Paradise

by

Toni Morrison

Ruby Morgan, later Ruby Smith, is the sister of Steward and Deek Morgan and the mother of K.D. She dies in childbirth because segregated hospitals refuse to help her, and Deek and Steward’s regret that they could not protect their sister from institutionalized racism embodies the theme of Black men seeking to protect Black women that runs throughout the novel. The town of Ruby is named after her.

Ruby Morgan Quotes in Paradise

The Paradise quotes below are all either spoken by Ruby Morgan or refer to Ruby Morgan. 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:
Gender, Race, and Power Theme Icon
).
Ruby Quotes

Bodacious black Eves unredeemed by Mary, they are like panicked does leaping toward a sun that has finished burning off the mist and now pours its holy oil over the hides of game.

God at their side, the men take aim. For Ruby.

Related Characters: Ruby Morgan
Related Symbols: The Convent
Page Number: 18
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Paradise LitChart as a printable PDF.
Paradise PDF

Ruby Morgan Quotes in Paradise

The Paradise quotes below are all either spoken by Ruby Morgan or refer to Ruby Morgan. 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:
Gender, Race, and Power Theme Icon
).
Ruby Quotes

Bodacious black Eves unredeemed by Mary, they are like panicked does leaping toward a sun that has finished burning off the mist and now pours its holy oil over the hides of game.

God at their side, the men take aim. For Ruby.

Related Characters: Ruby Morgan
Related Symbols: The Convent
Page Number: 18
Explanation and Analysis: