Do you believe that the events of that night will have any effect on relations between the blacks and whites in the community? Will the fact that the community worked together have an effect?
No, it is important to remember that the reason that everyone fights the fire together proceeded not from an unselfish impulse but from Mr. Granger's desire to protect his own land. Here and throughout the book, Mr. Granger is a foil for Papa. The men have many surprising similarities, and both place an enormous importance on land and on family. While these feelings spur Papa to protect others, they lead Mr. Granger to act selfishly, hurting or ignoring others. Because of these parallels, however, Papa is able to conceive of a way to make Mr. Granger act by appealing to what he holds dear: his land rather than his sense of justice.
http://www.gradesaver.com/roll-of-thunder-hear-my-cry/study-guide/summary-chapters-11-12
