Ok, sure, in the interest of regularity and stability, I'll accept the current political establishment's arguments.
However, I can't guarantee I'll be stupid forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The plot of That Evening Sun Go Down1
by William Faulkner centers around an apparently miscegenistic
pregnancy. That is, a negro woman, Nancy, is pregnant and, it is
implied by her husband that the child is not the husband's and he
further implies that the child is a white man's child. This last
implication is not stated as directly as the pregnancy itself but Jubah,
the husband, complains of how a white man can come into his, Jubah's,
kitchen while a black man is not welcome in a white man's kitchen.2
Jubah also warns that he could abort the pregnancy, presumably, with
violence. Jubah's warning creates an all consuming fear in Nancy of
what Jubah might do to her which comprises most of the plot.
Outside
of Nancy and Jubah, the main characters are the white family Nancy
works for. The family is parented by the father Jason and the unnamed
mother. They have 3 children; Quentin, 9 years old at the time of the
story, Caddy 7, and a young Jason 5. Quentin narrates the story 15
years after the events which means Quentin is about 24 at the time of
narrating. A representativeness of the town's culture is also
portrayed. It is concretized by some minor characters and the
automobile.
I've divided this review into 3 sections. Each
represents what I see as the main points of the story. I feel that
there are quite a few allusions and themes especially related to
chapters 1 and 2 of The Book of Malachi
of the Bible. However, it's quite a bit of work to
try and understand each allusion and then tie them together in some
coherent whole. So, since I couldn't do it, I'll leave that up to each
reader of the story.
The Black Experience
Nancy has
been beaten twice by white males before the story gets too far. Jubah
is angered by the thought that her pregnancy is of a white male.
Neither Nancy nor Jubah can effectively exact justice or revenge in this
white society. Jubah turns to taking out his revengefulness on Nancy.
Nancy, for her part, seems to at least tolerate if not encourage white
males having sex with her, presumably, because she has very little if
any recourse. "And if you just let white men alone."3, says the adult Jason. But how much of this oppression is her fault?
As
Nancy's physical looks are described, she seems not at all beautiful.
In fact she loses some teeth after suffering a beating. Still there are
several instances which mention,
rather alluringly,
Nancy's "long, brown hands."4
Are we supposed to believe that her allure, in it's enticement, is
irresistible and nothing more could be expected of white males but to
succumb to this allure? I don't think that's the point. I think the
point is to draw a picture of
a culture rooted in a devotion to the Bible
and yet who act, at times, not at all religious. What
does it say about those white males who may have consummated this
'irresistible'
allure of Nancy's? Certainly, nothing sanctified.
Rather, these acts are portrayed as nearly perverse in their disregard
of the culture's allegiance to the Bible.
So the black experience
becomes one of servitude status, of being relegated to the fringe of
the community, and of suffering the foils of a vacillating, hypocritical
authority.
The Book of Malachi
That the story has
themes rooted in religion is not very questionable. The character of
Jubah was originally named Jesus by Faulkner. However in the original
publisher's opinion, Jesus was too controversial a name so the name was
changed to Jubah. I feel certain that the Book of Malachi chapters 1 and
2 of the Bible plays an important role.
Some of the religious allusions are apparent, such
as the name Jesus and some, such as the reference to the book of
Malachi, are not apparent. However, personally, it would be difficult to convince me
that Malachi is not relevant to the story.
Here are some story aspects and verses from Malachi which I think are related:
-
The story is titled That Evening Sun Go Down. "For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same . . ." Malachi 1:11
-
Nancy, drunk, is beaten by a Mr. Stovall, a church
deacon, and later saved from hanging herself while in jail because of
this drunkeness. Is she really a guilty party? This part of the story
ends with Nancy discovered naked by the jailer who also beats her.5 Her nakedness and thus innocence can be seen in the allusion to,
". . . for one covereth violence with his garmet . . ." Malachi 2:16
-
Nancy often substitutes for the character Dilsey, another servant. Dilsey is often sick.6 This description about Nancy takes place; "She looked at us, at all three of us at one time."7
Looking at three people at one time has the opposite connotation of
blind. So, Nancy is fit with good vision. She is a fit sacrifice
unlike her counterpart the frequently sick Dilsey. "And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil?" Malachi 1:8
-
Here are some story ending descriptions; "Nancy built up the fire. 'Look at Nancy putting her hands in the fire,' Caddy said."8 And, "We left her there, sitting before the fire with the door opened, so that it wouldn't happen in the dark."9 From Malachi, "Who
is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither
do ye kindle fire on mine alter for nought." Malachi 1:10
Companionship or Treachery
Although miscegeny is a plot point, the theme really
isn't miscegeny.
As well as the motivation for Jubah's threats towards Nancy, misegeny
is the particular description of one type of
unsanctified, hypocritical consummation by the, what we might call
elders, of this southern small town culture.
The town seems like it's damned. A church deacon and a
jailer beat Nancy.10 Earlier in the story there is some suggestion that
Jason, the father, might give in to Nancy's allure and commit the same
adulterous acts with her that others in the community have committed.11
It's not a very strong suggestion, it's more like a worrisome
possibility.
In such a society is there a possibility of a real
and honest covenant with a woman? Are there men southern white women
can believe? Can their ever be a companion for a righteous southern
white woman? Is the father, Jason, no different from the hypocritical
leaders of this community? Yes there are, and the characters of the
white adults of the family of this story, Jason and his wife, are an
example.
One of the refrains young Jason must deal with is Caddy's constantly teasing of Jason as being, a 'Scairy cat.'12
Only twice in the story is the daughter Caddy
referred to as Candace. Candace is used here as full names are often
used in families, out of exasperation as the acts of the child border on
unshackled. At the beginning of the story
her mother yells at Caddy with "You, Candace!".13
In an entirely separate, but I believe
evocatively connecting event, her father, at the resolution of the
story, yells at Caddy as "Candace!".
14
For me, these connecting events
tell of a final realization of the couple's companionship, as opposed
to the treacherousness of some of these reprobate consummations. The
resolution of this subplot, the adult Jason's repeating the earlier
exasperation "Candace!" of his wife, is for me the most inspiring aspect
of the story.
Without being entirely aware of it, the couple
know a bond which no other twosome of the story know. That it is
realized in the reprimanding of the rambunctious Caddy is heartwarming
and uplifting. Yes there is a possibility within this seemingly damned society and it's seemingly hypocritical God-fearingness
of a real and honest covenant between a husband and wife; a
relationship that is not fraught with treachery but solidified by
companionship.
Oh by the way, did I mention this verse from . . . guess where? That's right, Malachi; "Because
the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth,
against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion,
and the wife of thy covenant" Malachi 2:14 It's a powerful story with themes that are complex. It
doesn't ignore the oppression of the negro man and woman, but neither
does it vilify the entire southern culture as hopeless. It is one of
my favorite stories because it is well crafted with challenging themes
and a very uplifting subplot.
1The Best American Short Stories of the Century, Edited by John Updike with
Katrina Kenison, Copyright © 1999, 2000, Houghton Mifflin Company, Pgs.
111-126
2Ibid
3Ibid pg, 115
4Ibid pg. 118
5Ibid
6Ibid
7Ibid pg. 118
8Ibid pg. 122
9Ibid pg. 125
10Ibid
11Ibid
12Ibid pg.114
13Ibld pg. 114
14Ibid pg. 126
"Jeff, can I get a C flat please."
TOot, tooT, tOOt, Toot.
"Okay, great Jeff, you're sounding great. We're going to be knocking 'em out folks."
"Steve, how about an E-minus please. Can I get an E-minus from you Steve."
Btttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt, Bbbbbttttttt, bbbbTTTTT, bbbbbbbbt.
"Okay, great Steve. You're sounding great. We're going to be knockin' these people out folks."
"Folks,"
I announce to the audience, "If you'll please take your seats, the
musical portion of our blog is about to begin. Thank you."
The audience can be heard commenting to each other and yet no one in particular:
"Oh marvelous."
"Wonderful."
"I hope it's as good as the first part."
Chairs
get jostled as members scramble for their seats. An
overweight man of about 65, smiling and half chuckling as he does so,
feigns sprinting to his seat in excitement. Smiles permeate the audience.
It occurs to me that maybe Jimmy Stewart was right; It is a wonderful world . . . er, I mean . . . wonderful life.