Exchange Value by Charles Johnson - Essay Example

"Exchange Value" by Charles Johnson Charles R. Johnson’s short story Exchange value demonstrates the corrupting power of wealth and money that dominates the present society. The story has paved the way for various discussions as it draws out the problem of "hoarding," that is, the accumulation of food, money, and other things for future use. Through the characters of two young brothers, Loftis and Cooter, the author effectively depicts the ill effects of money and how it changes their attitude to life.

Their keen desire to hoard wealth forces the brothers to commit criminal activities and therefore, they break into an old women’s apartment. Similarly, Mrs. Bailey hides her wealth from the public eye and begs for food. As an African American writer, Johnson scrutinizes the sociological and economic backgrounds of African American community which have been identified as exerting influence in Loftis, Cooter and Mrs. Bailey in their character formation. It is a part of common knowledge that money satisfies the material needs of modern man.

Therefore, he keeps a fascination to it and he is ready to do anything for making it. Here, the young brothers Loftis and Cooter endeavor to make money through an easy way within a short period and they engage in anti-social activities to attain their goal. Their efforts to watch the mail box of Mrs. Bailey explore their motivation and intention. They have noticed that the lady act as a poor person who beg food in the street. When checked her mailbox, Loftis and Cooter became suspicious about her backgrounds because the mailbox was filled with letters and drafts sent by some financial institutions and insurance companies.

To their wonder Cooter exclaims, “But her living room, webbed in dust, be filled to the max with dollars of all denominations, stacks of stock, General Motors, Gulf Oil, and 3m Company in old White Owl cigar boxes, battered purses, or bound in pink rubber bands” (Johnson). Then they break in the apartment and examine her Kitchen, bedrooms, office room and toilet. In this juncture, one can notice that Loftis and Cooter forget or belittle their social backgrounds, their ethnic features and the physical status of the lady.

Loftis and Cooter identify the smell of putrid garbage, roaches, dirty dishes, and aluminum coffee cans and they doubted Mrs. Bailey’s existence. After realizing the truth behind Mrs. Bailey, Loftis and Cooter try to steal the money that the lady never spent in her whole life. It is through the newspaper which found near Mrs. Bailey’s dead body, Loftis and Cooter understand that how she earned such a huge wealth. The whole story portrays the terrible consequences of acquiring money on the life of two brothers Loftis and Cooter.

Money forced Mrs. Bailey to act as a poor and cheap who begged to others for food. Correspondingly, Loftis and Cooter feel excitement about the new luxury Mrs. Bailey’s property gives. The thought about how to set their “future life” haunts them seriously. Loftis’ decision to stay at home reveals his inner conflict and his fear that their crime will be unveiled. The pressure contributed by economic factors changed Loftis a mad person. Reader can easily find this through his frustration and angry towards Cooter.

Towards the end, Loftis and Cooter fail to lead their normal life and falls into the same fate of Mrs. Bailey who could not enjoy her fortune. Like Bailey, they are forced to beg meal after their toilet stopped working. They also try to hide the wealth. Reader can see some gradual change in the behavior of the two brothers and it is visible when Cooter found a single penny wrapped in a newspaper with the words; “Found while walking down Devon Avenue” (The free library.com). It causes for fear and frustration in Loftis and Cooter.

The brothers in Johnson’s story refuse the opportunity to lead a precious life because of the fear about their wrong choice to steal the money from Mrs. Bailey’s house. Like the old lady, Loftis becomes a beggar and miser who pick pennies off the street. Cooter’s words reveal their frustration when he says thus, “Be like Miss Bailey's stuff is raw energy, and Loftis and me like wizards, could transform her stuff into anything else at will. All we had to do, it seemed to me, was decide exactly what to exchange it for" (Johnson).

Social injustice that affected the life of African Americans is exposed through the character of Mrs. Bailey and Cooter. As the two brothers failed to spend the excessive money, like the old lady, they decide to hoard it. This is exposed to the readers when Cooter scolds Loftis. As the story progresses, one can find considerable changes in the behavior of Loftis and Cooter. Marc C. Conner, William R. Nash observe; “Cooter finds Loftis’s behavior strange, even more so when the latter decides to go as usual, he is no less affected by their take” (Conner & Nash 50).

An unknown fear about their wealth haunted the brothers Loftis and Cooter and finally they are taken to a world of frustration. In the final analysis, it is evident that Charles Johnson’s story Exchange Value proposes the view that sociological and economical backgrounds play a vital role in the process of creating motivation among the people. Major characters like Loftis, Cooter and Mrs. Bailey represent the life of African American people. They follow some beliefs about wealth and its material benefits in this earthly life.

Money changes the brothers into burglars and later beggars in the street. Economical backgrounds forced Mrs. Bailey, Cooter and Loftis to act indifferently. Works Cited Conner M.C., Nash W.R. Charles Johnson: the novelist as philosopher. Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2007. The free library.com. Charles Johnson's Way to a Spiritual Literature. The free library.com. Farlex, Inc. 2011. Web. 20 Oct, 2011. http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Charles+Johnson's+Way+to+a+Spiritual+Literature.-a0253059570