“Bandy is a mutt like me.”

In the first sentence of the novel, Zane compares himself to a mixed-breed dog, revealing that he neither takes much pride in himself or his multiracial heritage. Over the course of the novel, Zane gains self-understanding and embraces his family ties.

“Because you can’t miss somebody you never knew, can you?” 

Zane’s rhetorical question makes a dramatic point to readers that it does not matter that he did not know his father. But readers quickly see that Zane’s protests mask the truth. Zane knows that “way down deep” it does matter (166).

“My singin’ voice so young it still go out dancin’ on Sat’day night. There, I made you smile.”

Miss Trissy has lived in New Orleans for decades and speaks in a regional dialect. Her speech indicates strong community ties. Here, Miss Trissy also reveals her sense of humor and her own use of figurative language, something she and Zane have in common.