Today I must write a paragraph or a page better than I did yesterday. Ernest Gaines More Quotes by Ernest Gaines More Quotes From Ernest Gaines Anytime a child is born, the old people look in his face and ask him if he's the One. Ernest Gaines childrenpeoplelooks I believe that the writer should tell a story. I believe in plot. I believe in creating characters and suspense. Ernest Gaines creatingcharacterbelieve I like the sound of people's voices, and I think what a man says can very well tell what he's thinking, whether he's lying or not. Ernest Gaines menlyingthinking He told us that most of us would die violently, and those who did not would be brought down to the level of beasts. Ernest Gaines beastlevelswould-be And that's all we are Jefferson, all of us on this earth, a piece of drifting wood. until we - each of us, individually- decide to become something else. I am still that piece of drifting wood, and those out there are no better. But you can be better. Ernest Gaines woodspiecesearth I have learned as much about writing about my people by listening to blues and jazz and spirituals as I have by reading novels. Ernest Gaines readingwritingpeople Don't tell me to believe. Don't tell me to believe in the same God or laws that men believe in who commit these murders. Don't tell me to believe that God can bless this country and that men are judged by their peers. Who among his peers judged him? Was I there? Was the minister there? Was Harry Williams there? Was Farrell Jarreau? Was my aunt? Was Vivian? No, his peers did not judge him, and I will not believe. Ernest Gaines auntbelievecountry I still don't even know if the sheriff will let me see him. And suppose he did; what then? What do I say to him? Do I know what a man is? Do I know how a man is supposed to die? I'm still trying to find out how a man should live. Am I supposed to tell someone how to die who has never lived? Ernest Gaines dyingtryingmen The sharecropper may lower his eyes, but not because he's less of a man. That's just a condition of society that such things exist. Ernest Gaines eyemaymen And I thought to myself, What am I doing? Am I reaching them at all? They are acting exactly as the old men did earlier. They are fifty years younger, maybe more, but doing the same thing those old men did who never attended school a day in their lives. Is it just a vicious circle? Am I doing anything? Ernest Gaines menyearsschool I try to write something that would interest anybody and keep them turning the page. You must have a plot and good storyline. Ernest Gaines plotwritingtrying I wanted to be a writer. I wanted to say something about home. Ernest Gaines wantedhome How do people come up with a date and a time to take life from another man? Who made them God? Ernest Gaines mademenpeople I write with as much objectivity as I can. Ernest Gaines objectivityi-canwriting We looked at each other, and I could see in those big reddened eyes that he was not going to scream. He was full of anger - and who could blame him? - but he was no fool. He needed me, and he wanted me here, if only to insult me. Ernest Gaines fooleyedying ...my heart may have been in it but my soul was not. Ernest Gaines soulheartmay If I were to give one piece of advice, I would say to never accept anything that you hear or see at face value. As a general rule of thumb, then the more you question, the better. Ernest Gaines piecesadvicegiving I have learned as much about writing about my people by listening to blues and jazz and spirituals as I have from reading novels. The understatements in the tenor saxophone of Lester Young, the crystal, haunting, forever searching sounds of John Coltrane, and the softness and violence of Count Basie's big band - all have fired my imagination as much as anything in literature. Ernest Gaines readingimaginationwriting Only when the mind is free has the body a chance to be free. Yes, they must believe, they must believe. Because I know what it means to be a slave. I am a slave. Ernest Gaines mindmeanbelieve But let us say he was (guilty). Let us for a moment say he was (guilty). What justice would there be to take his life? Justice, gentlemen? Why, I would just as soon put a hog in the electric chair as this. Ernest Gaines gentlemandyingjustice
