Democracy and Freedom for All?!
Faulkner’s Dry September was so disturbing to me, not only because of the undertone of the lynching and murdering of Will Mayes, a member of this small community, but also because of the way that the author artfully depicted the means that the violence so quickly got out of hand. What began as a question of the truth of what actually happened between Will and Minnie Cooper {who are now separated by race and gender} swiftly turned into a heated discussion and then a call for blood based on innuendo and conjectures. The fact that Minnie is not the typical Southern female and has a questionable role in this situation is largely ignored by McLendon and the other men, as well as the small detail that Minnie has been ignored and ridiculed by the townsfolk for years. These particulars about Minnie do not seem to faze these men who simply take her “word” because she is a white woman, even after Hawkshaw vouches for Will’s innocence and good character.
The character of Hawkshaw can really be shown as someone who is basically good, but is caught between moral justice and violence. If he voiced his opinion anymore, he either would have met the same fate as Will Mayes, or be socially disgraced. The threat of violence would have been too much, especially after viewing the hostility and power of the mob. The violence that takes place is masked as “chivalry” - an archaic practice where men get together, bonded by testosterone who suddenly decide that some lady’s honour had supposedly been threatened and must be defended. How many innocent men died because of this very custom?
Faulkner highlights the rifts in society, both the roles between male/female and the social hierarchy, as well as the ever present racial tension that existed in the South. These were so well represented that it made me question the very fabric of democracy. This country was built on the blood of others who fought and died to bring freedom and democracy to all men, yet some like the men seen in this piece and witnessed throughout history like the KKK take it upon themselves to pass judgement on others, in regards to who is better than everyone else, racial purity and who lives and who dies.
Just as in Dry September, the power of one voice can make all the difference.
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4 comments:
I hadn't ever thought about it in that way, but the story definitely does make you question the fabric of democracy. It makes me almost laugh that people are so cynical about the democracy of our country in today's world, because we've evolved and changed so much through out time. People forget how much our society, government, and country really has moved forward.
I agree with you, this story does bring up a question about Democracy. "Dry September" was distrubing to read due to the lynching and other acts of violence. In this story it shows how much pressure people have when it comes to peer pressure. Its amazing as well as sad!
I agree with you. you pointed out some important things about the characters as well as raise an interesting question of democracy.
I agree with you in that this story and the lynching disturbed me. The fact that people actually did this and felt no remorse becuse they felt like they had to do it is beyond me and scares me. What angeres me is that Minnie isn't the typical southern belle, and because of that is not looked highly upon. But although no one will look at her and no one likes her the men still fell like they have to take care of Will even though they don't know the whole story or if it even happened at all.
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