I wasn't sure what to expect from Cane. I was suprised to see that it's an unusual collection of poems and short story snippets. It seems a little disjointed at first, but it does a good job of painting a sort of impressionistic image of the setting Jean Toomer is describing, which appears to be the rural south.
One piece that struck me as particularity interesting is Becky. It's a story about "the white woman who had two Negro sons". The piece gives an interesting insight into how interracial births- then known as miscegenation- were viewed. Becky is shunned as an outcast from both black and white society for her actions. The town seems to feel a little guilty about its actions though- as people bring food to Becky's isolated home, unknown to each other. Becky remains an outcast, however, and society doesn't know what to do with her two sons. Without any sort of acceptable place in society- black or white- the two boys shoot 2 men and leave town, cursing both the white and black townspeople. Becky, meanwhile, dies when her chimney collapses. It all seems rather senseless. I think this serves to highlight the senselessness of shunning people from society due to race-related issues.
4 comments:
I thought "Becky" was an interesting story as well.However, it really bothered me how she and her two sons were completely shunned from society (other than the lingering guilt of the townspeople). It made me feel awful how someone could be so looked down upon, I just can not image it.
"Becky" was a truly disheartening portrayal of society. I felt hurt for "Becky" by the fact that she was completely shunned by both the white and black community. The other part that I found moving was that "Becky" started with one son and was treated unjustly by her entire community, however it didn't stop her, didn't hold her back. She had another son. It seems to me that she was snubbing her nose at this "Christian" community and saying you can't keep me down with your pity, snide remarks, and guilt.
I like your use of the word senseless to describe the story of Becky. It was senseless for the town to cast her out but then "secretly" provide her with food, land, and shelter. I guess I just don't understand why the towns people didn't accept her back into their community if they all knew about each others guilt, pity, and secret charity. I can't believe that there wasn't one person in the town to take a stand and still accept who Becky was. The whole situation is quite heartrending.
I noticed Toomer really uses women as tragic characters. "Becky" was a difficult peice to read because situations like hers occured all the time. What i find most problematic with the atomosphere at a time is vilanizing a child. Children can not help what they are born into or their parents "mistakes" as what they were seen as in "Becky"
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