Analyzing Syntax In the context of the passage, Booker repeats the
phrase "cast down your bucket where you are in the
third and fourth paragraphs ("A ship... our
opportunities") primarily to emphasize that
A ship lost at sea for many days suddenly sighted a
friendly vessel. From the mast of the unfortunate vessel
was seen a signal: "Water, water; we die of thirst!" The
answer from the friendly vessel at once came back, "Cast
down your bucket where you are." A second time the
signal, "Water, water; send us water!" ran up from the
distressed vessel, and was answered, “Cast down your
bucket where you are." And a third and fourth signal for
water was answered, “Cast down your bucket where you
are." The captain of the distressed vessel, at last heeding
the injunction, cast down his bucket, and it came up full
of fresh, sparkling water from the mouth of the Amazon
River. To those of my race who depend on bettering their
condition in a foreign land or who underestimate the
importance of cultivating friendly relations with the
Southern white man, who is their next-door neighbour, I
would say: "Cast down your bucket where you are"--cast
it down in making friends in every manly way of the
O adventurous stories often have deeper significance.
the government has abandoned African Americans.
people living in the South should not consider
moving to other parts of the country,
the attendees of the exposition have ignored the
needs of African Americans,
Southern industry represents an accessible lifeline
for African Americans.
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