The Issues Of Race And Gender: "Dry September" By William Faulkner
“Dry September” exceeds its writing of a short story about a frivolous matter in a small town to study the strains between race and gender that is a prevalent issue of contemporary society. Through the artistic use of satire portrayed in the movements and mindsets of the characters, Faulkner assesses the endured and extremely fallacious civilization of the South, such as exercising of violence, racism, and even sexism. In addition to satire, imagery is a noteworthy method in Dry September.
One of the key symbols is the idea of dryness in which the novel’s illustration of a dehydrated setting represents the depressing stages of the lives of the characters. In this way, Faulkner colors a backdrop that is illustrative of his characters, who are submerged in a struggle between adapting to social beliefs and ensuing their own vindications. Faulkner initially presents the setting of the story by introducing an uncertain rumor that has “spread like fire. ” This rumor continues to spread and eventually sparking the divergence of the story. “Through the bloody September twilight, aftermath of sixty-two rainless days, it had gone like a fire in dry grass: the rumor, the story, whatever it was”. Southern white men expect that blacks, whom they accept to be inferior individuals from society, debilitate their predominance and prevalence; therefore, the white men cause viciousness upon those second rate individuals with the end goal to maintain a predominant social philosophy. Hawkshaw, the barber, is the first to present and safeguard Will Mayes. Along these lines, he is a degenerate in the public eye because of his prioritization of equity over social preference. Putting himself at a hazard with the end goal to safeguard a dark man by testing McLendon, who is known to be a standout amongst the most striking people in his general public, Hawkshaw's contention is basically one of man v. society. McLendon tries to lead his locale and hold the social request through indistinguishable techniques from war: by brutality. Hawkshaw, then again, must face the battle of accommodating his very own convictions about equity with a general public that advances treachery toward a "mediocre" race.
The Old South, subsequently, is emphatically censured for putting its individuals in a mess and control. What's more, the Old South accentuates that excellence, class, and power characterize the economic wellbeing of ladies; in this manner, people who don't meet the measures are disregarded and compelled to pull back themselves from society. “She was the last to realize that she was losing ground; that those among whom she had been a little brighter and louder flame than any other were beginning to learn the pleasure of snobbery male and retaliation female”. This model represents a lady with a quickly breaking down societal position known as Minnie Cooper.
Minnie is an exemplary case of the identifiable fortune in the public eye as a result of her sex and race. She speaks to the white goddess perfect that the white men need to ensure all together for the social traditions to be safeguarded all through ages. Minnie starts the contention of the story by attesting fraudulent incriminations against a blameless man with the end goal to pick up consideration. The honest, Will Mayes, is unaccepted in the public eye in view of his unimportant physical appearance as a colored person. “‘Is that her? What did they do with the nigger? Did they?’ / ‘Sure. He's all right. ’ / ‘All right, is he?’ / ‘Sure. He went on a little trip. ’ Then the drug store, where even the young men lounging in the doorway tipped their hats and followed with their eyes the motion of her hips and legs when she passed. They went on, passing the lifted hats of the gentlemen, the suddenly ceased voices, deferent, protective. ‘Do you see?’ the friends said. Their voices sounded like long, hovering sighs of hissing exultation. ‘There's not a Negro on the square. Not one’”.
Impacted by social weight, Minnie Cooper, brings foul play upon Will Mayes. She is one of Faulkner's numerous characters attempting to keep up a prominent position inside the high class of civilization. Many times, isolation in the Old South people group exists from the level of effect on one's life from individual encounters. At last, the finish of the story uncovers McLendon's own life through the symbolism that is drawn from the association with his significant other. In spite of the fact that McLendon has just been acknowledged into society on account of his definitive authority position around the local area, he faces the individual battle to satisfy society's desires while building up his very own character. McLendon, a war legend, needs to figure out how to suit to the latent way of life of the Old South. Since he has been in a close demise circumstance because of his administration in the military, McLendon amplifies all issues past its criticalness. He is unfit for society, imagined to be uncultivated as that of a creature in view of his anxious and savage nature. “He went on through the house, ripping off his shirt, and on the dark, screened porch at the rear he stood and mopped his head and shoulders with the shirt and flung it away. He took the pistol from his hip and laid it on the table beside the bed, and sat on the bed and removed his shoes, and rose and slipped his trousers off. He was sweating again already, and he stooped and hunted furiously for the shirt”.
Faulkner uses vivid images of violence as well as provocative verbs and adverbs to show McLendon’s immense strength. The idea of dryness is used as a background — an excuse — for his behavior.
