# data[].attributes.headline
"'Don't,' Pop said, and went back to shelling. 'She's still your mother.' 'Michael?' I said. Pop brushed the bitter dust that rinds meat from his hands and shook his head" (278).

# data[].attributes.subject
"'Don't,' Pop said, and went back to shelling. 'She's still your mother.' 'Michael?' I said. Pop brushed the bitter dust that rinds meat from his hands and shook his head" (278).

# data[].attributes.body
Jojo makes a snarky remark about how it is typical for Leonie to not be reliable. Pop does not approve of this comment because he believes that despite her flaws, it is important for Jojo to acknowledge that Leonie is his mother. Furthermore, he does not agree that Leonie is not always there, and knows she struggles to be a good mother. Additionally, he specifically calls her Jojo's mother, instead of just Leonie. This is because he understands Leonie better after what she did for Mam. This name change also exemplifies that he does not really have a relationship with her anymore. Priorly in the book, he used to call her girl. This name changed after she began to date Michael, even though his family was responsible for Given's death. The more time passed, the more distant they became, and as such, his relationship is faded to the point where their only connection is by blood; however, despite this, he values her significantly more than Michael. This contrast is exhibited by his dismissal of Jojo's question, asking if Michael was still his father in the same way Leonie will always be his mother.

# data[].attributes.headline
"He scoops Michaela, who's crying, 'Uncle.' Jojo swallows and looks right at Given. Jojo sees him. He recognizes him. He nods, and Given is Given again" (269).

# data[].attributes.subject
"He scoops Michaela, who's crying, 'Uncle.' Jojo swallows and looks right at Given. Jojo sees him. He recognizes him. He nods, and Given is Given again" (269).

# data[].attributes.body
Kayla sees Given, her uncle, while Mam is passing. She usually is only able to see ghosts as animals, but in this moment she is able to see him clearly. Her identification of Given is important, as she is three years old and Given died much before she was born. This means she should have been unable to identify Given; however, she does. Furthermore, she recognizes him as her uncle, and this contrasts her view of Leonie. She previously has referred to Leonie by her name, and not by Mama, which is what Leonie calls her mother. She has done this because she sees Jojo as more of a parent figure, and follows his example of calling Leonie by her name. When seeing Given though, she does not call him Given, and instead calls him uncle. This further proves that her calling Leonie by her name is deliberate.

# data[].attributes.headline
"It's the word baby that makes me jump off the bed. Because I hear her say it now and I'm her baby again" (267). 

# data[].attributes.subject
"It's the word baby that makes me jump off the bed. Because I hear her say it now and I'm her baby again" (267). 

# data[].attributes.body
Throughout the novel, Leonie feels disconnected from her family due to her choice of rejecting Mam's gift, choosing to be with Michael, and taking drugs. However, while Mam is dying, she requests that Leonie bring cotton and rocks from the cemetery to help her pass more peacefully and with less pain. Once Leonie brings these objects, Mam calls her 'baby' again. Mam's calling Leonie baby portrays the way Leonie and Mam's relationship mends in Mam's death. Mam recognizes how hard it is for Leonie to bring her what she needs and give her mercy. Even though Leonie does not want to let go of Mam, Leonie finally accepts Mam's gift to help Mam pass on and realizes that doing the right thing can sometimes be the more painful option. Mam calls Leonie baby as a way of showing understanding of Leonie and reconciling with her before her death.

# data[].attributes.headline
"It was that yellow-wearing woman, that Sunshine Woman, all the other men called her, who told me and Riv about the lynching" (187).

# data[].attributes.subject
"It was that yellow-wearing woman, that Sunshine Woman, all the other men called her, who told me and Riv about the lynching" (187).

# data[].attributes.body
While in Parchman, Richie describes the character of the Sunshine Woman. This name is ironic, as sunshine typically is bright and happy; however, the subject they are discussing is sad and violent. The name contrasts the gravity of the situation at Parchman. Furthermore, they call her this, as she is a prostitute who works there. They see her as different from one of them, as she is not a prisoner, and yet does not treat them poorly. Additionally, Richie depicts her as shining bright in the darkness at Parchmen. This depiction further shows how little it takes to please the inmates, as they see one woman as a light in the dark for them.

# data[].attributes.headline
"It feels good to be mean, to speak past the baby I can't hit and let that anger touch another. The one I'm never good enough for. Never Mama for. Just Leonie, a name wrapped around the same disappointed syllables" (147).

# data[].attributes.subject
"It feels good to be mean, to speak past the baby I can't hit and let that anger touch another. The one I'm never good enough for. Never Mama for. Just Leonie, a name wrapped around the same disappointed syllables" (147).

# data[].attributes.body
When someone calls Leonie by her name instead of a term of endearment, she feels like it is because she does not deserve to be called anything else and receives her name as a sign of disappointment. Although a person's name usually holds a positive connotation and connects a person to their family, Leonie's name has the opposite effect on her and harms her instead. Leonie's name portrays the cycle of verbal and physical abuse between herself and her children. When Kayla and Jojo call Leonie by her name instead of 'mother,' Leonie gets angry that she is not a good enough mother and continues to resort to actions that further distance her from her family.

# data[].attributes.headline
"'Ony!' she screams. 'Mama,' I tell Michaela. 'Ony,' Michaela says, and for a moment I'm in my dream drowning" (197).

# data[].attributes.subject
"'Ony!' she screams. 'Mama,' I tell Michaela. 'Ony,' Michaela says, and for a moment I'm in my dream drowning" (197).

# data[].attributes.body
Leonie wants Kayla to call her 'Mama.' However, Kayla follows Jojo's lead in calling Leonie by her given name. Since Leonie rejects Mam's gifts, she sees water as a danger and not as soothing, divine, and peaceful. So when Kayla refuses to call Leonie 'Mama,' and Leonie is reminded of her dream of drowning, the dream does not help her and instead has a negative connotation of how Leonie is failing her family and failing at being Kayla's mom. Leonie's rejection of Mam's gift leads her to be less successful as a mother and to Kayla not calling Leonie 'Mama.'

# data[].attributes.headline
"The gunmen called him River because that was the name his mama and daddy give him... But the men added the Red because that was his color..." (137).

# data[].attributes.subject
"The gunmen called him River because that was the name his mama and daddy give him... But the men added the Red because that was his color..." (137).

# data[].attributes.body
Pop's birth name was River, and typically people referred to him by this; however, some men called him River Red. His birth name River already fit well with him, as many would describe him as a go with the flow type of person, rolling with whatever happened. The addition of Red to this signifies the importance of Pop's skin color. Pop was trusted more than other inmates in some ways, as later stated that he was the first black man to be entrusted to take care of the hounds. Despite this trust being stronger than with other black inmates, they call him River Red to represent the difference with him is his skin color.

# data[].attributes.headline
"'Baby,' he says. I know he ain't talking to me or Kayla, but only Leonie" (124). 

# data[].attributes.subject
"'Baby,' he says. I know he ain't talking to me or Kayla, but only Leonie" (124). 

# data[].attributes.body
Even though Kayla and Jojo are Michael's children and the name 'baby' seems as though it should refer to them, Michael only addresses Leonie. Despite having been in prison for a long time, Michael only notices Leonie and does not at first acknowledge his children; calling Leonie baby while ignoring Jojo. Michael does not display fatherly affection to Jojo and Kayla even in their reunion as a family. The indifference Michael displays towards his kids in contrast to the affection he shows Leonie contributes to the distance between Jojo and Michael and factors into Jojo's reasons for not calling Michael 'dad' and instead seeing Pop as a father figure.

# data[].attributes.headline
"'Why y'all give me this name? Given? It don't make no sense.' And Mama squatted down and rubbed his ears, and said:... 'We thought we couldn't have no kids, but then you was Given to us'" (34). 

# data[].attributes.subject
"'Why y'all give me this name? Given? It don't make no sense.' And Mama squatted down and rubbed his ears, and said:... 'We thought we couldn't have no kids, but then you was Given to us'" (34). 

# data[].attributes.body
Given questions the reason for his name, and his mother explains the significance. She reasons that his name represents the circumstances by which he was born. She acknowledges that his birth was a gift because she was 40 years old when he was conceived, which is abnormal for pregnancies. Given, on the other hand, does not recognize the importance behind his name, as this name is irregular compared to other people. His mother understands why he might be under the impression that his name is random, which is why she felt inclined to explain this. In truth, this name is very significant to Given, and his family, as he was an important gift to them, which is prevalent by the void left behind in his absence.

# data[].attributes.headline
"When I was younger he would call me girl...Now he never calls me by anything but my name, and every time he says it, it sounds like a slap" (43). 

# data[].attributes.subject
"When I was younger he would call me girl...Now he never calls me by anything but my name, and every time he says it, it sounds like a slap" (43). 

# data[].attributes.body
While Pop used to call Leonie 'girl' as a term of endearment, he no longer does this and only calls her Leonie. Pop's calling Leonie 'girl' used to be his way of showing his approval and love to Loenie, so when Pop calls her by her name, Leonie feels like her name is a slap. Leonie's name shows the distance that has grown between Leonie and Pop due to her getting together with Michael, whose family is responsible for her brother's death, as well as her negligence towards her children. Pop does not approve that Leonie does drugs and forgets important aspects of her children's lives, so he uses Leonie's real name to portray his disappointment.

# data[].attributes.headline
"Leonie hated when Mam and Pop began calling her Kayla like me. 'She has a name...it's like her daddy's" (25). 

# data[].attributes.subject
"Leonie hated when Mam and Pop began calling her Kayla like me. 'She has a name...it's like her daddy's" (25). 

# data[].attributes.body
Even though Kayla's real name is Michaela, after her dad, Michael, only Leonie calls her Michaela. Pop, Mam, and Jojo call her Kayla instead because they do not like Michael because he is not there for them, so they do not want to associate Kayla with him. Leonie continues to call her Michaela out of loyalty to Michael and to spite her parents who do not like him and do not want him involved.