Highboy Character Analysis in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

Portia’s husband. A quiet but kind man who lives happily with both Portia and Willie. Willie and Highboy get into trouble one night at a dance hall, and though Willie is charged and imprisoned, Highboy escapes the incident without suffering any physical harm or legal repercussions. Highboy tries his best to be supportive of Portia as she worries over her brother, proving himself a dedicated and compassionate partner.

Highboy Quotes in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

The The Heart is a Lonely Hunter quotes below are all either spoken by Highboy or refer to Highboy. 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:

The next morning the sun came out. The strange Southern winter was at its end. Doctor Copeland was released. A little group waited outside the jail for him. Mr. Singer was there. Portia and Highboy and Marshall Nicolls were present also. Their faces were confused and he could not see them clearly. The sun was very bright.

“Father, don’t you know that ain’t no way to help out Willie? Messing around at a white folks’ courthouse? Best thing us can do is keep our mouth shut and wait.”

Related Characters: Portia (speaker), William “Willie” Copeland, Doctor Benedict Mady Copeland, John Singer, Highboy, Marshall Nicolls

Page Number and Citation: 263

Explanation and Analysis:

Highboy Character Timeline in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

The timeline below shows where the character Highboy appears in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...that Mick won’t know love or peace if she doesn’t find religion. Portia, her husband Highboy, and her brother Willie all have peace—as do Bubber and John Singer. Bored by the... (full context)

...steps. Upon seeing them, Mick calls through the kitchen window to Portia, telling her that Highboy and Willie are outside waiting for her. Jake throws his overalls away, and Portia comes... (full context)

...father for reading in the dark. Doctor Copeland asks how Portia’s doing, and whether she, Highboy, and William are getting along all right. It’s clear that while Portia visits her father... (full context)

...Copeland is upset by the story, but Portia says that even though she, Willie, and Highboy were taken advantage of, they’re able to laugh at what happened now. (full context)

...father, insisting that she and Willie have “a good deal of white folks’ blood,” while Highboy is “part Indian.” (full context)

...of a harmonica on the street makes its way inside. Portia says that Willie and Highboy have come to collect her and bids her father goodnight. Doctor Copeland, pointing out that... (full context)

Portia returns with Willie and Highboy. Doctor Copeland greets them warmly. Highboy is polite and respectful, but Willie is quiet and... (full context)

...he said he wouldn’t start a quarrel, then stands up and goes to the door. Highboy and Willie follow her. Before she leaves, though, Portia turns and begs the men to... (full context)

After Highboy, Willie, and Portia leave, Doctor Copeland returns to the dark of the kitchen and sits... (full context)

...wrong. Copeland asks his daughter what’s happened. Portia begins explaining, through tears, that Willie and Highboy recently went together to a “wicked” nightclub called Madame Reba’s Palace of Sweet Pleasure. There,... (full context)

The next evening, Doctor Copeland goes over to Portia and Highboy’s house. The room is crowded, and at first no one notices Doctor Copeland enter. When... (full context)

...in the morning, he is released to find a small group including Singer, Portia, and Highboy waiting for him outside. Portia chastises her father for “messing around at a white folks’... (full context)

...looks around for Singer, he realizes his friend has gone back to see Doctor Copeland. Highboy and Lancy come in through the back door bearing gifts of wine and peach puffs.... (full context)

...and again wants to leave—but when the others begin passing around the wine and snacks Highboy and Lancy have brought, he becomes more comfortable. (full context)

...has brought his ancient old mule, and it is pulling an empty cart. Karl Marx, Highboy, Portia, and Willie crowd into the automobile and attempt to get Copeland squeezed in too,... (full context)

Highboy Character Analysis

Highboy Quotes in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

Part 2, Chapter 10 Quotes

Highboy Character Timeline in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter