Chapter 4
By: Hyorim Suh
Chapter Summary
The flustered, unsettled, anxious protagonist drives Mr. Norton back to the college. TIM fetches Dr. Bledsoe to tend to the disturbed Mr. Norton. Dr. Bledsoe readily blames TIM for Mr. Norton's distress and injury, but Norton convinces him otherwise. TIM goes to Rabb Hall and tells Mr. Norton that he is grateful. Norton must leave in the morning and TIM is not to drive him. Characters
Mr. Norton: rich, white trustee of the state's black college; in a distressed state during return to college; convinces Bledsoe that his injury is not TIM's fault; at Rabb Hall, tells TIM that he does not need TIM to drive him.

TIM: our naive, humble, subservient protagonist; angry at the people that made Mr. Norton go through some psychological distress; worried that Dr. Bledsoe will expel him; extremely grateful that Norton explains that TIM is not at fault.

Dr. Bledsoe: a wealthy, influential black man who has an important position in the college; fusses over Norton and his forehead injury; is ready to blame TIM for the trouble.

Girl at desk: random girl who asks TIM to give note to her boyfriend.

TIM's roommate: wakes TIM up and tells him to go to dinner. Motifs
Whiteness: "white line of the highway" (98): reminds reader of the constant division between black and white people; as TIM is driving along the highway with Mr. Norton sitting in the back, the white line serves as the racial line of difference between the black TIM and white Norton

Machines: Norton says he "won't be needing the machine" (108). Setting
The setting is at the college. TIM fetches Dr. Bledsoe at Rabb Hall, in the domain of Norton; Bledsoe takes care of Norton. Quotations
"Here within this quiet greeness I possessed the only identity I had ever known, and I was losing it" (99).: TIM is extremely concerned at the possible consequences of Mr. Norton's condition; he is worried that he might be expelled for exposing Norton to such reality; as one among the suppressed race, TIM needs to secure a niche in society by finding his identity and college seems to be the only place to be. "I wanted to stop the car and talk with Mr. Norton, to beg his pardon for what he had seen; to plead and show him tears...to assure him that far from being like any of the people we had seen, I hated them..." (99): TIM exposes his apparent shallowness and naivete because he genuinely feels that the stupidity of his race might ruin his chances of succeeding at the college; he stoops below his level by wanting to beg for the white man's mercy. "He had no right to talk to a white man as he did, not with me to take the punishment" (106): TIM is talking about how the veteran in the Golden Day should not have ranted the realities to Mr. Norton. Once again, TIM reveals his conditioned response of subservience that blacks must give white men careful respect. If TIM were a strong-willed person, he would not care about the veteran's diatribe of truth against Norton. Thematic elements
Humility: TIM wants to beg for Norton's forgiveness so that TIM's college future is not jeopardized; Dr. Bledsoe gives extra, "grandmotherly" attention to Mr. Norton's minor injury on the forehead because Norton is more "superior"; TIM describes Dr. Bledsoe's usual humbleness and self-inflicted humility.

Cover-up: Dr. Bledsoe covers up his true self by acting servile to the important white people.

Hopelessness: TIM feels hopelessness and dread that he has to encounter Dr. Bledsoe about the incident; he fears expulsion from the institution of his destiny.