Sylvester Character Analysis in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Sylvester is Ma’s nephew. Ma brings him to the recording session and announces that he will be performing a spoken-word intro for the song “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” The band is skeptical about Sylvester’s ability to correctly deliver the introduction, though, since he has a noticeable stutter. In particular, Levee is infuriated by Ma’s decision, since it means the band won’t be playing his arrangement of the song. After several takes, Sylvester manages to successfully perform the intro, but Levee remains upset about having to record the song in Ma’s traditional, old-fashioned style.

Sylvester Quotes in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

The Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom quotes below are all either spoken by Sylvester or refer to Sylvester. 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:

MA RAINEY: They don’t care nothing about me. All they want is my voice. Well, I done learned that, and they gonna treat me like I want to be treated no matter how much it hurt them. They back there now calling me all kinds of names…calling me everything but a child of god. But they can’t do nothing else. They ain’t got what they wanted yet. As soon as they get my voice down on them recording machines, then it’s just like if I’d be some whore and they roll over and put their pants on. Ain’t got no use for me then.

Related Characters: Ma Rainey (speaker), Cutler, Slow Drag, Sturdyvant, Irvin, Sylvester

Page Number and Citation: 79

Explanation and Analysis:

STURDYVANT: Hey, Ma…come on, sign the forms, huh?

IRVIN: Ma...come on now.

MA RAINEY: Get your coat, Sylvester. Irvin, where’s my car?

IRVIN: It’s right out front, Ma. Here...I got the keys right here. Come on, sign the forms, huh?

MA RAINEY: Irvin, give me my car keys!

IRVIN: Sure, Ma...just sign the forms, huh? (He gives her the keys, expecting a trade-off.)

MA RAINEY: Send them to my address and I’ll get around to them.

IRVIN: Come on, Ma...I took care of everything, right? I straightened everything out.

MA RAINEY: Give me the pen, Irvin.

(She signs the forms.)

You tell Sturdyvant…one more mistake like that and I can make my records someplace else.

Related Characters: Ma Rainey (speaker), Sturdyvant (speaker), Irvin (speaker), Sylvester

Page Number and Citation: 105

Explanation and Analysis:

Sylvester Character Timeline in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

The timeline below shows where the character Sylvester appears in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...and Ma enters with a policeman, a young woman named Dussie Mae, and Ma’s nephew Sylvester. Ma is infuriated, shouting at Irvin to tell the policeman who she is. (full context)

After great confusion and commotion, it emerges that Sylvester was driving Ma’s car and got into an accident. The policeman claims Sylvester hit the... (full context)

Collaboration vs. Independence Theme Icon

...says about how Levee’s version is lively and exciting. Instead, Ma is going to have Sylvester do a spoken-word intro, despite the fact that Sylvester has a heavy stutter. Irvin tries... (full context)

...things and go on tour instead of cutting the record. Having said this, she takes Sylvester downstairs to meet the band. As she goes, Irvin tells her everything will be ready... (full context)

History, Tradition, and Change Theme Icon

...Black Bottom,” and she doesn’t care about Levee’s objections. She simply tells Cutler to teach Sylvester his part, then goes back upstairs, leaving Levee to complain that playing the song the... (full context)

...new shoes. The band turns its attention back to rehearsing, as Cutler tries to teach Sylvester his part, which goes: “All right, boys, you done seen the rest…Now I’m gonna show... (full context)

...walks around barefoot and sings to herself. Meanwhile, Cutler pulls Irvin aside and tells him Sylvester can’t get through the part without stuttering. Distressed, Irvin decides that, in this case, the... (full context)

...Ma rejects this, saying the band will instead play “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” and that Sylvester needs a microphone. After an awkward pause, Irvin breaks the news that they’re going to... (full context)

Even though Sylvester stutters, Ma wants him to do the intro. It doesn’t matter how long it takes—he’ll... (full context)

The recording session begins, but the band grinds to a halt when Sylvester stutters on the intro. Ma tells him not to worry and that he should take... (full context)

While the band waits for Slow Drag and Sylvester to come back with the Coke, Ma pulls Cutler aside and chastises him for telling... (full context)

Slow Drag and Sylvester return with the Cokes, at which point Slow Drag goes downstairs to find Levee and... (full context)

...ready to record again. The band does two takes of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” but Sylvester keeps stumbling through his part. Finally, on the third take, he nails it, and the... (full context)

...he tried to talk him out of it, Sturdyvant insists that he can only pay Sylvester $25, and that this will be taken from Ma’s pay. Ma doesn’t accept this. If... (full context)

...claiming there was a “mistake” and that everything is in order now. Taking her and Sylvester’s money, Ma notes that the only “mistake” must have been that Sturdyvant realized she hadn’t... (full context)