Every character or characters in a story has a role in the end result. No matter how big or how small the role, everything a writer includes has some meaning behind it. In “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner and “Spunk” by Zora Neale Hurston, there are common “vital characters” shared between the two stories. These characters are the people of the town. In “A Rose for Emily” and “Spunk”, the people of the town pay vital roles in the lives and actions of the protagonist. The townspeople play a vital role in the life of Miss Emily, the protagonist, essentially becoming the antagonist of the story. Miss Emily was a stubborn southern belle set in her ways. She refused to pay her taxes for years, even after several failed attempts from the sheriff.
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The people of the town have leading roles in the lives of the protagonist, Joe, and the antagonist, Spunk. In “Spunk”, Joe is the protagonist with a goal of getting his wife back and the conflict of losing her to the Spunk, the antagonist. One vital role in the town in “Spunk” is assisting in telling the story; Hurston uses the dialogue of characters as a way to tell vital information. In the very beginning, Elijah and Walter, people of the town, start off with mocking Joe in a bar, striking him with both pain and embarrassment. The men knew his wife was taken up with Spunk, but more Joe “…knew that the men knew that he knew.” (Hurston 709). The instigation of the two men was enough to finally force Joe to take a stand a “shamble woodward” to his death (Hurston 709). The townspeople were also there to witness the demise of Spunk. The man who “’…ain’t skeered of nothing on God’s green footstool …’” and “’… jus’ don’t give a kitty.’” become very nervous, scared, and almost crazy in the end (Hurston 709). His demise is first witnessed when he came face to face with the all black bobcat that “…got Spunk so nervoused up he couldn’t shoot”. Spunk even claimed, “’…it was Joe done sneaked back from Hell!’” (Hurston 711). The idea that the bobcat is Joe and that he “’done come back to have it out wid the man that’s got all he ever had’” was carried on by the people of the town. In the end, Spunk dies believing it was Joe who killed him. The townspeople wind up taking an almost – root for the underdog – take on the whole situation. One of the main townspeople, Walter stated “Joe wuz a braver man than Spunk” (Hurston 711). In the end, the people of the town believed Joe had come to kill Spunk – “Ah b’leeve Joe’s ready for Spunk an ain’t skeered any more – yas, Ah b’leeve Joe pushed ‘im mahself.” (Hurston 712). Even at Spunk’s funeral, “the men whispered coarse conjectures …” (Hurston
The people of the town have leading roles in the lives of the protagonist, Joe, and the antagonist, Spunk. In “Spunk”, Joe is the protagonist with a goal of getting his wife back and the conflict of losing her to the Spunk, the antagonist. One vital role in the town in “Spunk” is assisting in telling the story; Hurston uses the dialogue of characters as a way to tell vital information. In the very beginning, Elijah and Walter, people of the town, start off with mocking Joe in a bar, striking him with both pain and embarrassment. The men knew his wife was taken up with Spunk, but more Joe “…knew that the men knew that he knew.” (Hurston 709). The instigation of the two men was enough to finally force Joe to take a stand a “shamble woodward” to his death (Hurston 709). The townspeople were also there to witness the demise of Spunk. The man who “’…ain’t skeered of nothing on God’s green footstool …’” and “’… jus’ don’t give a kitty.’” become very nervous, scared, and almost crazy in the end (Hurston 709). His demise is first witnessed when he came face to face with the all black bobcat that “…got Spunk so nervoused up he couldn’t shoot”. Spunk even claimed, “’…it was Joe done sneaked back from Hell!’” (Hurston 711). The idea that the bobcat is Joe and that he “’done come back to have it out wid the man that’s got all he ever had’” was carried on by the people of the town. In the end, Spunk dies believing it was Joe who killed him. The townspeople wind up taking an almost – root for the underdog – take on the whole situation. One of the main townspeople, Walter stated “Joe wuz a braver man than Spunk” (Hurston 711). In the end, the people of the town believed Joe had come to kill Spunk – “Ah b’leeve Joe’s ready for Spunk an ain’t skeered any more – yas, Ah b’leeve Joe pushed ‘im mahself.” (Hurston 712). Even at Spunk’s funeral, “the men whispered coarse conjectures …” (Hurston