Cane Lesson Plan

Why does Dan shout when the dwarf gives Muriel a rose? What does his exclamation mean?

When Dan notices how uncomfortable Muriel is at the attention the dwarf gives her, he realizes that she is similarly uncomfortable in his presence. He sees something of his own situation in the action since the dwarf is also an "other" in society. He imagines the dwarf imploring Muriel not to "be afraid" because he too was made in the image of God. This recalls Dan's proclamation in the beginning of the story that, "The hands of Jesus touched [him]." By screaming "Jesus was once a leper," Dan echoes the dwarf's (imagined) words to Muriel, trying to tell her (and society) that one day...