The Gold Cadillac

“We got us a Cadillac! We got us a Cadillac!”

Wilma and ’lois are very connected and talk in unison in several moments at the start of the novel. This kind of sisterly relationship is a positive part of ’lois’s life and establishes the importance of family for her. The later shift to ’lois using “I” more often marks the start of her growing independence.

“It was like no other car we had owned before. It looked like a car for rich folks.”

For young people, family items like a car or house can represent major changes to their family status and life. The Cadillac serves this purpose for ’lois and Wilma, who are astonished at how this car deviates from the other cars their family has owned. ’Lois’s excitement about the fancy Cadillac also keeps her from understanding the hesitation of the other adults about the car when Daddy proposes driving it to Mississippi.

“There was no smile on her face. We all waited for her to speak.”

Taylor establishes Mother as a formidable character early in the novel. Mother not only is a strong parent but also holds sway within their community. The collective waiting for “her to speak” and approve the purchase illustrates the power she holds among the family and the wider network of neighbors and relatives.

“I didn’t understand either why she did not like that fine Cadillac and thought she was being terribly disagreeable with my father.”

In the opening scenes of the novel, ’lois is immature and incapable of inferring why her mother might disapprove of the car. This is an appropriate characterization of a child who might be developmentally unable to completely empathize with perspectives outside of their own.

“We’ll still get the house, Dee. That’s a promise!”

An underlying tension between ’lois’s parents is about whether a house should be prioritized over a nice car. Mother feels that the house is the priority, while Daddy feels they can do both. His optimism doesn’t convince Mother, but she eventually supports his decision. Taylor’s portrayal of this conflict is important for young readers who may see their own family experiences reflected.

“What was worse she wouldn’t let Wilma and me ride in the Cadillac either.”

Mother’s disapproval of the Cadillac extends to ’lois and Wilma, who aren’t allowed to ride in the car initially. This is a continuation of Taylor’s portrayal of ’lois’s immaturity, which sets up capacity for her future growth.

“Despite his laughter he seemed sad to me.”

As ’lois becomes more aware of the people around her, she develops her ability to discern other’s emotions. It will be important later in the novel that ’lois is able to interpret nonverbal expressions of emotion as she begins adapting more to a complicated world around her.

“The smell of charcoal and of barbecue drifting from up the block, the sound of laughter and music and talk drifting from yard to yard were all a part of it.”

The Sunday afternoons in the neighborhood are a special time of safety. ’Lois describes her feelings about this by connecting both food, people, music, and place. Together, these afternoons are special moments in time that are only possible within the specific community ’lois and her family are a part of. This feeling of community presents a critical contrast to the later experiences in Mississippi.

“I was proud to say that car belonged to my family.”

Pride is a recurring element of the plot in The Gold Cadillac, and this statement foreshadows an eventual change in the way ’lois feels. She wants to be proud of her parents and their achievements, as represented by the car; later, after the trip to Mississippi, she will feel embarrassed when her father sells the gold Cadillac.

“But then my father said he was going to drive the car south into Mississippi to visit my grandparents and everybody stopped laughing.”

After announcing that he will drive the gold Cadillac south, “everybody” (23) stops laughing. ’Lois isn’t aware of the cause of the reaction, yet she realizes that it is something significant. For a child who has been living in a protected space, it is a harsh realization that some places are unsafe for her and her family.

“Neither one of us knew what lynch meant, but the word sent a shiver through us. We held each other’s hand.”

In this powerful moment, Wilma and ’lois hold hands in the face of a danger they don’t quite understand. By including the specific word “lynch,” Taylor sets the scene for the possibilities of what could happen on the trip to Mississippi. The description of Wilma and ’lois holding hands also reinforces the importance of the interpersonal relationships in ’lois’s life as a source of safety and resilience.

“All my life I’ve had to be heedful of what white folks thought. Well, I’m tired of that. I worked hard for everything I got.”

Daddy reveals his intention behind both the purchase of the Cadillac and the trip to Mississippi, establishing clearly that he wants challenge the racist society he grew up in. His being tired of being “heedful” and wanting to prove that he deserves what he has motivate him to buy a car that brings attention to himself.

“That way we can watch out for each other.”

Taylor continues to highlight the importance of the family bond that ’lois and her parents and sister share with both immediate and extended family. The idea of watching “out for each other” reflects the larger vigilance that would have been required for Black people in the 1950s South.

“Now from here on, whenever we stop and there’re white people around, I don’t want either one of you to say a word.”

Daddy emphasizes that ’lois and Wilma should not speak in front of white people once they cross into Kentucky. This forced silence feels both uncomfortable and necessary; ’lois learns through this experience about the ways that she will have to adapt to remain safe. Daddy’s choice to purchase and drive the gold Cadillac is a rebellion against the same admonition he gives his daughters. The car has drawn unwanted attention, and he doesn’t want them to draw further unnecessary attention to the family.

“I didn’t like the signs. I felt as if I were in a foreign land.”

The “foreign” nature of Tennessee results from ’lois realizing that it is completely racially segregated. Realizing her family is excluded from the places with the “white only” signs, ’lois feels increasingly unsettled.

“Suddenly the picnic did not seem so grand.”

In a pivotal moment for ’lois, she realizes that her family had to pack a picnic not for fun and community but for their physical safety. As she processes her disappointment, she begins shifting to become more mature and empathetic toward her family members.

“‘You’re a liar,’ said one of the policemen. ‘You stole this car.’”

This accusation realistically depicts a likely scenario in 1950s Mississippi. By accusing Daddy of stealing the car, the police officers can enact state-enforced violence, arresting him and making him pay for driving his own car through the state. This kind of behavior was supported by systems of state-sanctioned oppression.

“I wanted to ask but I remembered my father’s warning not to say a word and I obeyed that warning.”

’Lois’s increasing maturity enables her to silence her own questions or fears to keep herself and her family safe. This silence also has an impact on her psychologically as she goes through the entire experience without getting to speak or express herself in front of the white policemen.

“The night grew black and finally the police car turned around and left us.”

Another common feature of the segregated South in the 1950s would have been police enforcement of curfews or segregated towns and counties; police officers would follow Black people until they crossed the town or county line. Including this detail illustrates the psychological terror caused by this kind of policing.

“But already the police had taken my father away from us once today and my uncles were lost.”

In this moment, ’lois reflects on the trauma of the day that was compounded by the separation from her extended family. The idea of her uncles being “lost,” while a childlike interpretation, shows ’lois’s fear of disconnection from people she believes will keep her safe.

“There was a long, sharp knife in the picnic basket and I took hold of it, clutching it tightly in my hand.”

One of the ways that ’lois begins to change after the incident with the police is to develop a sense of protecting her family. It is also significant that the knife comes from the picnic basket, which had previously been a symbol of family and connection. On the other hand, that symbol of connection also provided her a sense of self-reliance even though it was childish to believe she’d be a match for the policemen had they returned to take her father.

“During that week I often saw my father, looking deep in thought, walk off alone across the family land.”

The family land that ’lois and her family visit is a critical detail in the conclusion of the story. Having land in Mississippi suggests that ’lois’s older family members or generations prior might have been enslaved. Further, the fact that Daddy’s parents own land emphasizes the importance of home ownership, especially in a society that does not respect the upward mobility of Black people.

“I’m hoping one day the police won’t stop us just because of the color of our skins and we’re riding in a gold Cadillac with northern plates.”

In this moment, Daddy effectively summarizes the conflict of the novel and imagines the world he wishes for his daughters. The use of the word “hoping” reflects the nascent civil rights movement of the time and the dream that equality is possible.