Summary

The story “Sweet Potato Pie” by Eugenia Collier begins with Buddy, the narrator, watching his brother Charley from the window. Charley is heading downtown.

Buddy then thinks about his and Charley’s childhood. Their parents were sharecroppers and Buddy’s memories of them are from special occasions, such as when the sharecroppers were paid, and all the family would gather together. Buddy’s mother would then count the money and decide on what to spend it on. Buddy was raised by Lil and Charley, the oldest children, and recalls various memories involving them. The family was poor and each child was forced to leave school to help out, but the family decided they would support the education of Buddy, the youngest child. Buddy studied hard, getting ahead of the classmates who would bully him for being poor.

Buddy finished high school at the top of his clas...