"The Terrell boys jumped in front of Mr. John Edgar but he did not stop; merely leveled his gun, cocked it, and kept walking. The boys got out of the way. 'Crazy old nigger. What's he doing?' " (38)
This utterance of the n-word was the point of the story in which I realized that John Edgar was African American. I cannot be sure if I missed anything earlier than this in the story, but I do not remember seeing any prior signifiers of this. Naturally, discovering this lent a completely new edge to the story which, up to that point, had felt like nothing more than a story about an average Southerner who cared for a stranger and went to avenge his dog's death. Now, the race issue was haeted up further.
I use the word 'further,' because the race issue was already introduced in the character of Chi. Frequently, he is referred to as a Chinaman, and John looks upon his early morning activities in the back yard as strange. Before we find out John Edgar's race, I thought that his mild discomfort with Chi signified that he was white, and this was Randall Kenan's commentary on a less discussed form of racism in the old South. Can his attitude toward Chi be considered racist? He is not openly hostile to him. Contrarily, he is incredibly hospitable and caring toward him. But there is still the issue of his outlook upon his skin color and his habits.
I'm not going to lie: I do not fully understand the message in this story. I'm still trying to work it through in my head. I did understand the plot progression. I was very involved, especially when I discovered that he was African American. That discovery really ratcheted up the intensity level of that scene of revenge. I did feel bad about Terrell's puppy having to die, but I was still satisfied that John Edgar got his revenge somehow, especially considering the flat-out grotesque nature of their actions toward his dog (as well as their overall grotesque personalities). But, still, I don't understand exactly what Kenan is trying to say about race in this story. I know he is trying to say something, but I am having trouble deciphering the message.
Question: Did anyone realize that he was African American prior to the moment that I pointed out? What do you believe is Kenan's message about race here?
I agree that while reading the short story, I also initially assumed that Mr. John Edgar Stokes was white. It seems as, given what we have previously read, I was inclined to assume the person using racial stereotypes such as Chinaman to be the white person. Obviously I was mistaken, but it also caused me to question why I was so rapid to make that assumption. The other novels and short stories we've read also engage us as readers to analyze ourselves and the way we interact with that which surrounds us. Upon knowing that he was actually a black man, the story seemed more heroic. Now it was a man taking a stand for the injustices that he had seen happen for years and not just simple revenge, it was more than just Shep being killed. I then wondered why the hospitality towards Chi? Could it be because he thought he was a "Chinaman" and felt that he could relate to him as a minority. Or was it because of the ongoing theme of Southern hospitality. However, it was noted that the characters interactions with Chi is that of discomfort and wanting to know who he was.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: What effect does race have on the interpretation of the story, what if Mr. John Edgar Stokes been white?
Mark,
ReplyDeleteI agree with several of the points you are making here. I, too, did not know Mr. John Edgar was black until that part of the story. Up until then, this is pleasant story of a nice, elderly man encountering a very mysterious person who happened to "fall" into his backyard. Later, everything seems to go downhill. What is it Kenan is portraying here? Obviously, Mr. John Edgar is upset about his dog and seeks revenge over it - that's understandable. But focusing on the deeper message here, why wouldn't Kenan let us know about Mr. John Edagar's race at the beginning of the story? Here's my take: Perhaps the message he intends to get across is that race is not important until someone points it out in a degrading manner. At least to Kenan, it wasn't important to point out this man's race. It was the racism and pure hatred towards the poor old man that ultimately brought race into the spotlight. We suddenly know why the Terrell brothers killed his dog - we need no explanation.
I will also say that the way Kenan weaves reality and the mysterious together is amazing. The story reads almost like a folk tale does.. a very bold folk tale, to say the least.
Q: What is your take on why Kenan would only allow us to see Mr. John Edgar's race through the eyes of a hateful racist?