Arnold Hayward Character Analysis in If Beale Street Could Talk

The white lawyer who takes on Fonny’s case. Although at first Tish is skeptical about whether or not Hayward actually cares about Fonny’s trial, she soon sees he is genuinely concerned about doing the best job he can. Indeed, Hayward is sick of the bigotry that rules the courts, and he’s willing to speak openly about the fact that he thinks both Officer Bell and the District Attorney are racist. However, he’s frequently put in the uncomfortable position of having to deliver bad news to Tish and her family, as the case against Fonny only gets worse and worse. Nevertheless, Hayward doesn’t stop doing whatever he can to get Fonny out of jail.

Arnold Hayward Quotes in If Beale Street Could Talk

The If Beale Street Could Talk quotes below are all either spoken by Arnold Hayward or refer to Arnold Hayward. 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:

I felt the way I’d felt all day, alone with my trouble. Nobody could help me, not even Sis. Because she was certainly determined to help me, I knew that. But maybe I realized that she was frightened, too, although she was trying to sound calm and tough.

Related Characters: Tish (Clementine) (speaker), Arnold Hayward, Ernestine (Sis)

Page Number and Citation: 43

Explanation and Analysis:

Before Tish tells Ernestine about her pregnancy, Ernestine asks her when she’s going to visit Hayward, Fonny’s lawyer. She also says that she should tell Hayward to contact her (Ernestine) if he asks for more money, and when Tish asks why, she says that Hayward will be more straightforward with her. Despite the fact that Ernestine is trying to help, this conversation makes Tish feel “alone with [her] trouble,” as if nothing anyone does will truly change her predicament. This, of course, is somewhat true, since it’s obviously the case that nothing Ernestine says to Hayward will change the fact Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus pos

Time: the word tolled like the bells of a church. Fonny was doing: time. In six months time, our baby would be here. Somewhere, in time, Fonny and I had met: some where, in time, we had loved; somewhere, no longer in time, but, now, totally, at time’s mercy, we loved.

Somewhere in time, Fonny paced a prison cell, his hair growing—nappier and nappier. Somewhere, in time, he stroked his chin, itching for a shave, somewhere, in time, he scratched his armpits, aching for a bath. Somewhere in time he looked about him, knowing that he was being lied to, in time, with the connivance of time. In another time, he had feared life: now, he feared death—somewhere in time.

Related Characters: Tish (Clementine) (speaker), Fonny (Alonzo Hunt), Arnold Hayward, Sharon

Page Number and Citation: 95

Explanation and Analysis:

As she sits in Hayward’s office and listens to him tell her and Sharon that they need to “buy time” before Fonny’s trial, Tish thinks about how torturous it is for Fonny to wait to find out what his fate will be. Indeed, while she and her family members scramble to help Hayward put together a solid defense, Fonny “pace[s]” his cell and “fear[s] death.” With each passing day, he experiences the physical passage of time, as his hair grows and his body itches. Similarly, Tish’s own body marks the passage of time, the baby growing larger in her womb Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus

Will you listen to me? Please? Of course, she’s lying. We know she’s lying. But—she’s—not—lying. As far as she’s concerned, Fonny raped her and that’s that, and now she hasn’t got to deal with it anymore. It’s over. For her. If she changes her testimony, she’ll go mad. Or become another woman. And you know how often people go mad, and how rarely they change.

Related Characters: Ernestine (Sis) (speaker), Tish (Clementine), Victoria Rogers, Fonny (Alonzo Hunt), Arnold Hayward

Page Number and Citation: 119

Explanation and Analysis:

Ernestine says this to Tish in a discussion about how they’re going to go about getting Victoria Rogers to change her testimony. In this moment, Ernestine prepares Tish for the very good possibility that Mrs. Rogers will refuse to alter what she has already said about the case. To do this, she tells her sister that Mrs. Rogers isn’t lying, and when Tish voices her surprise, she clarifies that Mrs. Rogers isn’t telling the truth, either. This is because she (Mrs. Rogers) actively believes that Fonny is the man who raped her. “As far as she’s concerned,” Ernestine says, “Fonny Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Qui

Arnold Hayward Character Timeline in If Beale Street Could Talk

The timeline below shows where the character Arnold Hayward appears in If Beale Street Could Talk. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...of her job. As they discuss this, Joseph notes that he thinks the lawyer, Mr. Hayward, wants more money, and though the family can’t possibly cough up more cash, they all... (full context)

Tish tells Ernestine that she plans to see Mr. Hayward on Monday, and Ernestine says she should tell him to call her if he wants... (full context)

Shame, Judgment, and Morality Theme Icon

...made any progress yet. When Sharon asks what Mrs. Hunt and Frank think about Mr. Hayward, they express their skepticism, and Frank says that “it don’t mean shit” that Hayward is... (full context)

On the Monday after Tish visits Fonny in jail, she goes to Mr. Hayward’s office with Sharon. He informs them that Victoria Rogers—the woman who accused Fonny of raping... (full context)

Hayward clarifies that he thinks Officer Bell is the person who told Mrs. Rogers to accuse... (full context)

Outlining the difficulties of Fonny’s case, Hayward informs Tish and Sharon that Daniel has been arrested by the D.A. and “is being... (full context)

...will take all the strength she has to help free Fonny. Then, before they leave, Hayward stops Tish and tells her that whenever he visits Fonny in prison, Fonny asks how... (full context)

After seeing Hayward, Tish thinks back to before Fonny was arrested. In the memory, Fonny bumps into Daniel... (full context)

The day after meeting with Hayward, Tish breaks the news to Fonny that Mrs. Rogers has fled. When he hears this,... (full context)

...has to focus on her pregnancy, and Ernestine herself has to keep on top of Hayward. And though everything Ernestine has suggested seems difficult, Tish understands that she must remain strong,... (full context)

Fonny’s trial is repeatedly postponed, as Hayward struggles to do everything he can to keep the case from going to court before... (full context)

Sharon visits Hayward’s office to be briefed for her trip to Puerto Rico. He tells her that Mrs.... (full context)

...Mrs. Rogers, though Sharon is sure she has the right person because of the picture Hayward gave her. After a while, Mrs. Rogers tacitly admits who she is, and Sharon tells... (full context)

...it leaves him feeling even more “alone.” That evening, Tish comes and tells him that Hayward will be visiting the next day and that he has “got a date fixed for... (full context)

...says he’s been working a lot but that he’ll be coming to the Tombs with Hayward the following day. They then speak briefly about Fonny’s trial, as Tish explains that Hayward... (full context)

Arnold Hayward Character Analysis

Arnold Hayward Quotes in If Beale Street Could Talk

Troubled About My Soul Quotes

Arnold Hayward Character Timeline in If Beale Street Could Talk