Sunday, May 25, 2008

Skiffington

SKiffington is a character for whom I first had a lot of sympathy, but I felt colder and colder about him as the story progressed. I suppose he's an example, as you alluded, Erin, of a decent man whose decency is unable to thrive in the corrupt world of slavery. His soul became very slippery. And what did you make of his sexual attraction to Minerva? I really wondered why the author made that a part of his personality. I just didn't see its place in the story or in his character development. But what am I missing?

The two most overtly "Godly" people in the book, the minister and Bible-reading Skiffington, both had an issue with "impure" thoughts/actions. Any significance there?
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3 comments:

Erin said...

Yeah, there must be. I had the same feeling about the Minerva stuff. It was extremely creepy and I wasn't sure what it added.

One of the first things we learn about Skiffington is that he has made a conscious decision not to own slaves because he believes God does not approve of it. So I found myself subconsciously labeling him as a "good" character. In a story about slavery, anyone morally opposed to slavery is good, right? But then he got worse and worse, as you say. And I wonder now if that's what Jones was trying to do with the Minerva stuff. Another example of someone who's supposed to be on the "good" side but isn't all that good.

3:18 PM, May 27, 2008
kc said...

Yeah, that makes sense. I had zero sympathy for Skiffington by the time he was killed, and I think the author engineered the reader's emotions that way (by among other things the N-word outburst at the end). At the same time, I wonder if he intended us to think Skiffington was still somewhat good because he never actually acted on his "incestuous" desires, when, presumably as a white man and the sheriff, he could have done so with impunity.(?)

I thought the thing about Minerva running off and then not going back because of the "answers to Minnie" line on the poster was genius. It was a delicious moment of enlightenment and self-respect.

8:27 PM, May 27, 2008
Erin said...

Oh yes, I loved that "answers to Minnie" thing. Subtle and genius.

9:27 PM, May 27, 2008

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