Dry September by William Faulkner: Story about Assumptions - Essay Example

?“Dry September” by William Faulkner: A Story about Assumptions In his short story, “Dry September”, William Faulkner gives his readers something to think about in the post slavery period of 1920-1930. Racism between white and black people reveals how status is distinguished by skin color. The problem with racism is that it is fueled by assumptions made by one social group about another social group, in this case, whites about blacks. Minnie Cooper is at the center of the event in question, although she is not at the center of the events that occur. An assumption about abuse by a black man on Minnie fuels a group of white men to act in violence against a specific man. This allows the reader to assume that the group of white men are showing their dominance over black men in this symbolic act, rather than achieving any sort of justice for Minnie. Using no narration, Faulkner creates a story that uses the assumptions of the reader as much as the assumptions of his characters. The story is built upon the culture of the American south in the early twentieth century in order to show how beliefs are built upon assumptions rather than defined by reality. Truth becomes a reflection of its interpretation. In creating a story about racism, Faulkner shows the reader how assumption and beliefs that are based upon ignorance can create a turmoil that results in violence and injustice. The rumors that are discussed in the barber shop about Minnie Cooper suggest that she was raped by a black man, but the accusation is never stated clearly. Because of his skin color, it is assumed that the black man is guilty before any proof is found. It is likely that had he been white, there would have been rumors that never would have come to justice and would have just faded away. Because of the gossip about Minnie accusing someone else of attempting to watch her dress, there is a belief and assumption made by some of the characters and then by the reader that she might be making up stories in order to gain attention. The concept of assumption is specifically addressed through not revealing the details of the truth about what happened to Minnie. All that is revealed is that she is “Attacked, insulted, frightened” which could mean nothing more than having been startled and taken some statement or another out of context (Faulkner),. Truth can be subjective to the person who interprets their own experience. Minnie is revealed to be a bored old maid that does not get any attention from the town, although the incident of her being watched dressing by a man suggests that she wants the attention of the town. It is indicated that she has made up motivations for the actions of men in order to gain sympathy from others and put herself at the center of attention. When she was younger and in school, Minnie was described as being charming and one of the most popular girls in school. From the way that it is written, the reader assumes that she is no longer about being young and charming and she is not noticed in any significant way on a daily basis. The belief given to the reader is that her social activities are limited and she lives a quiet life. This changes when the rumors and assumptions begin to follow her about an event between herself and Will Mayes. The assumption is made that she was raped by him as it is revealed that something occurred between them, and even that is an assumption made by the reader as this is never actually stated. This gives her instant attention, although in truth she is not the true subject of the attention. Will Mayes is the focus of the attention, but the attention is on proving to black community that white men are superior, with superior abilities to force their will upon the black men of the area. At this point it can be seen that one of the central points of the story is to show that people want to be the center of an event, to have importance in their world. As an example, McLendon appears to have the need to prove something through his actions. He is not concerned with Minnie and her experience, but in showing the black men of the town that their behavior had to live up to a standard that he assumes is in contrast to what they would want to do. McLendon is a bully who no longer has the standing to lead and push others around under his control, so he invents ways in which to feel that power. This is revealed at the end when his abuse of his wife is revealed. Faulkner shows his readers how McLendon has a need to be in control through that abuse and through his need to show dominance over black men through making an example of Will Mayes. Whether or not Minnie was raped is not an issue to McLendon, something that might be reflective of the way in which he is shown to abuse his wife. His abuse of his wife is also shown to be a reaction to the positive attention that he does not seem to be getting from her, most likely with good reason. It is clear that Minnie is not material to the action that he wants to take against Will Mayes. He states “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?" (Faulkner). Minnie, although her intention might have been to gather some sympathy and attention, is no longer central to the purpose of the events. The men are not motivated by her experiences, but by their fear that they are not as superior as they believe. The lack of a narrator appears to be used to push the reader to make assumptions based upon what is shown in the story. The reader is never given background on the events with Minnie, nor are they told the final outcome of the events with Will Mayes. There is no real indication how the rumor got started, whether or not Will Mayes survived his encounter, or what the background is on the reactions of the men in the town. Because there is no narration on the background or on the actual events, the theme of the story is pushed to the forefront showing the reader that making assumptions based upon very little evidence allows for assumptions to be used to fill in the gaps. The story shows that assumptions about Minnie, assumptions about Will, and assumptions about the men in the story leads us down the same road that the townspeople have followed without any evidence. Although there is no narrator in the story, Hawk is used as a way to focus the events that do occur and to give to the reader what is meant to be known about the present moment. He is used as a way of injecting morals into the events and as a counterbalance to the swarm of people that are working themselves into a fury. He somewhat represents the reader as he goes along the journey only far enough to get a sense of what is happening, bailing from the car so that the reader is not forced to follow the mob to see the assumed violent end of that journey. His presence helps the reader to continually ask the questions about whether or not the assumptions represent the truth or if they are based upon stereotyping and hysteria. He also helps the reader feel fear, the statement “The air was flat and dead. It had a metallic taste at the base of the tongue” giving the reader the taste of fear, that metallic taste of adrenaline that comes when something horrible is about to happen (Faulkner). Where Faulkner provides no narrator, he does provide a point of view from the perspective of Hawk, the barber. The men in the story seem to be typical of southern reactions to the free presence of black people during the early twentieth century. This assumption, the belief that men feel this way about black men in the south, leads the reader to make cultural assessments as to why the men are behaving this way. To read this story and make conclusions about the events based upon American cultural belief systems, one must understand that in the south there was a great deal of animosity from white people concerning the freedom of black people within their communities. This assumption leads the reader to understand something about the way in which the men behave. Without this cultural understanding, the reactions might be read differently. Understanding the culture of the people that are being shown in the story is important in understanding the motivations of the actions of the men. The interesting point that is made is that the reader makes assumptions that the men are reacting as typical southern white men, but that is exactly how the men have reacted in regard to the assumptions made about black men. In creating no sense of background, the reader must make assumptions based upon what is known through stereotypically defined beliefs. The point that can be seen is that Faulkner may want the reader to understand that each assumption about a social group creates further bigotry. As much as it is despicable for the white men in the story to make assumptions about black men, maybe it is just as wrong for the reader to make assumptions about southern white men of the time period. Every major truth in the story: the rape, the death of Will Mayes, and the end that comes to Minnie as she descends into madness, are all defined by assumptions. In the end, although led to this assumption, Faulkner is showing the reader what is wrong in the relationships that have formed between black and white men during that time period. He has revealed his own personal beliefs through the way in which he has shown the mob mentality that grows in the group of men that leads to an unjust act against Will Mayes. We are not told whether or not Mayes survives, but the indication is through the end of the story and the reactions of McLendon that he did not. The attention shown to his pistol reveals that it is likely that it played a part in the end of Mayes’ story. Therefore, the reader is shown that there is a moral belief system that Faulkner is revealing about himself. However, at the same time, he leaves a great deal of room for personal interpretation of the events and of the morals that can be taken by the reader. In the end, the story is interpreted by the reader. The story does not tell us what happened between Minnie and Will. It could be that they were in love and that when something went wrong between them Minnie made the wrong statement to the wrong person, starting an untrue rumor that ended with her lover being killed. It could be that she was a bit of a hysteric who ran into Will and he said something she did not like, pushing her to make statements about insults that were left to exaggeration. It could be that Will and Minnie never had anything to do with one another and something triggered a rumor based upon absolutely nothing. The reader will never know. An assumption can be made that Minnie went mad because of the guilt she felt over the death of Will Mayes, but then again if she was raped, that could have led to her madness. Loneliness could have also led to her insanity. The reader is left to ponder the multiple outcomes which makes the story linger in the mind long after it has ended. The actions of the men in the town are the focus of the story, however. It is not about what is true about the rumor, nor is it about what Will Mayes and Minnie Cooper experience. The story is about the way in which the men come together and create a story and a resolution of ‘justice’ for that story in order to assert white male dominance. The story is primarily about cultures and how those cultures create the beliefs on which they act. Whatever happened to Will Mayes and Minnie Cooper previous to the events in the barber shop is immaterial to the overall theme and events of the story. The story is about the men and how they respond to the culture in which they live, the morals that frame that culture, and events that appear to threaten that defined framework of being white in the American south during the 1930s. The story makes the reader think and that shows that Faulkner was a great writer. Readers come to their own conclusions based upon what they bring to the reading of the story. The many questions that the story brings up allow the reader to create their own version, just as much as Faulkner has given over his point of view within the story. Through omissions of facts the reader inserts his or her own ideas and thoughts. One of the questions that arise is how the small community will react to McLendon, but the assumption is that in the south during this time period it is unlikely that a white man would be tried for the murder of a black man. This assumption is enhanced by the setting, the sticky, hot setting of the south in which people grow bored and are waiting for something to happen. The small, confined space of the barber shop also enhances the feeling of the story as it represents the small size of the community. The feeling of the writing is enhanced by its setting, which also provide cultural context for the events. The people are trapped by prejudice, by the heat, and by the irritations of the heat in their southern homes. The violence is shown as a reaction to combustible factors that exist in the setting. In the end, nothing has changed. Minnie is still in the same life that left her bored and seeking attention. McLendon has not shown any more leadership abilities than he had previous to his event. His existence remains the same. Race relations remain the same. The only thing that has changed is that Will Mayes has met a violent occurrence, which most likely took him out of the setting. Life goes on just as assumptions and prejudices are continued when the side of right does not stop the violence of irrational men. The assumptions that are made throughout the story reveal to the reader that those assumptions, the stereotypes of social groups, rarely are changed. The darkness that accompanies that type of prejudice is difficult to end and cultures will continue to act on those prejudices, spreading violence and unjust ends. Faulkner shows that people act on what they know and often it is based on ignorance. Works Cited Faulkner, William. “Dry September”. 1931. Web. 25 Sepember 2011. Read More