Waters is a sympathetic character because he suffers deeply over the wrongs committed against him and his race. More sensitive than other characters, he has withheld his rage, choosing instead to direct it, he supposes, against a vicious system that denies him his humanity. Ironically, his actions redound against him and his men, for his efforts to inspire them to achievement only alienate them and make them despise him. Even more important, he is alienated from himself; as C. J. says, “I feel kinda sorry for him myself. Any man ain’t sure where he belongs must be in a whole lotta pain.” C. J., whom Waters victimizes relentlessly, knows Waters best of all. Waters tells C. J., “Them Nazis ain’t all crazy—a whole lot of people just can’t fit into where things seem to be goin’—like you, C. J. The black race can’t afford you no more.” His unconscious use of a mercantile vocabulary, as if some human beings were more “costly” than others, summarizes where he went wrong in trying to help African Americans.