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John
Dorris is an attractive Black woman who dances at the Howard Theater. During rehearsals one afternoon, she tries very hard to catch the attention of John, the well-to-do brother of the theater manager, but she ultimately realizes that he won’t ever be interested in her the way she wants him to be, because she is beneath his social class.
Dorris Quotes in Cane
The Cane quotes below are all either spoken by Dorris or refer to Dorris. 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:
).
22. Theater
Quotes
Above the staleness, one dance throws herself into it. Dorris. John sees her. Her hair, crisp-curled, is bobbed. Bushy, black hair bobbing about her lemon-colored face. Her lips are curiously full, and very red. Her limbs in silk purple stockings are lovely. John feels them. Desires her. Holds off.
John: Stage-door johnny; chorus-girl. No, that would be all right. Dictie, educated, stuck-up; show-girl. Yep. Her suspicion would be stronger than her passion. It wouldn’t work. Keep her loveliness. Let her go.
Dorris sees John and knows that he is looking at her. Her own glowing is too rich a thing to let her feel the slimness of his diluted passion.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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Dorris Quotes in Cane
The Cane quotes below are all either spoken by Dorris or refer to Dorris. 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:
).
22. Theater
Quotes
Above the staleness, one dance throws herself into it. Dorris. John sees her. Her hair, crisp-curled, is bobbed. Bushy, black hair bobbing about her lemon-colored face. Her lips are curiously full, and very red. Her limbs in silk purple stockings are lovely. John feels them. Desires her. Holds off.
John: Stage-door johnny; chorus-girl. No, that would be all right. Dictie, educated, stuck-up; show-girl. Yep. Her suspicion would be stronger than her passion. It wouldn’t work. Keep her loveliness. Let her go.
Dorris sees John and knows that he is looking at her. Her own glowing is too rich a thing to let her feel the slimness of his diluted passion.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
