That Evening Sun And Lois example essay topic

It is a well known fact that one's environment plays a strong role in the development of one's psyche. Repetitive reinforcement, whether positive or negative, of concepts, ideas, values, morals, etc. on one's developing mind can create life-long impressions (positive or negative) on one's personality. The female protagonists in "That Evening Sun", and "Thanks for the Ride", are classic examples of how negative reinforcement through one's daily environment can cause victimization. Nancy of the formerly mentioned short story and Lois of the latter, are repeatedly victimized by the social and racial stratification and hierarchy that they encounter in their everyday lives, the abuse and miss-use by their family and friends and lastly by gender, both theirs and that of the opposite sex. Human beings have always classified one another in various groups and sub-groups based on one's family, social acquaintances, financial circumstances, etc. and in baser ways such as race, color, etc. Nancy of "That Evening Sun" is a victim of the latter.

Being of "Negro" (193) origin in what seems to be the deep south, during a time period after the American Civil War, yet before the Civil Rights Movement, Nancy's victimization is caused by her ethnicity in an environment dominated by the "white" race. She is considered less of a person and more of a disposable object because of her social status in the community as that of a servant and washer woman and also because of her prostitution as seen by her drunken comments to Mr. Stovall, "When you going to pay me, white man? When you going to pay me, white man? It's been three times now since you paid me a cent-" (195), as she is being carted off to jail. Nancy isn't even bequeathed the same civil or personal rights as those of her white neighbors as she is summarily beaten for her above mentioned outburst by Mr. Stovall, "knocked her down, but she kept on saying, "When you going to pay me, white man? It's been three times now since-" until Mr. Stovall kicked her in the mouth with his heel...

". (195). Nancy's fears are considered less because of her race as evidenced by the Mother's remarks, "You " ll leave me alone to take Nancy home?" (198). She faces further racial victimization through false stereo-typical generalizations of her race such as that of alcohol and drug abuse as evidenced by "I bet you " re drunk", Jason said. "Father says you " re drunk". (194) and "He said it was cocaine and not whiskey, because no nigger would try and commit suicide unless he was full of cocaine...

". (195). All of the above negative reinforcement in her environment even convinces Nancy that she is "nothing but a nigger", (197), which de-humanizes her both to those around her (who can look on her troubles dispassionately) and to herself. It takes away Nancy's status as a human being. Unlike Nancy's racial victimization, Lois of "Thanks for the Ride" is subject to persecution by society's social stratification. Lois inhabits a small resort town whose local population is financially poor, relatively uneducated and considered socially backward by the individuals who occasionally visit the nearby "cottages" and beach resort.

This is evidenced by George saying, "What a dump! Jesus, what a dump!" (83), in reference to the physical status of the town. Lois's own home is viewed as "dirt, though it did not look dirty". (87), by Dickie her "date" for the night. Being one of those previously mentioned individuals and a resident of the town, Lois is victim to the prejudices of the visiting vacationers.

She is considered socially insignificant and hence a tool for their entertainment as seen by George's questions to Adelaide, "Doesn't half hear what you say to her, ... Adelaide, Sweet A, have you got any friends? Have you got any nice, young little girl friend to go out with Dickie? You and me and her and Dickie?" (84). But this use of Lois as mere entertainment seems to be a repetitious thing with no regard to her feelings or thoughts as evidenced by the following statements made by Adelaide, "I know one girl might come. The guy she goes around with, he's engaged, and his girl came up and she's staying at his place up the beach, his mother and dad's place, and-" (85) and Lois' own mother, "Lois had a nice boyfriend this summer", she said.

"Used to take her out and sometimes stay here overnight when his folks weren't up at the cottage and he didn't feel like passin' his time there alone". (88). A secondary level of hierarchical victimization occurs within the confines of the towns people itself. Lois is considered sexually promiscuous and morally loose by the local population and is preyed upon again as seen by the bootlegger woman's comment, "Change's as good as a rest, eh?" (90), this comment shows that Lois is deemed to be less in the eyes of her peers. Dehumanization of an individual can take many forms and shapes. In Nancy's case, even though the racial context plays a role in her victimization at the hands of strangers or those individuals not very close to her personally, it is the ill-treatment she suffers at the hands of Jesus - her lover - that causes further damage to her mental health.

Jesus seems neglectful as seen by: "Sometimes the husbands of the washing women would fetch and deliver the clothes, but Jesus never did that for Nancy, even before Father told him to stay away from our house, even when Delsey was sick and Nancy would come to cook for us". (194). Jesus' abuse of Nancy was probably also physically violent as evidenced by her later fear of him, and the extreme paranoia she suffers from. Lois' victimization stems from her family's objectification of her as a commodity in order to acquire "things". Because her father died a few years ago and having to support her mother and grandmother, Lois's ill-treatment begins with the fact that she has quit school. When Dickie asks her what grade she's in, Lois replies with amazement, "Did you think I still went to school?

I quit that two years ago. I've got a job at the glove-works in town". (92). This cuts off any chances for her to change the circumstances she is in. Her family's miss-use is further exacerbated by her mother's obvious greed in the acquirement of material objects and her knowledgeable use of Lois as a "date" for the gentlemen from the "cottages".

This is evidenced by her conversation with Dickie: "Isn't that lovely! Your father has such a nice car. I always think that it's lovely for people to have things. I've got no time for these people that's just eaten up with malice 'n envy. I say it's lovely. I bet your mother, every time she wants anything, she just goes down to the store and buys it - new coat, bedspread, pots and pans.

What does your father do? Is he a lawyer or doctor or something like that?" (87), and further in when she is speaking about Lois' last boyfriend, "He'd bring the kids candy and even me he'd bring presents. That china elephant up there, you can plant flowers in it, he brought me that. He fixed the radio for me and I never had to take it into the shop. Do you folks have a summer cottage up here?" (88). Even while speaking about her daughter, Lois's mother refers to the secondary objects given through her, or worn by her, as in "You like that dress?" she said.

"She went all the way to London and bought that dress, didn't get it anywhere round here!" (88). Even Dickie notices this and observes Lois in a detached way, dehumanization her by referring to her in objectified terms, "Lois came in, wearing a dress of yellow-green stuff - stiff and shiny like Christmas wrappings - high-heeled shoes, rhinestones, and a lot of dark powder over her freckles. Her mother was excited". (88). Even Lois' grandmother states, "You can do what you like with my gran " daughter", (88), knowing full well what the night entails. This lack of regard for Lois as a person and more so as a commodity, is probably the most tragic of all the factors involved in victimization by her surrounding environment.

It is an unfortunate fact that human history since the advent of the written word, has leaned toward patriarchy. Society has revolved around the basic concept that men are in some way superior to women - more common the past than now, but still a factor in environmental victimization towards those of the female gender. In "That Evening Sun" this is quite obvious by the roles women in that period play in their everyday environment, mostly as housekeepers, servants, wives and mothers. Nancy is given a subservient role as a washerwoman, cook, prostitute, etc. She has to finish her task then be given permission by the head male member of the household to go, as seen by the following quote, "Let Quentin go and see", Father said.

"Go and see if Nancy is through, Quentin. Tell her she can go on home". (197). Even women of a higher social class are subservient to men. Quentin's mother must funnel her inquires or orders through her husband before a task is completed, as evidenced by her comment to her husband about Nancy completing the dishwashing, and her husband then ordering Quentin to check on her. Because women were considered weaker, it was also considered appropriate that men were the protectors.

"You " ll leave these children unprotected, with that Negro about?" (198) was a statement made by Quentin's mother as his father prepares to escort Nancy home. A systematic environmental brainwashing of women from birth, through multiple generations has created a society of indirect female victims. The same thing can be said for Lois, whose victimization is caused by the male sex and those of her female acquaintances. Because she is a girl the male sex considers her fair game for their entertainment. The way with which George and Dickie first approach her shows their lack of respect for her gender, "George stuck his head out of the window, whistling". (85).

Even Lois' mother deems her "boyfriends" appropriate, because, "Lois is a nice girl", (89). The abuse of a girl seems lesser, because of her sex; in society's eyes that is what she is there for, as a servant, a mother, a wife, a prostitute, etc. There is a double standard, where the women are victimized for their promiscuity where the men are not. Lois has to deal with hurtful comments and observations about her activities, as seen by the bootlegger woman's nasty comment, whereas the men are completely oblivious.

One's environment is crucial to the healthy development of the human personality, as seen by Nancy in "That Evening Sun" and Lois in "Thanks for the Ride". The constant negative reinforcement in their environment through social and racial stratification and hierarchy, the abusive and neglectful elements of family and friends and lastly by their female gender, have served to create victims. The above factors have created two women who are severely damaged mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically. Faulkner, William.

"That Evening Sun", The Story Makers, ed. Rudy Wiebe. Toronto: Macmillan, 1987. Munro, Alice. "Thanks for the Ride", The Story Makers, ed.

Rudy Wiebe.