In Toni Cade Bambara's "Blues Ain't No Mockin Bird," Granddaddy's actions show he is a no-nonsense sort of man who is very used to surviving in harsh conditions. He is also capable of being very respectful.
Granddaddy's no-nonsense survival disposition is seen the moment he enters the story, walking out of the woods with a dying chicken hawk slung across his back, which he has just hunted for dinner. Because he is a no-nonsense sort of person, he is not at all squeamish by the sight of blood or the bird's last struggles to survive. He knows the hawk is necessary for his family's and his own survival, so he doesn't give the bird's death a moment's thought. We further see his no-nonsense survival attitude when he throws his hammer at the attacking hawk.
Despite how harsh his survival tactics seem, Granddaddy is also a very respectful man. To an extent, he is equally harsh in his cold yet gentlemanly treatment of the two trespassing men he wants to leave his property. For example, as soon as he rescues them from the attacking hawk, he says very sternly and quietly yet gentlemanly, "Good day, gentlemen." He then silently holds out his huge hand in a demanding fashion until the camera man relinquishes his camera. While the reader might expect Granddaddy to destroy the camera, he doesn't. He only opens it up to expose the film, then gives it back to the camera man. He reminds the two trespassers they are "standin in the misses' flower bed" and walks off into the house, leaving the two men to go back the way they came from, across the meadow.
Granddaddy uses his actions of greeting the men, destroying their film, and reminding them about the flower garden to drive the men off his property. While his actions are strong and assertive, they are also very gentlemanly—much more gentlemanly than the actions of either of the two trespassers. Therefore, Granddaddy's actions show he is a respectful gentleman who has learned how to survive in a harsh, racially prejudiced, and impoverished environment.
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