Literature Analysis: A Gathering of Old Men by Ernest J. Gains

A Gathering of Old Men by Ernest J. Gains

1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read according to the elements of plot you've learned in past courses (exposition, inciting incident, etc.).  Explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same). A Gathering of Old Men by Ernest J. Gains is an amazing book of historical fiction.  Set around the end of WWII, the novel reveals the ugly truth about discrimination in the deep South even after world War II was said and done.  The narrator is not one set person, in fact each character is a narrator at on point in the book.  It is an interesting style seeing as it includes the viewpoints of all those involved.  The central event in the novel is the killing of Beau Baton by a black man, and the cover-up that isn't what it seems to be.  Each of the eighteen old black men that gather on the property have their own reasons for killing Beau, but each share a desire to protect their brothers in race against the fallout that is sure to come. 
 2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.  There seems to be multiple themes within the pages of this novel.  One is the redefinition of the role of blacks in society.  The old men await Beau's father, Fix, to come to the Marshall plantation to lynch them, and the lynching gang lead by Luke Will expect the black men not to fight back, leading to Luke Wills death.  Both groups keep living in the past and not allowing themselves to move forward.  Yet by the end of the novel, the black men of the community begin to feel some freedoms that were granted to them a long time ago.
3. Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).  The tone of this book varies by the character that is narrating at the time.  With Snookum, the only child described in detail in the book, everything is so youthful and carefree, yet when Clatoo, one of the oldest black men, takes the helm, his point of view is depressing but determined to protect his friends.

 CHARACTERIZATION
1. Does the author's syntax and/or diction change when s/he focuses on character?  How?  Example(s)?  Each narrator is slightly different in demeanor and speech, which is only to be expected.  All of the old black men show signs of determination and courage during one situation, yet will cower in fear at the drop of a hat.  Only when they realize that power does not discriminate, they become a sort of enlightened, angry black men with guns and vengeance on their mind.  The author does a wonderful job of allowing the reader to witness that transformation.
 2. Is the protagonist static or dynamic?  Flat or round?  Explain.  I believe that most of the characters in the book are very round, and they all change for good or for worse during the course of the book.  Each of the characters have their own intentions when they make their claims, and they become more sure of themselves as the story goes on.
 3. After reading the book did you come away feeling like you'd met a person or read a character?  Analyze one textual example that illustrates your reaction.  Honestly, I didn't really feel like I've met a person.  They were relatable, for sure, but their thoughts were so different than mine that I couldn't imagine being in their world.