As soon as I read the title to William Faulkner's "Dry September," I immediately thought that it would be something kind of dull and sad. Faulkner really followed through with that first impression from the very start, "Through the bloody September twilight, aftermath of sixty-two rainless days, it had gone like a fire in dry grass-the rumor, the story, whatever it was." From this opening and Faulkner's style it kind of forced be to read slowly, but intently. I didn't really want to miss a detail because I was curious of the rumor. As we talked about in class, Faulkner doesn't really point things out bluntly, but really makes the reader think.
Continuing to read, I was a little surprised, as I always am, when the "n-word" was used so casually. It really shows that despite the fact that there are still racist people in the world, our society has really come a long way. When the rumor somewhat comes out, however, I was not surprised. Although the reader isn't 100 percent sure what happened, it was about a white woman and a black man which leads all our minds to about the same conclusion. There is no question to many of the characters as to what to do, but peculiarly one of the barbers in the shop, Hawkshaw, stands up for the accused African American, Will Mayes. It seems that he is the only one who has a conscience. There was no proof or investigation, but all of the other men didn't care, and thought that the only option was to get rid of Will Mayes.
Throughout the whole story Hawkshaw tries to fight for Will Mayes, he knows Will and knows that he wouldn't do such a thing. The response he gets to this is by McLendon "Happen? What the hell difference does it make? Are you going to let the black sons get away with it until one really does it?" I find that very interesting. No one was getting away with anything if it didn't really happen. I've noticed this reoccurring theme throughout some of our previous readings that African Americans were so harshly punished many times not only so that they wouldn't repeat the crime (if there really even was one) but so that the other slaves/African Americans wouldn't get any ideas. Although that makes some sense, oftentimes it wasn't justifiable.
Eventually Hawkshaw had basically had enough. To me it seems that he knew that there was no longer anything that he could do, so he didn't really give up on the situation, but I think that he more or less got the point. He either went all the way to the lynching, fought for what he believed in, failed, and got himself in trouble; or he could have done what he did which I think was still noble and the right choice. He dared to stand up for what he believed was right in a cruel society. All in all, again I'm getting the point as to what life as an African American was like in the past. It's sad how differently people can be treated just by the color of their skin. Poor Will Mayes who may have done nothing had to suffer from and accusation that probably only him and Minnie Cooper would ever know the truth to.
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5 comments:
I agree Faulkner's style is very complicated. Reading his story makes it hard to read in a casual nature. The sentence structure is complex and difficult to understand. Faulkner's use of detail also creates a vivid picture of what is happening. The style may be complex but the reader gets a full understanding of the events. It does have to be "read intently" but because of this the reader gained more from having to think than having spelled out right there in front of them.
I'm not sure if I think what the barber did was necessarily standing up for what he believed in. Yea, he did go along with them in the car to get Mayes, and he was defending him in a way the entire time, but on the other hand, once he realized he couldn't physically do anything about it, he bailed. It seems to me rather than as a noble attempt to stand up to his peers, jumping out was merely an act of saving his conscious and keeping peace within his own mind, that he "wasn't apart" of the lynching.
I also thought it was interesting that McLendon's response to the barber was "Happen? What the hell difference does it make? Are you going to let the black sons get away with it until one really does it?" it's as if he could care less if something went on or not he just wants to go kill someone and Will Mayes turned out to be someone who he could hurt without any sort of backlash.
I agree that the barber tried to help Will Mayes, however he just sort of got tired of the situation and realized that he was fighting insurmountable odds that he could not win against. Though his heart was in the right place, he just did not have the courage to follow through. I too never realized the extent of the tratment of the African Americans nor the extremes that many white people/others would go to because of fear or anger. Faulkner does a fabulous job highlighting that in Dry September.
Hi Amanda,
I liked your entry, but I just want to comment on one thing. The fact you said you got suprised everytime "the N-word was used so casually." Then you go on to talk about the stepping stones of society. I believe that in a sense different races have overcome their passed hatreds for others, but in a way I feel like some African Americans are setting themselves back by calling each other that, as though it were a "brotherly" or "friendly" term. It used to make me upset and jump inside when I read orheard that word, but now it's being casually used among African Americans themselves,that truthfully, and VERY SADLY, it doesnt even affect me like that anymore. Everything is taken so lightly these days and sometimes I feel bad because the way it is now, as long as your not white you can say it, and I for one, feel that is disgraceful. No one should be saying, not even African Americans themselves.
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