---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I tried to decide just how I should…"
description: "\"“I tried to decide just how I should respond to them. Whether I should act like the teacher that I was, or like the nigger that I was supposed to be.”\"..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/ernest-j-gaines-32014_teacher_i-tried-to-decide-just-how-i-should-resp_2270861.jpg"
---

#  I tried to decide just how I should respond to them…

![“I tried to decide just how I should respond to them. Whether I should act like the teacher that I was, or like the nigger that I was supposed to be.” quote by Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/ernest-j-gaines-32014_teacher_i-tried-to-decide-just-how-i-should-resp_2270861.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/ernest-j-gaines-32014_teacher_i-tried-to-decide-just-how-i-should-resp_2270861.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/ernest-j-gaines-32014_teacher_i-tried-to-decide-just-how-i-should-resp_2270861.jpg)

> ““I tried to decide just how I should respond to them. Whether I should act like the teacher that I was, or like the nigger that I was supposed to be.””

[Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The narrator struggles between his role as an educator and the racial identity imposed on him.

**In simple terms:** Balancing professional identity with societal expectations of race is challenging.

Key Takeaway

Navigate personal and societal roles with self-awareness.

Themes

identity education race self‑perception

Mood

reflective determined

Type

literary inspirational

When to use this quote

- classroom teaching
- civil rights activism
- community leadership
- personal decision‑making

Key Concepts

role conflict racial stereotyping personal agency

Questions to Reflect On

- How can one honor both professional duties and cultural identity?
- What support systems help resolve such role tensions?

A Different Perspective

Internal conflict may hinder authentic self‑expression.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/)

## Related quotes

> [Ask your child for information in a gentle, nonjudgmental way, with specific, clear questions. Instead of “How was your day?” try “What did you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/ask-your-child-for-information-in-a-gentle-nonjudgmental-way-with/)

[Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/)

> [If I would get in trouble, my mom would already know when I came home after school. I didn't have time to give my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-behrs/if-i-would-get-in-trouble-my-mom-would-already-know-when-i-came-home/)

[Beth Behrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-behrs/)

> [“He never denied it. He never did anything. He never acted like either a nigger or a white man. That was it. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/he-never-denied-it-he-never-did-anything-he-never-acted-like-either-a/)

[William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/)

> [“Racial prejudice is a terrible thing, Yossarian. It really is. It’s a terrible thing to treat a decent, loyal Indian like a nigger, kike,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heller/racial-prejudice-is-a-terrible-thing-yossarian-it-really-is-it-s-a/)

[Joseph Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-heller/)

> [ “\[Chief White Halfoat:\] Racial prejudice is a terrible thing, Yossarian. It really is. It's a terrible thing to treat a decent, loyal Indian like… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heller/chief-white-halfoat-racial-prejudice-is-a-terrible-thing-yossarian-it/)

[Joseph Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-heller/)

> [“And with that, away he went. You never see a bird work so since you was born. He laid into his work like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/and-with-that-away-he-went-you-never-see-a-bird-work-so-since-you-was/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [I tried to decide each case based on the law and the Constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-tried-to-decide-each-case-based-on-the-law-and-the-constitution/)

[Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/)

> [Last night I went to sleep, wanted more tried to decide what direction I should go towards some nights I wish could go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/last-night-i-went-to-sleep-wanted-more-tried-to-decide-what-direction/)

[Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/)

> [“You’d kiss me back right now if I kissed you,” he said, and I tried to decide whether to even attempt denial. “But then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-hildenbrand/you-d-kiss-me-back-right-now-if-i-kissed-you-he-said-and-i-tried-to/)

[Heather Hildenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-hildenbrand/)

> [Sometimes I caught myself Lookin' in the mirror With my eyeballs out And I'm lookin' at the fear In the bottom of the drain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cage-the-elephant/sometimes-i-caught-myself-lookin-in-the-mirror-with-my-eyeballs-out/)

[Cage The Elephant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cage-the-elephant/)

> [“She tried to decide whether the silence was an empty one or a waiting one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-lynn-anderson/she-tried-to-decide-whether-the-silence-was-an-empty-one-or-a-waiting/)

[Jodi Lynn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-lynn-anderson/)

> [I feel like every teacher out there has a teacher that impacted them in their life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hill/i-feel-like-every-teacher-out-there-has-a-teacher-that-impacted-them/)

[George Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hill/)

> [Teacher: Would you like to share that with the class? Me: Obviously not, that's why I whispered it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proudlesbian/teacher-would-you-like-to-share-that-with-the-class-me-obviously-not/)

ProudLesbian

> [No, I'm happy to go on living the life I've chosen. I'm a university teacher and I like my job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-tabucchi/no-i-m-happy-to-go-on-living-the-life-i-ve-chosen-i-m-a-university/)

[Antonio Tabucchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-tabucchi/)

> [The director's job is like a teacher's, and I feel a teacher should not have any doubts about the subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-vasu/the-director-s-job-is-like-a-teacher-s-and-i-feel-a-teacher-should/)

[P. Vasu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-vasu/)

## More by Ernest J. Gaines

> [“Well, in San Francisco if someone's against you, they know how to vote you out of an area. If someone's against you in Louisiana,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/well-in-san-francisco-if-someone-s-against-you-they-know-how-to-vote/)

[Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/)

> [“That's man's way. To prove something. Day in, day out he must prove he is a man. Poor Fool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/that-s-man-s-way-to-prove-something-day-in-day-out-he-must-prove-he/)

[Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/)

> [“Do I know what a man is ? Do I know how a man is supposed to die ? I’m still trying to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/do-i-know-what-a-man-is-do-i-know-how-a-man-is-supposed-to-die-i-m/)

[Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/)

> [“I had heard the same carols all my life, seen the same little play, with the same mistakes in grammar. The minister had offered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/i-had-heard-the-same-carols-all-my-life-seen-the-same-little-play/)

[Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/)

> [“Writing is too goddamned hard for me to think about a soul in teh world ... I don't think about a soul, but just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/writing-is-too-goddamned-hard-for-me-to-think-about-a-soul-in-teh/)

[Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/)

> [“The sky blue blue, Mr. Wiggins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/the-sky-blue-blue-mr-wiggins/)

[Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/)

> [“Irene and my aunt want from me what Miss Emma wants from Jefferson,' I said. 'I don't know if Miss Emma ever had anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/irene-and-my-aunt-want-from-me-what-miss-emma-wants-from-jefferson-i/)

[Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/)

> [“For the next half hour it continued. Dr. Joseph would call on someone who looked half bright, then he would call on someone whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/for-the-next-half-hour-it-continued-dr-joseph-would-call-on-someone/)

[Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/)

> [“Jefferson needs something in that cell,” I said. “Yes, he do,” the minister said. “You hit the nail on the head, mister. Yes, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/jefferson-needs-something-in-that-cell-i-said-yes-he-do-the-minister/)

[Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/)

> [“Then he spoke of James Joyce. He told about Joyce’s family, his religion, his education, his writing. He spoke of a book called Dubliners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/then-he-spoke-of-james-joyce-he-told-about-joyce-s-family-his/)

[Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/)

> [“He had told us then that most of us would die violently, and those who did not would be brought down to the level…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/he-had-told-us-then-that-most-of-us-would-die-violently-and-those-who/)

[Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/)

> [“I think it's God that makes people care for people, Jefferson. I think it's God makes children play and people sing. I believe it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/i-think-it-s-god-that-makes-people-care-for-people-jefferson-i-think/)

[Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/)

> [“We've only been living in these ghettos for seventy-five years or so, but the other three hundred years -- I think this is worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/we-ve-only-been-living-in-these-ghettos-for-seventy-five-years-or-so/)

[Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/)

> [“I don't care what a man is. I mean, a great artist is like a great doctor. I don't care how racist he is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/i-don-t-care-what-a-man-is-i-mean-a-great-artist-is-like-a-great/)

[Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/)

> [“I hope when I die, they won't put on my tombstone, 'He wrote Miss Jane Pittman .' Put anything else, but don't put just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/i-hope-when-i-die-they-won-t-put-on-my-tombstone-he-wrote-miss-jane/)

[Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/)

[Explore all 16 Ernest J. Gaines quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/)

## More Teacher quotes

> [The real world out there isn't nearly as nice as some people prefer it to be, so don't swallow everything your high-born teachers tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-real-world-out-there-isn-t-nearly-as-nice-as-some-people-prefer/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [No matter how many great things you say about Jacques Pepin, there's always more. Through his books and videos, he taught me the importance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-kenji-lopez-alt/no-matter-how-many-great-things-you-say-about-jacques-pepin-there-s/)

[J. Kenji Lopez-Alt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-kenji-lopez-alt/)

> [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [I became a bit of a teacher's pet, and it became known in the school by both faculty and students that I really excelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-smith/i-became-a-bit-of-a-teacher-s-pet-and-it-became-known-in-the-school/)

[Paul Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-smith/)

> [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [The teacher is one who makes two ideas grow where only one grew before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-teacher-is-one-who-makes-two-ideas-grow-where-only-one-grew-before/)

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

> [“The teacher can only provide the lessons, but the student ultimately decides what to learn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-teacher-can-only-provide-the-lessons-but-the-student-ultimately/)

[Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/)

> [Experience is a thorough teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jane-holmes/experience-is-a-thorough-teacher/)

[Mary Jane Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jane-holmes/)

> [“Those who can, do; those who can't, teach; those who can't teach, teach the teachers; and those who can't teach the teachers go into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/those-who-can-do-those-who-can-t-teach-those-who-can-t-teach-teach/)

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

> [The teacher is of course an artist, but being an artist does not mean that he or she can make the profile, can shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-teacher-is-of-course-an-artist-but-being-an-artist-does-not-mean/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/)

[Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/)

> [“As an effective teacher, you must not only know that which you would teach—that is, your content—but you must also know those whom you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-howard-hendricks/as-an-effective-teacher-you-must-not-only-know-that-which-you-would/)

Dr. Howard Hendricks

> [Hey, her mind is on a different level Plus the teachers couldn't reach her, always been a rebel Hit the club, watch out boy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-cole/hey-her-mind-is-on-a-different-level-plus-the-teachers-couldn-t-reach/)

[Kendrick Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-cole/)

> [I'm OK with guns in schools, if it's a security, trained security personnel. But every teacher having a gun, I don't know if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/i-m-ok-with-guns-in-schools-if-it-s-a-security-trained-security/)

[Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/)

> [Nothing teaches great writing like the very best books do. Yet, good teachers often help students cross that bridge, and I have to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/nothing-teaches-great-writing-like-the-very-best-books-do-yet-good/)

[Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/)

[Browse all 7,793 Teacher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I tried to decide just how I should respond to them. Whether I should act like the teacher that I was, or like the nigger that I was supposed to be.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ernest J. Gaines"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/i-tried-to-decide-just-how-i-should-respond-to-them-whether-i-should/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Teacher"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/i-tried-to-decide-just-how-i-should-respond-to-them-whether-i-should/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/ernest-j-gaines-32014_teacher_i-tried-to-decide-just-how-i-should-resp_2270861.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/ernest-j-gaines-32014_teacher_i-tried-to-decide-just-how-i-should-resp_2270861.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/ernest-j-gaines-32014_teacher_i-tried-to-decide-just-how-i-should-resp_2270861.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I tried to decide just how I should respond to them. Whether I should act like the teacher that I was, or…” — Ernest J. Gaines",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Ernest J. Gaines",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I tried to decide just how...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/i-tried-to-decide-just-how-i-should-respond-to-them-whether-i-should/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/i-tried-to-decide-just-how-i-should-respond-to-them-whether-i-should/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```