Gorilla, My Love

by

Toni Cade Bambara

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The protagonist of the story, Hazel is a young girl who values family loyalty and integrity. She insists on being referred to by her “real” name rather than nicknames like “Precious” and “Peaches” because she feels these are demeaning and threaten her control over her identity. She is “the smartest kid P.S. 186 ever had in its whole lifetime” but, being a child, also harbors irrational fears of the dark and rats in the bucket of pecans. She likes causing trouble by blowing up and popping bags of potato chips in the movie theater to annoy the matrons, but she is also observant and insightful. She is particularly indignant about the uneven power dynamic between children and adults, especially when adults exploit children by lying “just cause they little and can’t take em to court.” When she realizes that she has been cheated into seeing King of Kings, a religious movie, rather than the advertised Gorilla, My Love, Hazel confronts the manager and burns down the concession stand because this seems like a just response to betrayal according to how she was raised. Family solidarity forms an important part of Hazel’s support network. She has faith in her parents to back her up when she speaks her mind, because they encourage her to act with integrity and her Mama frequently advocates for her when her teachers treat her unfairly. She harbors close relationships with everyone in her family, but she is particularly close with her uncle Hunca Bubba. She is deeply hurt when he decides to marry another woman—even though, years ago, he had (jokingly) promised to marry her when she grew up—and stop using the nickname she gave him when she was a child, viewing this as yet another example of adults betraying children.

Hazel Quotes in Gorilla, My Love

The Gorilla, My Love quotes below are all either spoken by Hazel or refer to Hazel. 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:
Trust, Solidarity, and Betrayal Theme Icon
).
Gorilla, My Love Quotes

Not that Scout’s my name. Just the name Granddaddy call whoever sittin in the navigator seat.

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), Granddaddy
Related Symbols: Pecans
Page Number: 13
Explanation and Analysis:

Like when the big boys come up on us talkin bout Lemme a nickel. It’s me that hide the money. Or when the bad boys in the park take Big Brood’s Spaudeen way from him. It’s me that jump on they back and fight awhile. And it’s me that turns out the show if the matron get too salty.

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), Baby Jason, Big Brood
Page Number: 14
Explanation and Analysis:

Grownups figure they can treat you just anyhow. Which burns me up.

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), Baby Jason, Big Brood, The Manager
Related Symbols: King of Kings
Page Number: 15
Explanation and Analysis:

Cause I realize that just about anybody in my family is better than this god they always talkin about. My daddy wouldn’t stand for nobody treatin any of us that way. My mama specially.

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), Hunca Bubba / Jefferson Winston Vale, Granddaddy, Mama, Daddy, Aunt Daisy
Related Symbols: King of Kings
Page Number: 16
Explanation and Analysis:

And now I'm really furious cause I get so tired grownups messin over kids just cause they little and can’t take em to court.

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), The Manager
Related Symbols: King of Kings
Page Number: 17
Explanation and Analysis:

And cause my Mama come up there in a minute when them teachers start playin the dozens behind colored folks. She stalk in with her hat pulled down bad and that Persian lamb coat draped back over one hip on account of she got her fist planted there so she can talk that talk which gets us all hypnotized, and teacher be comin undone cause she know this could be her job and her behind cause Mama got pull with the Board and bad by her own self anyhow.

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), Mama, The Manager
Page Number: 17
Explanation and Analysis:

My Daddy had the suspect it was me cause Big Brood got a big mouth. But I explained right quick what the whole thing was about and I figured it was even-steven. Cause if you say Gorilla, My Love, you suppose to mean it. […] I mean even gangsters in the movies say My word is my bond. So don’t nobody get away with nothin far as I’m concerned.

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), Big Brood, Daddy
Related Symbols: King of Kings
Page Number: 17-18
Explanation and Analysis:

So Daddy put his belt back on. Cause that’s the way I was raised. Like my Mama say in one of them situations when I won’t back down, Okay Badbird, you right. Your point is well-taken. Not that Badbird my name, just what she say when she tired arguin and know I’m right.

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), Mama, Daddy
Page Number: 18
Explanation and Analysis:

“My name is Hazel. And what I mean is you said you were going to marry me when I grew up. You were going to wait. That’s what I mean, my dear Uncle Jefferson.”

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), Hunca Bubba / Jefferson Winston Vale
Page Number: 19
Explanation and Analysis:

“Well, for cryin out loud, Hazel, you just a little girl. And I was just teasin.”

Related Characters: Hunca Bubba / Jefferson Winston Vale (speaker), Hazel
Page Number: 19
Explanation and Analysis:

“Look here, Precious, it was Hunca Bubba what told you them things. This here, Jefferson Winston Vale.”

Related Characters: Granddaddy (speaker), Hazel, Hunca Bubba / Jefferson Winston Vale
Page Number: 20
Explanation and Analysis:

And I’m losin my bearins and don’t even know where to look on the map cause I can’t see for cryin. And Baby Jason cryin too. Cause he is my blood brother and understands that we must stick together or be forever lost, what with grown-ups playin change-up and turnin you round every which way so bad. And don’t even say they sorry.

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), Hunca Bubba / Jefferson Winston Vale, Baby Jason
Page Number: 20
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Gorilla, My Love LitChart as a printable PDF.
Gorilla, My Love PDF

Hazel Quotes in Gorilla, My Love

The Gorilla, My Love quotes below are all either spoken by Hazel or refer to Hazel. 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:
Trust, Solidarity, and Betrayal Theme Icon
).
Gorilla, My Love Quotes

Not that Scout’s my name. Just the name Granddaddy call whoever sittin in the navigator seat.

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), Granddaddy
Related Symbols: Pecans
Page Number: 13
Explanation and Analysis:

Like when the big boys come up on us talkin bout Lemme a nickel. It’s me that hide the money. Or when the bad boys in the park take Big Brood’s Spaudeen way from him. It’s me that jump on they back and fight awhile. And it’s me that turns out the show if the matron get too salty.

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), Baby Jason, Big Brood
Page Number: 14
Explanation and Analysis:

Grownups figure they can treat you just anyhow. Which burns me up.

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), Baby Jason, Big Brood, The Manager
Related Symbols: King of Kings
Page Number: 15
Explanation and Analysis:

Cause I realize that just about anybody in my family is better than this god they always talkin about. My daddy wouldn’t stand for nobody treatin any of us that way. My mama specially.

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), Hunca Bubba / Jefferson Winston Vale, Granddaddy, Mama, Daddy, Aunt Daisy
Related Symbols: King of Kings
Page Number: 16
Explanation and Analysis:

And now I'm really furious cause I get so tired grownups messin over kids just cause they little and can’t take em to court.

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), The Manager
Related Symbols: King of Kings
Page Number: 17
Explanation and Analysis:

And cause my Mama come up there in a minute when them teachers start playin the dozens behind colored folks. She stalk in with her hat pulled down bad and that Persian lamb coat draped back over one hip on account of she got her fist planted there so she can talk that talk which gets us all hypnotized, and teacher be comin undone cause she know this could be her job and her behind cause Mama got pull with the Board and bad by her own self anyhow.

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), Mama, The Manager
Page Number: 17
Explanation and Analysis:

My Daddy had the suspect it was me cause Big Brood got a big mouth. But I explained right quick what the whole thing was about and I figured it was even-steven. Cause if you say Gorilla, My Love, you suppose to mean it. […] I mean even gangsters in the movies say My word is my bond. So don’t nobody get away with nothin far as I’m concerned.

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), Big Brood, Daddy
Related Symbols: King of Kings
Page Number: 17-18
Explanation and Analysis:

So Daddy put his belt back on. Cause that’s the way I was raised. Like my Mama say in one of them situations when I won’t back down, Okay Badbird, you right. Your point is well-taken. Not that Badbird my name, just what she say when she tired arguin and know I’m right.

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), Mama, Daddy
Page Number: 18
Explanation and Analysis:

“My name is Hazel. And what I mean is you said you were going to marry me when I grew up. You were going to wait. That’s what I mean, my dear Uncle Jefferson.”

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), Hunca Bubba / Jefferson Winston Vale
Page Number: 19
Explanation and Analysis:

“Well, for cryin out loud, Hazel, you just a little girl. And I was just teasin.”

Related Characters: Hunca Bubba / Jefferson Winston Vale (speaker), Hazel
Page Number: 19
Explanation and Analysis:

“Look here, Precious, it was Hunca Bubba what told you them things. This here, Jefferson Winston Vale.”

Related Characters: Granddaddy (speaker), Hazel, Hunca Bubba / Jefferson Winston Vale
Page Number: 20
Explanation and Analysis:

And I’m losin my bearins and don’t even know where to look on the map cause I can’t see for cryin. And Baby Jason cryin too. Cause he is my blood brother and understands that we must stick together or be forever lost, what with grown-ups playin change-up and turnin you round every which way so bad. And don’t even say they sorry.

Related Characters: Hazel (speaker), Hunca Bubba / Jefferson Winston Vale, Baby Jason
Page Number: 20
Explanation and Analysis: