in those thorny briars!”


(Part 1, “Doc Rabbit, Bruh Fox, and Tar Baby”, Page 18)

Doc Rabbit uses hyperbole (exaggerated, overdramatic language) to make Bruh Fox think he doesn’t want to go in the briars (he does). The quote is an example of dialogue—it’s a conversation between Doc Rabbit and Doc Fox, and many of the folktales use dialogue so the characters, not the narrator, can propel the plot and conflict.

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“The cowhide beat and beat. It beat everybody—it beat the king, too.”


(Part 1, “Tappin, the Land Turtle”, Page 25)

In two sentences, the word “beat” appears four times. Hamilton repeats the word to highlight the violence of the cowhide. It’s constantly on the attack and has no problem Confronting Power, as it even assaults the king.