A Critical Analysis of the Short Story, "That Evening Sun"
This paper will provide a critical analysis of "That Evening Sun." The discussion will center on the irony and symbolism used by the famous author. The paper will also outline the overall theme of racism and injustice which are conveyed by this story.
"That Evening Sun" was one of the best known short stories written by William Faulkner. The story took place in a small town named Jefferson in Mississippi sometime 50 years after the liberation of black slaves. During that time, the blacks were still suppressed and ignored by the whites. The main character, Nancy, was a black woman who feared that her husband would come back to kill her because she prostituted herself and consequently became pregnant by a white man. Faulkner has used the fear of a black woman to demonstrate the theme of injustice and hopelessness in the old South. Irony and symbolism were also used by Faulkner to show a great terror of the unfairness and injustice.
Shortly after Faulkner's story opens, the writer introduces us to his main character, Nancy, by providing us with a description of her as she is seen through the eyes of a child, Quentin. Nancy's face is described as having a sad look to it, mostly because it is a little sunken in "where her teeth were missing" (Frey, p. 33).
The fact that Nancy's teeth were missing is the first hint of Faulkner's symbolism and irony. The missing teeth are a symbol of the violence plaguing blacks in the South at that time; Nancy's lost teeth also symbolism the sadness Nancy felt over belonging to the most oppressed race and gender in America at the time: a black woman. The ironic thing is that the readers will soon learn that she will shortly lose more teeth the next day on her way to jail. She passes Mr. Stovall, the white father of her child, on her way to jail and yells at him. Mr. Stovall responds by kicking her in the face, whereby sh...