by Peter Bruck
story. Behin d th e consciousl y casua l vocabulary an d th e pseudo -
hardboiled speec h o f a young man, wh o expertly use s the inside r
slang of th e contemporar y jaz z scen e an d wh o talks noncholantly
about 'showcasin g spades ' o r 'playin g Uncl e Tom, ' abou t 'goin g
into hi s sex y bastar d routine ' o r 'rea l wriggl y clinches ' (cf . 230 ,
230, 235 , 236), one senses the vulnerability o f somebody wh o has
been deepl y hur t durin g hi s childhoo d an d yout h an d wh o uses
his toug h speec h t o kee p a hostil e worl d a t it s distanc e an d t o
cover up fo r hi s insecurity. A t th e sam e time on e recognizes tha t
Wendell's verba l irreverenc e wit h it s implici t assertio n o f socia l
criticism an d individua l freedo m put s th e stor y squarel y i n th e
genuine America n traditio n o f th e vernacular , whic h sinc e it s
beginning i n frontie r tal l tal k an d Southwester n humou r ha s
branched ou t int o manifol d contemporar y mutation s which reach
from th e prep-schoo l jargon o f Salinger' s Holden Caulfiel d to th e
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scatological effronterie s o f Mailer' s D.J . Jethro e an d whic h als o
include numerou s convincin g realization s i n th e fiel d o f th e
immensely creativ e blac k slang of today .
The lengt h o f th e actio n tim e o f "SiA " i s extremel y limite d an d
can b e measured i n minute s rather tha n hours . Although th e story ,
whose actio n canno t b e precisel y date d bu t mus t tak e plac e some -
time i n th e mid-fifties, 6 make s us e o f bot h sceni c an d panorami c
presentation, tellin g i s greatl y outweighe d b y showin g becaus e
Wendell's reflection s an d reminiscence s abou t th e pas t ar e inte -
grated int o th e presen t actio n an d ofte n generalize d int o timeles s
insights presente d i n a kin d o f gnomi c presen t tense. 7 Thu s th e
effect o f immediac y create d b y th e poin t o f view and th e languag e
is furthe r enhance d b y th e mod e o f presentation . Whil e th e treat -
ment o f tim e i s relativel y simpl e an d th e stor y unfold s i n a n al -
most straightforwar d chronologica l sequence , accompanie d an d
briefly interrupte d b y the narrator-protagonist's memory fragments ,
the treatmen t o f spac e i s mad e t o carr y symboli c overtones . Th e
story whic h take s place in "L . A." (230 ) — Los Angeles - mention s
Watts a s Wendell' s plac e o f residence , Hollywoo d a s th e plac e
where h e works , an d Sant a Monica a s th e plac e wher e th e Couch -
mans live . I n a ver y plain , perhap s eve n a littl e to o obvious , wa y
Watts, th e blac k ghetto , i s contraste d wit h Sant a Monica , th e
exclusive residentia l area , wherea s Hollywood , inten t o n gainin g a
new publi c b y mean s o f blac k movie s (cf . 230) , function s a s th e
bohemian intermediate zon e where , i n th e interracial field o f arts ,
whites an d black s can , withi n limits , mee t an d cooperate . Suc h a
symbolic geography , a western variatio n of the uptown-downtown -
Greenwich Villag e cliché, as it were , i s intensified b y th e fac t tha t
Kay, th e ric h whit e lady , drive s around i n a white Jaguar , wherea s
Wendell, th e poo r ma n fro m th e ghetto , owns a little Ford . I f on e
adds t o thes e detail s that th e Couchma n villa looks to Wendell lik e
"a transplante d Ne w Englan d Colonial " (231 ) — a comparison
which conjure s u p al l th e association s o f 'colonialism ' — an d tha t
he i s expecte d t o ente r thi s vill a throug h th e kitche n door , th e
setting i s perfectl y established . I t woul d b e quite wrong , however ,
to deduc e fro m thes e detail s tha t "SiA " i s mainl y a sociocritica l
story abou t th e confrontatio n o f tw o classes , o f whit e have s an d
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black have-nots. Suc h a contrast i s obviously an important part of
the story' s atmosphere , bu t Wendel l doe s no t fi t int o thes e cat -
egories. Hi s job i n Hollywood , his elaborate an d no t inexpensiv e
plans fo r th e evenin g — havin g dinne r a t th e Watkins , talking t o
some musicians , spendin g th e nigh t i n a bar — hi s self-confiden t
behaviour and , abov e all , hi s languag e clearl y indicat e tha t hi s
world i s n o longe r th e blac k ghetto , an d i n th e atmospher e o f
leisure an d luxur y tha t permeate s th e Couchmans ' hom e h e doe s
not pla y th e par t o f Bigge r Thoma s a t th e Daltons ' but , o n th e
contrary, is quite relaxed.
As th e potentia l conflic t alread y implie d i n th e contrastiv e
setting, is finally realized a s the actin g ou t o f laten t tensions , on e
should distinguis h betwee n caus e an d occasion . Th e caus e o f th e
climactic inciden t a t th e Couchmans ' is not Wendell' s confronta -
tion wit h thei r worl d o f luxur y an d affluence ; an d Ronnie' s
brattish behaviou r an d Kay' s flirtatiousnes s provid e onl y a long-
awaited occasion . Th e clima x i s brough t abou t b y th e psychi c
injuries sustaine d b y Wendel l durin g hi s childhoo d an d youth .
Thus th e contras t sketche d abov e onl y serve s a s a n appropriat e
stage fo r th e acting-ou t o f ol d an d pent-u p frustrations . Thi s
climax, however, thi s sudden explosio n o f aggression s which have
long bee n suppressed , i s carefully an d cumulativel y prepare d an d
motivated, an d i t i s the gradua l unfolding o f th e plot which lends
the actio n o f "SiA " its relentless an d compellin g logic. The stor y
lacks an independent expositio n bu t start s directl y with the rising
action, th e necessar y expositor y informatio n bein g inserted piec e
by piece into the present action. The very first sentences — "It was
hot. I tend t o b e a bitch whe n it' s hot" (230) — have an ominous
quality an d serv e a s a kin d o f indirec t foreshadowing , indicatin g
that somethin g unpleasan t wil l happen. Thi s first vagu e referenc e
to some impending trouble is taken up and intensified by Wendell's
explanation tha t he has had "a very lousy day at the studio" (230),
and hi s irritation an d ange r are the n heightene d b y th e fact s tha t
he gets "stuc k i n th e traffic " (230 ) and that his own plans for the
evening are bein g crossed b y hi s mother's reques t t o pic k her up.
Thus instead of enjoying th e "quiet evening" (230) he was looking
forward to , Wendell mus t endur e th e lon g drive t o Sant a Monica,
which i s "a lon g haul fo r suc h a hot day " (230) . When he finally
reaches th e Couchma n vill a he has to ente r it through the kitchen
door, and the host of unpleasant memories released by this infamous
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symbol o f servitud e d o not a t al l improve his foul mood. The fact
that hi s mothe r i s not ye t read y an d tha t h e is made t o wai t fo r
Kay's retur n - "Jus t b e patien t ... " (233 ) - create s additiona l
anger, an d i n hi s encounte r wit h th e spoile d an d ill-behave d
Ronnie Wendel l finall y lose s his temper . Thus , when Ka y arrives,
Wendell, enrage d b y hi s tirin g work , bothere d b y a n unpleasan t
climate, annoye d b y a n ex
haustin g driv e an d th e crossin g o f hi s
own plans, made impatient b y hi s waiting, and irritated by several
signs of discriminatio n an d th e unpleasan t memories they evoked,
has reached a state wher e hi s emotions get the better of his judge-
ment, wher e h e ca n no longer resist th e temptation s o f an intoxi-
cated pla y girl an d where , when a n unforesee n situatio n suddenl y
offers a possibilit y t o releas e hi s pent-up frustrations , h e gives in
to hi s longin g fo r revenge . This situation, create d b y a particular
and highl y significan t constellatio n o f figures , stands at the centre
of the story.
The titl e o f "SiA " alread y indicate s tha t thi s i s a stor y abou t
elementary human relationships, and there are really three mother-
son relations, which are contrasted with each other, namely (1) Nora
— Wendell , the poo r black mother and her son, (2) Kay — Ronnie,
the ric h whit e mothe r an d he r son , and (3 ) Nora — Ronnie , th e
black mai d an d the white boy for whom she is a surrogate mother.
And the n ther e i s (4 ) a short-lived sexual relationship , not take n
seriously b y eithe r partner , namel y Wendell — Kay, the black man
and th e whit e woman . Quit e obviously , suc h a constellatio n o f
figures i s no t uniqu e but , o n th e contrary , th e fictiona l embodi -
ment o f a cluster o f role-relation s which have long become stereo-
types an d whic h represen t som e o f th e basi c problems o f black -
white relation s i n America . Th e tw o role-stereotype s William s
makes us e o f ca n b e labelle d a s tha t o f th e 'blac k mammy ' an d
that of 'pinktoes.'
The blac k mammy , o f course , is a recurring figur e in American
literature, and from Faulkner' s Dilsey and Molly Beauchamp, both
modelled o n th e real-lif e Carolin e Bar r t o who m h e dedicate d Go
Down, Moses, t o Carso n McCullers ' Berenic e Sadi e Brow n o r
Harper Lee' s Calpurni a man y example s com e easil y t o mind .
Tischler's summary:
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The Negr o mammy - i n her role of nurse, witch doctor, priest, intercessor,
wet nurse, comforter, permissiv e earth-mother - i s still so intrinsic a part
of the Southern memory that eve n the most vicious politicians, appealing
to the basest emotions of their Negro-baiting audience, must yet tip their
hats t o "th e memor y o f th e humbl e blac k mamm y of my childhood t o
whom I came for solace and comfort," 8
attests t o th e longevity o f th e cliché,while Lillia n Smith' s thought -
ful analysi s o f th e "dua l relationshi p whic h s o man y whit e south -
erners hav e ha d wit h tw o mothers, on e whit e an d on e colore d an d
each o f a differen t cultur e tha t centere d i n differen t huma n
values,"9 point s ou t th e comple x psychologica l consequence s o f
such a n arrangemen t fo r th e whit e child . Williams , however , i s
interested i n th e result s o f suc h a relationshi p o n th e blac k child ,
and Wendell' s behaviou r mus t b e understoo d a s th e logica l out -
come o f a viciou s circl e consistin g o f th e followin g stages : Nora' s
life an d tha t o f he r childre n wa s governe d b y poverty ; becaus e
Nora love d he r childre n sh e wante d t o car e fo r them ; i n orde r t o
do tha t sh e neede d money ; her onl y chanc e o f earning money wa s
to wor k a s a mai d fo r som e well-to-d o whit e family ; workin g fo r
this famil y mean t tha t sh e had t o b e awa y fro m home ; being awa y
from hom e Nor a ha d n o tim e fo r he r children . Thi s destructiv e
mechanism, whic h als o lie s a t th e centr e o f Williams ' nove l Sissie,
hinges o n th e awfu l fac t tha t i n orde r t o car e fo r th e physical well -
being o f he r childre n th e blac k mai d ha s t o tak e o n wor k tha t
forces he r t o neglec t thei r psychica l needs. 10 I f on e add s t o thi s
the fac t tha t th e blac k mai d migh t wel l projec t he r motherl y
instincts upo n th e whit e chil d o r children wit h whom , contrar y t o
her own , sh e i s togethe r durin g th e whol e day , on e wil l begi n t o
fathom th e manifol d implication s o f Wendell' s laconi c statement :
"Nora's affectio n fo r u s too k th e for m o f rushin g ou t i n th e
morning ... " (234 ) Th e blac k children , lef t t o themselves , suffe r
from a lac k o f emotiona l warmt h an d therefore , bein g encourage d
by nobody , canno t develo p thei r innat e abilitie s — a psychi c
mechanism whic h perpetuate s thei r suppose d 'inferiority ' an d
which i s a classic example o f wha t sociologist s call a 'self-fulfillin g
prophecy.' Al l o f Nora' s children , fo r example , wer e goo d a t
drawing, but "there' s not a goddam n artis t among us. We never had
the physica l affection , th e pa t o n th e head , th e quick , smilin g
kiss, th e 'gimm e a hug ' routine " (234) . All of th e encouragement s
which Wendel l an d hi s brother s an d sister s wer e lackin g — "all
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of this Ronnie was getting" (234).
Such i s th e backgroun d whic h make s it al l too understandabl e
why Wendell , an independent an d self-assertiv e adult , i s neverthe-
less jealous o f nine-year-ol d Ronni e an d why , burdened wit h th e
heightened sensitivit y develope d b y th e victim o f discrimination ,
he misinterpret s th e whit e boy' s behaviou r an d think s tha t
Ronnie's 'roaring ' (cf . 233 ) a t Nor a i s cause d b y discriminator y
motives, although i t i s obviously just a n expressio n o f the spoiled
child's egotis m an d irascibility . Whe n Wendell forbid s th e "littl e
bastard" (233 ) to address his mother in a disrespectful wa y — note
the revealin g stress in "Don't tal k to my mothe r like that ..."(233 )
— h e act s o n a wron g assumption , an d whe n h e feel s a n over -
whelming urg e t o bea t th e child , hi s pent-u p ange r i s definitel y
vented o n th e wron g object . Significantl y Wendell , wh o pretend s
to b e controlle d an d 'cool, ' is unable t o admi t t o himsel f his mis-
taken estimatio n o f th e situatio n whe n Nor a come s to Ronnie' s
aid. Onl y late r on , fro m th e distanc e h e has gained a s narrator,
can h e state : " I wa s to o angr y t o fee l hatre d fo r myself ' (233) ,
and thu s articulate the central insight which lends a developmental
dimension t o th e story . A s narrator , fro m th e disintereste d per -
spective o f hindsight , h e ca n eve n understan d littl e Ronnie' s
miserable situatio n who , wit h hi s 'successful ' fathe r hardl y a t
home an d hi s selfis h an d pleasure-seekin g mothe r no t reall y
caring fo r him , is as much a "son in the afternoon" as was Wendell,
although th e reasons , of course , are entirely different . Bu t during
the tim e o f actio n Wendell' s knowledg e tha t "kid s shoul d hav e
someone t o love " (233 ) inevitabl y lead s o n t o hi s unpleasan t
memories o f hi s own childhood , an d thu s his anger at Ronnie has
to deepe n int o jealousy . Therefor e hi s insigh t tha t Ronni e "ha d
only m y mother " (233) , whic h release s his reminiscences, bring s
<
br /> him bac k t o th e present wit h th e frustratin g recognitio n tha t "al l
of thi s [i.e. , the encouragement s h e was lacking as a child] Ronnie
was getting " (234) . Suc h a n interweavin g o f th e pas t wit h th e
present, whic h provides th e motivation for Wendell's behaviour, is
also a good exampl e o f th e internal logi c o f th e narration , whic h
integrates digressions of this kind by means of associative links and
thus demonstrate s b y it s very structure how the present is defined
by the past.
If on e connect s Wendell' s fou l mood , graduall y intensifie d b y
his preceding experiences , with th e ange r an d jealousy create d by
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his encounter with Ronni e i t i s quite understandable tha t Wendell
gives i n t o hi s desire fo r revenge . What he want s t o d o is at onc e
simple an d perfect : h e plan s t o impos e on e o f thos e shock s and
humiliations whic h poisone d hi s ow n childhoo d upo n th e hate d
Ronnie, wants t o creat e a kind o f inverte d 'colou r shock ' fo r th e
white child , an d — wha t coul d b e more appropriat e — he plans to
use the child's own mother as the instrument o f his revenge.
While on e can be quite certain about Wendell's motives, because
with hi s characteristi c honest y an d bluntnes s h e outline s the m
himself — "I had the scene laid right out..." (236 ) — Kay's motives
for he r behaviou r canno t b e ascertaine d a s easily , becaus e th e
reader see s her onl y throug h Wendell's eyes and must thus depend
on conjectures . Wha t seem s t o b e certai n i s he r sexua l curiosit y
regarding th e blac k ma n sh e unexpectedly encounter s i n her ow n
house, and it is here that a second role-stereotype comes into play.
Since th e ver y beginnin g o f black-whit e relation s i n Americ a th e
myth o f th e blac k man' s exceptiona l sexua l potency ha s played a
prominent role , ha s bee n use d t o justif y th e Southerner' s rap e
complex an d th e tabo o o f miscegenatio n o r 'mongrelization, ' and
has le d t o suc h infamou s product s o f morbi d imaginatio n a s the
sentencing o f a blac k ma n i n Mississipp i fo r havin g attempted t o
rape a whit e woma n b y mean s o f 'reckles s eyeballing. ' Calvi n C.