These colonial governors, who were not always very educated or even very educable, could convince themselves that what was merely a temporary privilege should become a permanent right. (p.97)

Times goin' change again an' things too, and that great British Empire goin' change too, 'cause time ain't got nothin' to do with these empires. God don't like ugly, an' whenever these big great empires starts to get ugly with the thing they does the Almighty puts His hands down once an' for all. He tell them without talkin', fellows, you had your day. (p.101)

If you ain't native to a place, you have a better chance of becoming a gentleman in it.

When the poor man loose control of the best in himself... it ain't his fault at all, it is the fault of people who go 'round making poppits of other poor people.

Some hours ago we had discovered a giant. Now we had discovered a man. The giant was the man, but being a man he could no longer be a giant. The man had undermined the giant.

Was it like that with other people? Life went on flowing happily or stupidly like a sea, while here in one spot something tremendous was happening.

If you tell have of them that work in those places that they have somethin' to do with Africa they'd piss straight in your face." But why you goin' to tell a man that for," said Mr. Foster, "Why tell a man he's somebody brother when he ain't?""'Tis true," said Bob's father, "no man like to know he black." (p.102)

Tis only right he say that every man should own his own piece o' land at some time or other. 'Tis the ambition of every man to do that same said thing, an' he say it ain't only poor, simple people like you an' me, but 'tis the way the big folks think too.

... it didn't seem I could know it until I had lived it.

Language was a kind of passport. You could go where you like if you had a clean record. p.155