How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from Driving Miss Daisy.
Quote #4
DAISY: You all must have plans tonight.
BOOLIE: The Ansleys' dinner party.
DAISY: This is her idea of heaven on earth.
BOOLIE: What?
DAISY: Socializing with Episcopalians.
Daisy herself grew up relatively poor, but entered the upper class via marriage to a successful businessman. She isn't rich like aristocratic-old-south rich, but she can afford to drive a luxury car and hire a maid. But even the Werthans face class limits. Boolie and his wife have to downplay their Jewishness to admitted to the elite of Atlanta society. Daisy thinks that's never gonna happen anyway.
Quote #5
DAISY: You had the car parked right in front of the front door of the temple, like I was the Queen of Romania. […] Miriam and Beulah, I could see what they were thinking when we came out.
HOKE: What's that?
DAISY: That I was pretending to be rich!
HOKE: You is rich.
DAISY: No, I'm not! Nobody can say I put on airs. On Forsyth Street we made many meals out of grits and gravy. I have done without plenty of times.
Daisy's adamant about her humble beginnings and hates to be reminded that she's rich. She's proud and independent and doesn't want people to think she's just been handed all her wealth. For a refined southern lady, it's just unseemly to flash your wealth around like Florine does.
Quote #6
DAISY: What are you talking about?
HOKE: I'm talking about I can't read, ma'am.
DAISY: What?
HOKE: I can't read, Miss Daisy.
This exchange says a lot about social class differences in the segregated south. Hoke didn't have many educational opportunities. The fact that Daisy doesn't criticize him or humiliate him for being illiterate—instead, she teaches him how to read—suggests she understands the social and economic circumstances that prevented him from getting an education. As we all know, education is dangerous; it makes you want a better life. That's why blacks had to attend inferior schools, if they could go to school at all.