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Father John is the enigmatic, ancient Black man who lives in the cellar under Fred Halsey’s wagon shop. Although it isn’t clear whether Father John is actually related to Fred and Carrie, they both refer to him as “Father” out of respect, and they both contribute to his care. Father John was born before the end of slavery in America. He spends most of his days in stony silence, but occasionally Kabnis and Carrie catch him muttering to himself. When Lewis meets Father John, Father John immediately strikes the Northern visitor as a prophetic figure. And ultimately, Father John offers a revelation about America to Kabnis and Carrie.
Father John Quotes in Cane
The Cane quotes below are all either spoken by Father John or refer to Father John . 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:
).
29. Kabnis
Quotes
Kabnis rises and is going doggedly toward the steps. Carrie notices his robe. She catches up to him, points to it, and helps him take it off. He hangs it, with an exaggerated ceremony, on its nail in the corner […] with eyes downcast and swollen, trudges upstairs to the work-shop. Carrie’s gaze follows him till he is gone. Then she goes to the old man and slips to her knees before him. Her lips murmur, “Jesus, come.”
Light streaks through the iron-barred cellar window. Within its soft circle, the figures of Carrie and Father John.
Outside, the sun arises from its cradle in the tree-tops of the forest. Shadows of pines are dreams the sun shakes from its eyes. The sun arises. Gold-glowing child, it steps into the sky and sends a birth-song slanting down gray dust streets and sleep windows of the southern town.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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Father John Quotes in Cane
The Cane quotes below are all either spoken by Father John or refer to Father John . 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:
).
29. Kabnis
Quotes
Kabnis rises and is going doggedly toward the steps. Carrie notices his robe. She catches up to him, points to it, and helps him take it off. He hangs it, with an exaggerated ceremony, on its nail in the corner […] with eyes downcast and swollen, trudges upstairs to the work-shop. Carrie’s gaze follows him till he is gone. Then she goes to the old man and slips to her knees before him. Her lips murmur, “Jesus, come.”
Light streaks through the iron-barred cellar window. Within its soft circle, the figures of Carrie and Father John.
Outside, the sun arises from its cradle in the tree-tops of the forest. Shadows of pines are dreams the sun shakes from its eyes. The sun arises. Gold-glowing child, it steps into the sky and sends a birth-song slanting down gray dust streets and sleep windows of the southern town.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
