I looked down at Mitchell and stopped, knowing that despite our understanding, he was itching for a fight with me. Now, I don’t know what possessed me in that moment to say the next thing I did. Maybe I was feeling guilty that because I was my daddy’s son, I could ride Ghost Wind. Maybe it was that, but it wasn’t out of fear I said what I said. I no longer was afraid of Mitchell. “You want to ride him?” I asked.


Mitchell took a step backward. It was obvious he hadn’t expected me to say that. “You know I can’t ride him,” he said. “Your white daddy’d kill me.”


“You want to ride him?” I asked again.


Mitchell looked at the stallion, then at me. “So, what if I do?”


—The Land,

Mildred D. Taylor

Use the drop-down menus to answer the questions.

What does Paul say likely motivates him to let Mitchell ride Ghost Wind?

Is Paul’s motivation intrinsic or extrinsic?