--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That Jim Crow there in the window,\"…" description: "\"“That Jim Crow there in the window,\" answered the urchin, holding out a cent, and pointing to the gingerbread figure that had attracted his notice, as ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_gingerbread_that-jim-crow-there-in-the-window-answer_3006265.jpg" --- # That Jim Crow there in the window," answered the urchin… ![“That Jim Crow there in the window," answered the urchin, holding out a cent, and pointing to the gingerbread figure that had attracted his notice, as he loitered along to school; "the one that has not a broken foot.” quote by Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_gingerbread_that-jim-crow-there-in-the-window-answer_3006265.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_gingerbread_that-jim-crow-there-in-the-window-answer_3006265.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_gingerbread_that-jim-crow-there-in-the-window-answer_3006265.jpg) > ““That Jim Crow there in the window," answered the urchin, holding out a cent, and pointing to the gingerbread figure that had attracted his notice, as he loitered along to school; "the one that has not a broken foot.”” [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A child offers a cent for a gingerbread figure, highlighting innocence and curiosity about poverty. **In simple terms:** Children notice and question poverty. Key Takeaway Observe and address hidden hardships. Themes poverty innocence observation compassion Mood thoughtful empathetic Type social reflective When to use this quote - schoolyard - charity drives - community aid Key Concepts social inequality childhood perception Questions to Reflect On - What can we learn from a child's view of poverty? - How can we turn curiosity into action? A Different Perspective Adults may ignore the child's perspective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Broken Foot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broken-foot-218788/) [Cent Pointing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cent-pointing-4797367/) [Crow Window](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crow-window-4797366/) [Gingerbread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gingerbread/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Irony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irony/) [Jim crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jim-crow/) [Loitered School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loitered-school-4797365/) [Pointing Gingerbread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pointing-gingerbread-4797364/) ## Related quotes > [“Jim Crow, moreover, was seen executing his world-renowned dance, in gingerbread.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/jim-crow-moreover-was-seen-executing-his-world-renowned-dance-in/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Yeah, I blew up. But people don't see the other side of it. They don't talk about how I played on a broken foot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dion-waiters/yeah-i-blew-up-but-people-don-t-see-the-other-side-of-it-they-don-t/) [Dion Waiters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dion-waiters/) > [“It would take a long time until I laughed again, really laughed, or felt genuinely happy, but this was a start. I was taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-shen/it-would-take-a-long-time-until-i-laughed-again-really-laughed-or/) [L.J. Shen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-shen/) > [Depression cannot be overcome by listing a series of good things in one's life, any more than a broken foot can be healed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallory-ortberg/depression-cannot-be-overcome-by-listing-a-series-of-good-things-in/) [Mallory Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mallory-ortberg/) > [Being asked to memorise a script in one day when you have dyslexia is the same as having a broken foot and being asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaya-scodelario/being-asked-to-memorise-a-script-in-one-day-when-you-have-dyslexia-is/) [Kaya Scodelario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaya-scodelario/) > [“I, Lisa K Friedman, being of sound mind and broken foot...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-k-friedman/i-lisa-k-friedman-being-of-sound-mind-and-broken-foot/) [Lisa K Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-k-friedman/) > [“She liked it? 'I love it--the way you'd love an orphan, or a bird with a broken foot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/she-liked-it-i-love-it-the-way-you-d-love-an-orphan-or-a-bird-with-a/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [“If religion is a crutch, then society is the broken foot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-religion-is-a-crutch-then-society-is-the-broken-foot/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“I, Lisa K Friedman, being of sound mind and broken foot, served him with a mock complaint: breach of the marriage contract. New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-lisa-k-friedman-being-of-sound-mind-and-broken-foot-served-him-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I was coming down off the last painkiller left in my dresser drawer after Autumn tossed my stash. In that moment I was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cohn/i-was-coming-down-off-the-last-painkiller-left-in-my-dresser-drawer/) [Rachel Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cohn/) > [If I had lady-spider legs, I would weave a sky where the stars lined up. Matresses would be tied down tight to their trucks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/if-i-had-lady-spider-legs-i-would-weave-a-sky-where-the-stars-lined/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [Uh-oh. It's the weasels! This way. We'll take Gingerbread Lane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-rabbit/uh-oh-it-s-the-weasels-this-way-we-ll-take-gingerbread-lane/) [Jessica Rabbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-rabbit/) > [“We held hands when we walked down the gingerbread path into the forest, blood dripping from our fingers. We danced with witches and kissed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/we-held-hands-when-we-walked-down-the-gingerbread-path-into-the/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [There were doors that looked like large keyholes, others that resembled the entrances to caves, there were golden doors, some were padded and some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/there-were-doors-that-looked-like-large-keyholes-others-that/) [Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) ## More by Nathaniel Hawthorne > [“there was something of the women molded into the great, stalwart frame of Hollingsworth; nor was he ashamed of it; as men often are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/there-was-something-of-the-women-molded-into-the-great-stalwart-frame/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [The trees reflected in the river - they are unconscious of a spiritual world so near to them. So are we.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-trees-reflected-in-the-river-they-are-unconscious-of-a-spiritual/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“The dismaying thing about the classic totalitarian mind is that any given gear, though mutilated, will have at its circumference unbroken sequences of teeth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-dismaying-thing-about-the-classic-totalitarian-mind-is-that-any/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“My heart was a habitation large enough for many guests, but lonely and chill, and without a household fire, I longed to kindle one!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/my-heart-was-a-habitation-large-enough-for-many-guests-but-lonely-and/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Wherever there is a heart and an intellect, the diseases of the physical frame are tinged with the peculiarities of these.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/wherever-there-is-a-heart-and-an-intellect-the-diseases-of-the/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness they might originally project, have invariably recognized it among their earliest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-founders-of-a-new-colony-whatever-utopia-of-human-virtue-and/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Generosity is the flower of justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/generosity-is-the-flower-of-justice/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“he seemed to be in quest for mental food, not heart sustenance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/he-seemed-to-be-in-quest-for-mental-food-not-heart-sustenance/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“Unfathomable to mere mortals is the lore of fiends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/unfathomable-to-mere-mortals-is-the-lore-of-fiends/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“Possibly, he was in a state of second growth and recovery, and was constantly assimilating nutriment for his spirit and intellect from sights, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/possibly-he-was-in-a-state-of-second-growth-and-recovery-and-was/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“What wonder, then, should we be frightened by the aspect of a monster, which, after all,—though we can point to every feature of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/what-wonder-then-should-we-be-frightened-by-the-aspect-of-a-monster/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [As the architecture of a country always follows the earliest structures, American architecture should be a refinement of the log-house. The Egyptian is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/as-the-architecture-of-a-country-always-follows-the-earliest/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [What we call real estate - the solid ground to build a house on - is the broad foundation on which nearly all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/what-we-call-real-estate-the-solid-ground-to-build-a-house-on-is-the/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“The bookworm of great libraries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-bookworm-of-great-libraries/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [There are many things in this world that a child must not ask about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/there-are-many-things-in-this-world-that-a-child-must-not-ask-about/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) [Explore all 526 Nathaniel Hawthorne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) ## More Gingerbread quotes > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [There were doors that looked like large keyholes, others that resembled the entrances to caves, there were golden doors, some were padded and some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/there-were-doors-that-looked-like-large-keyholes-others-that/) [Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/) > [“We held hands when we walked down the gingerbread path into the forest, blood dripping from our fingers. We danced with witches and kissed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/we-held-hands-when-we-walked-down-the-gingerbread-path-into-the/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [Uh-oh. It's the weasels! This way. We'll take Gingerbread Lane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-rabbit/uh-oh-it-s-the-weasels-this-way-we-ll-take-gingerbread-lane/) [Jessica Rabbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-rabbit/) > [If I had lady-spider legs, I would weave a sky where the stars lined up. Matresses would be tied down tight to their trucks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/if-i-had-lady-spider-legs-i-would-weave-a-sky-where-the-stars-lined/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“I was coming down off the last painkiller left in my dresser drawer after Autumn tossed my stash. In that moment I was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cohn/i-was-coming-down-off-the-last-painkiller-left-in-my-dresser-drawer/) [Rachel Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cohn/) > [The year has held its ups and downs for me; I'm sure it has for you, too. I'm counting on the year ending on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/the-year-has-held-its-ups-and-downs-for-me-i-m-sure-it-has-for-you/) [Kirby Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/) > [Christmas for me is all about spending time with my family. I cherish any chance we have to spend all day together making gingerbread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-lively/christmas-for-me-is-all-about-spending-time-with-my-family-i-cherish/) [Blake Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-lively/) > [I don't trust myself enough. When I write, I overwrite. Gingerbread. Too much gingerbread. Writing is probably the only hobby I have. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodman/i-don-t-trust-myself-enough-when-i-write-i-overwrite-gingerbread-too/) [John Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goodman/) > [Though the fact that they have to be rebuilt And frequently mortgaged to the hilt Is inclined to take the gilt Off the gingerbread,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-coward/though-the-fact-that-they-have-to-be-rebuilt-and-frequently-mortgaged/) [Noel Coward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-coward/) > [How could one be in this world without feeling dismayed by it? Even if one paints flowers and gingerbread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/how-could-one-be-in-this-world-without-feeling-dismayed-by-it-even-if/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [My demon ate them. (Nick) What happened to the jocks? (Acheron) Riiiight. And I suppose the Big Bad Wolf will be coming in right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/my-demon-ate-them-nick-what-happened-to-the-jocks-acheron-riiiight/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [I don't have much interest in gingerbread houses - except in eating them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-messina/i-don-t-have-much-interest-in-gingerbread-houses-except-in-eating-them/) [Chris Messina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-messina/) > [“Is he your very first gingerbread man?' She nodded. 'You eat him.' 'Eat his head?' 'I always start with the feet,' Edie suggested. 'But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eloisa-james/is-he-your-very-first-gingerbread-man-she-nodded-you-eat-him-eat-his/) [Eloisa James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eloisa-james/) > [“I gotta go. The gingerbread men are on fire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-gotta-go-the-gingerbread-men-are-on-fire/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) [Browse all 38 Gingerbread quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gingerbread/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“That Jim Crow there in the window,\" answered the urchin, holding out a cent, and pointing to the gingerbread figure that had attracted his notice, as he loitered along to school; \"the one that has not a broken foot.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nathaniel Hawthorne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/that-jim-crow-there-in-the-window-answered-the-urchin-holding-out-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gingerbread" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/that-jim-crow-there-in-the-window-answered-the-urchin-holding-out-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_gingerbread_that-jim-crow-there-in-the-window-answer_3006265.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_gingerbread_that-jim-crow-there-in-the-window-answer_3006265.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_gingerbread_that-jim-crow-there-in-the-window-answer_3006265.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That Jim Crow there in the window,\" answered the urchin, holding out a cent, and pointing to the gingerbread…” — Nathaniel Hawthorne", "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": "Nathaniel Hawthorne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“That Jim Crow there in the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/that-jim-crow-there-in-the-window-answered-the-urchin-holding-out-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/that-jim-crow-there-in-the-window-answered-the-urchin-holding-out-a/#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 } } ] } ```