In his story, A Gathering of Old Men, Ernest Gaines presents a Southern society full of racist white people who believe that the black people in their community are inferior to them. Among the white people he presents, he displays a female character named Candy. Throughout the story, Gaines shows Candy as someone who wants to protect the black men in her community, until a specific incident when her attitudes toward the men change negatively. When she is no longer given what she wants, she begins to treat them harshly. Candy implies that she owns the men like property and is superior to them, and she threatens to take away all they have, all of which make her a racist. Racism has been a problem in America for the entire duration of its history.
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At the beginning of the story, Candy says, “I won’t let them touch my people” (17). This can either imply that she agrees with what the black men stand for and will stand with them or that she believes she owns the men as if they are her personal property. The readers later learn that she indeed thinks of them as property when she says, “I will protect my people. My daddy and all them before him did…” (19). She relates herself to generations prior to her own in which people were respectful or protective of black people only because they were their slaves, providing free labor for them so they could make money, and not because they agreed with the blacks’ personal beliefs. At one point in the story, she tells Mapes, “Because they’re black and helpless, is that why you’re picking on them?” (67). This statement shows what Candy truly believes about the black race: that they are not strong enough to stand up for …show more content…
Similarly to the men, she repeatedly tells Mapes, “I did it” (19), to confuse the authorities and protect any of the black men from getting arrested for the murder of Beau. However, only against the law does she protect them. Once the incident occurs in which Candy is no longer handed what she wants, she becomes angry and harsh toward the men. She threatens them when she says, “Y’all don’t have nothing but this. You listen to him now, and you won’t even have this” (174), as if she believes she can easily take away all they own that is precious to them. Later, she tells Clatoo, “You know where you’re at? You know who you’re talking to? Get the hell off my place” (173). This statement displays her belief of superiority over the men because of her race and
At the beginning of the story, Candy says, “I won’t let them touch my people” (17). This can either imply that she agrees with what the black men stand for and will stand with them or that she believes she owns the men as if they are her personal property. The readers later learn that she indeed thinks of them as property when she says, “I will protect my people. My daddy and all them before him did…” (19). She relates herself to generations prior to her own in which people were respectful or protective of black people only because they were their slaves, providing free labor for them so they could make money, and not because they agreed with the blacks’ personal beliefs. At one point in the story, she tells Mapes, “Because they’re black and helpless, is that why you’re picking on them?” (67). This statement shows what Candy truly believes about the black race: that they are not strong enough to stand up for …show more content…
Similarly to the men, she repeatedly tells Mapes, “I did it” (19), to confuse the authorities and protect any of the black men from getting arrested for the murder of Beau. However, only against the law does she protect them. Once the incident occurs in which Candy is no longer handed what she wants, she becomes angry and harsh toward the men. She threatens them when she says, “Y’all don’t have nothing but this. You listen to him now, and you won’t even have this” (174), as if she believes she can easily take away all they own that is precious to them. Later, she tells Clatoo, “You know where you’re at? You know who you’re talking to? Get the hell off my place” (173). This statement displays her belief of superiority over the men because of her race and