The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales

“He Lion just went on, stickin out his chest and roarin, ‘ME AND MYSELF. ME AND MYSELF.”

Imagery shows the muscular pride of he Lion, and repetition reinforces his self-centered word view. The lion repeats “me” and “myself”—initially, all he cares about is himself.

“Oh, mercy, don’t do that! […] Whatever you do with me, don’t dare throw me in those thorny briars!”

Doc Rabbit uses hyperbole (exaggerated, overdramatic language) to make Bruh Fox think he doesn’t want to go in the briars (he does). The quote is an example of dialogue—it’s a conversation between Doc Rabbit and Doc Fox, and many of the folktales use dialogue so the characters, not the narrator, can propel the plot and conflict.

“The cowhide beat and beat. It beat everybody—it beat the king, too.”

In two sentences, the word “beat” appears four times. Hamilton repeats the word to highlight the violence of the cowhide. It’s constantly on the attack and has no problem Confronting Power, as it even assaults the king.