When people act like niggers, no matter who they are, the only thing to do is treat them like a nigger. — William Faulkner

A man is the sum of his misfortunes. One day you'd think misfortune would get tired, but then time is your misfortune.

Then Ben wailed again, hopeless and prolonged. It was nothing. Just sound. It might have been all time and injustice and sorrow become vocal for an instant by a conjunction of planets.

Dilsey stroked Ben's lower head, slowly and steadily, smoothing the bang upon his brow. He wailed quietly, unhurriedly. "Hush," Dilsey said. "Hush, now. We be gone in a minute. Hush, now." He wailed quietly and steadily.