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Editor of The Virginian
Although Sanders Junior shows promise as a young boy seemingly interested in interrogating the moral roots racism and slavery, as an adult overseer, he ultimately replicates Sanders Senior’s propensity for violence. However, he proves conflicted about the whipping of the young slave Chapel, whom he did not know was his half-brother until after the young boy’s death. Although Sanders Junior believes that his most important duty on the plantation is to remind slaves that they are inferior to him and therefore must obey him, he also feels guilty about hitting Whitechapel and killing his son, because he recognizes their bravery and intelligence. By the end of the novel, despite his attachment to rigid racial hierarchies, he seems open to feeling compassion and respect for the two slaves, as he feels sorry for their suffering.
Sanders Junior Quotes in The Longest Memory
The The Longest Memory quotes below are all either spoken by Sanders Junior or refer to Sanders Junior. 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:
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Chapter 2: Mr. Whitechapel Quotes
“This inhuman display parading as discipline is a regular occurrence on these so-called ‘tightly run’ operations. I tell you all the evidence supports my belief that as a long-term measure it is a disaster. Contrary to their arguments, such rough handling provides rougher responses. The human spirit is passive in some but nature shows us that it is rebellious in most.”
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After Chapel’s death, Mr. Whitechapel reproaches Sanders Junior for brutally (and disobediently) whipping Chapel to death. Mr. Whitechapel argues that, unlike many other plantation owners he knows, he does not want to use excessive brutality on his plantation. By contrast, other slave owners sometimes disguise violence through such names as “discipline” or “tightly run operations,” which are nothing more than the implementation of a state of terror on the plantation. Mr. Whitechapel does not oppose violence on the basis of respecting slaves’ dignity. Rather, his concern is exclusively for the long-term sustainability of the plantation’s economic project. His view is 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 accusan
“Africans may be our inferiors, but they exhibit the same qualities we possess, even if they are merely imitating us. Their management is best exemplified by an approach that treats them first and foremost as subjects of God, though blessed with lesser faculties, and therefore suited to the trade of slavery.”
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In the speech in which Mr. Whitechapel berates Sanders Junior for whipping the young slave Chapel, the master also outlines his racial beliefs, to make sure that his employee understands and respects his guidelines in the future. Mr. Whitechapel’s views on race and slavery undermine all pretense of respect that he claims to have for his slaves. Indeed, he mixes ideas of equality (“the same qualities,” “subjects of God”) with a clear embrace of inequality (“our inferiors,” “imitating us,” “lesser faculties”). This reveals that Mr. Whitechapel believes that Africans and their descendants only appear to be equal to whites, when 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 be
Chapter 3: Sanders Senior Quotes
I told my son that we are different from slaves in intelligence and human standing before God. He asked why Whitechapel could do a knot that I couldn’t do. His first joke. Not a bad one. I said doing things like that was not a proper measure of intelligence. Then he asked why they were dark and we were bright. His word “bright.”
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When Sanders Junior asks his father about the reason for the differences between whites and blacks, he demonstrates an ability to think beyond rigid social boundaries of race and class. The young boy’s curiosity at people’s different skin colors suggests that he has not yet absorbed racist ideology and learned to associate people’s appearance with stereotypes about their intelligence. Instead, his initial reaction to racism is to recognize its inherent arbitrariness. The contrast between Sanders Junior’s attitude as a young boy and his later willingness, as an adult, to whip Chapel to death simply because of his status as a 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
Chapter 6: Plantation Owners Quotes
“How could your Whitechapel watch and not intervene?”
“He lost a son in deference to authority.”
“Name your price. That slave of yours is a slaver’s dream.”
“He’s still not for sale.”
“He deserves your family name.”
“Well said indeed.”
“If he were white he’d still be rare.”
“Let’s drink a toast. To Whitechapel and to his slave.”
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After Mr. Whitechapel reveals the parentage between Chapel and Sanders Junior, the plantation owners are surprised that Whitechapel did not intervene to protect his son. The men’s amazement at Whitechapel’s inaction reveals that, despite their claims that slaves are not fully human and should be treated as impersonal economic assets, they know that slaves do have strong ties to their families, as well as feelings of loyalty and pain that can be strong enough to make them rebel against authority. In other words, despite plantation owners’ claims of racial inferiority, they do expect slaves to behave as normal human beings 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
Chapter 13: Sanders Junior Quotes
“I couldn’t strike you. You showed me how to run things. My father spoke highly of you. You were a better overseer than I. There I was, thinking I was the first one to rise in the morning, setting an example for everyone, and you were out here even before me. Always first and last in everything. I am sorry about your son. Not my brother. I knew him only as the son of a slave. He was trouble from the day he talked. He not only asked questions but when you gave him an answer he was never satisfied. He always asked why: Why this? Why that?”
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After Whitechapel’s death, Sanders Junior begins an imaginary dialogue with the slave Whitechapel, in which the overseer seeks to explain two of his violent actions: slapping Whitechapel and whipping Chapel. In a confused way, the overseer realizes that there is a difference between professional codes of conduct, according to which he should punish rebellious slaves on the plantation, and moral validity (“I couldn’t strike you”), according to which he should not have hit Whitechapel, who has played such a positive role in his life. This moment of moral reflection, though, is fleeting and disappears as soon as the overseer considers 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
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Sanders Junior Character Timeline in The Longest Memory
The timeline below shows where the character Sanders Junior appears in The Longest Memory. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1: Whitechapel
...could get them punished, Whitechapel and the other slaves beg the overseer (later revealed as Sanders Junior ) to spare Whitechapel’s son from more lashes. However, the boy is always able to...
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...subsequently doesn't see the deputy anywhere on the plantation, he begins to panic. The overseer, Sanders Junior , tells Whitechapel that the deputy is never at the plantation at night. Whitechapel realizes...
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Despite the danger of contradicting Sanders Junior ’s desire, Whitechapel tells him that he and four other witnesses can attest to hearing...
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Angry at Sanders Junior ’s action, Whitechapel’s son tries to attack the overseer but is restrained by the men...
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...night. Chapel calls out for Cook (who died the previous day), and Whitechapel begs the Sanders Junior to whip him in Chapel’s place, saying that his son is all he has. Sanders...
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Chapter 2: Mr. Whitechapel
Back on the plantation the next day, Mr. Whitechapel launches in a long monologue to Sanders Junior , the deputy, and Whitechapel, accusing all of them of behaving foolishly and causing Chapel’s...
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...is only his seniority that has kept him from being punished for his behavior toward Sanders Junior . He tells Whitechapel to apologize to him, which Whitechapel seemingly does.
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...the deputy for leaving the plantation and angrily demands an explanation. Mr. Whitechapel also tells Sanders Junior that, because of the overseer’s behavior, he could have very well returned from his trip...
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Mr. Whitechapel also scolds Sanders Junior for hitting Whitechapel and whipping Chapel to death in front of him, invoking Whitechapel’s honorable...
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...she became pregnant, but that Whitechapel accepted the illegitimate child (Chapel) as his own. Seeing Sanders Junior ’s shock, Mr. Whitechapel realizes with surprise that the man did not know this.
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Mr. Whitechapel adds that Whitechapel could have used this fact to keep Sanders Junior from whipping his own half-brother (Chapel) to death, but that Whitechapel probably assumed Sanders did...
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Chapter 3: Sanders Senior
...no one will ever be able to replace her. He refuses to tell his son, Sanders Junior , how his mother died, although Sanders Senior does tell his son that she is...
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Sanders Senior tells Sanders Junior that slaves are intellectually inferior. When his son replies that Whitechapel can tie a knot...
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...Senior is caught beating a slave, Mr. Whitechapel reprimands him, which irritates the overseer. On Sanders Junior ’s birthday, which is also the anniversary of Caroline’s death, Sanders Senior can smell what...
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A few days later, Sanders Senior scolds Cook for answering one of Sanders Junior ’s questions about death, while Whitechapel teaches him to click his heels, which annoys his...
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...Cook to his room. On one occasion, he scolds her for once again talking to Sanders Junior about issues unrelated to her position and, as a punishment, slaps her, which makes her...
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Over the next few months, Sanders Senior keeps on refusing to tell Sanders Junior about Caroline’s death, and Sanders Senior also makes fun of his son’s aspirations to become...
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Sanders Senior finally tells Sanders Junior that his mother, Caroline, died in childbirth, which upsets the boy terribly. In September, Cook...
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Chapter 6: Plantation Owners
...incredulous at hearing this story. Mostly, they do not understand how Whitechapel could have let Sanders Junior whip his own half-brother to death. Mr. Whitechapel explains that Whitechapel simply refused to stand...
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Chapter 13: Sanders Junior
Sanders Junior engages in an imaginary dialogue with Whitechapel, who is now dead. He is surprised to...
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Sanders Junior explains that he could never have hit Whitechapel hard, because he learned his entire trade...
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Sanders Junior wonders why Whitechapel was not capable of keeping Chapel from running away and places the...
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Sanders Junior insists that slavery is a business, and that all the slaves’ lives belong to Mr....
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Sanders Junior orders people to cover Whitechapel before moving his body and even gives his jacket for...
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Sanders Junior reflects on his act of giving Whitechapel his jacket, which used to belong to his...
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