Chapter 11, unlike the previous 10, begins with lines from an old slave spiritual. How do the lines of this song relate to the one or more of the central ideas of the novel?

The metaphor of thunder, which has continued throughout the book, takes center stage in this chapter, which is the crisis of the book. In the song which Mr. Morrison sings at the opening of the chapter, the reader sees the origin of the title. The full lyrics are:

Roll of thunder

hear my cry

Over the water

bye and bye

Ole man comin'

down the line

Whip in hand to

beat me down

But I ain't

gonna let him

Turn me 'round

The song is a spiritual previously sung by slaves and its presence in this chapter speaks to the continued attempts at the whites to dominate blacks seventy years after the Civil War. But the end of the song is most significant, because it portrays blacks' refusal to be dominated.

This chapter begins with "approaching thunder." Immediately after Cassie hears it, she hears TJ tapping at the door. Both sounds are marks of the approaching crisis and destruction. By the end of the chapter, a mob is clamoring to hang TJ (as well as Mr. Morrison and Papa), and the crisis is underway and inescapable.