- As I read Gwendolyn Bennett’s “Wedding Day” I found myself thinking about the make up of Paul’s character quite a bit, particularly the things that seem to drive his violent tendencies. We know that Paul used to be a boxer in the States and that “When he was in the ring he was like a mad bull, especially if his opponent was a white man.” His athleticism and size, combined with his hatred of white people, allows him to dominate others physically, especially whites that he feels are racist towards African Americans. These factors considered, do we think that Paul was made violent by the racism he experienced in America (which at times surfaces throughout his experiences in France) or is he simply a violent man and the issues of racism present at the time exacerbate his violent character? Why or why not?
- Outwardly as well as physically, Paul is independent and very much in charge of himself. When we first meet Paul, the idea of having a woman in his life (whether for one night or forever) does not sit well with him at all. He is very aware of the fact that in Paris, “They’re all white.” He goes on to explain that although such women are suitable for some men, he himself wants nothing to do with them. All of this of course changes once he meets Mary. In fact, Paul seems to do a complete 180. Why is it so easy for Paul to fall for a girl like Mary (white, from the streets, etc)? Keep in mind that not even prison was able to change him. Do we think that at heart, he does not hate whites and only acts violently because it is the only thing he feels he can do to defend who he is (in other words, an eye for an eye) or has Mary truly succeeded at altering his ideas about whites? If you were Paul, would Mary running off contribute to reaffirming your previous ideas about whites? Why or why not?
- Paul and Jenks are both African American men living in Paris (Paul is certainly an expatriate, I am not 100% sure about Jenks but I get the feeling that he is, as well). Additional similarities include that they are both musicians, they are men that risk it all for the love of a (gold digging?) woman, and their anger certainly seems to gets the best of them at times (although in the case of Paul, people seem to like him anyway). Out of all of these similarities, I was most interested in exploring further the idea of the female as downfall. Do you guys think that Tollie is also a white female? Why or why not? I tried to search for clues but maybe there’s something I’m not seeing. Additionally, it seems that Jenks is truly changed at the end of "Tokens." Agree or disagree? What did we think of Jenks? Are Paul and Jenks as similar as I think they are? Was Jenks a likeable guy or did he only become one (if he becomes one at all) towards the end?
- Throughout “Tokens,” The Seine plays an important role in exposing a dark, intimate aspect of the world Jenks’ lives in. “The Seine…mute river of sorrows…grim concealer of forgotten secrets…endlessly flowing…touching the edges of life…moving purposely along with a grey disdain for the empty, foolish gaiety of Seraigne or the benign dignity of Merlin Hospital, high on the warm cliffs of Saint Cloud.” Why is the river described in this way and what is its significance throughout the story?
- What do “Wedding Day” and “Tokens” seem to be saying about the African American experience abroad? I personally got the impression that one of the things Bennett is trying to get across is the loneliness of being in Paris, yet the overall difficulty of being elsewhere, such as in America. Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?
In response to your first question about Bennett's Paul character, I think the American acts of racism definitely fueled his rage in the ring. Some people become overwhelmed with fear in the ring, however, Paul used his feelings of black injustice by whites to finally give himself the revenge he has longed his entire life for. As a fighter, Paul gets to live out his vengeance over and over again on whites without breaking the law as whites do to blacks. Since cops can not interfere in a boxing bout, Paul gets a taste of American freedom without consequences, yet he is limited to only being able to do what he does best in the ring.
ReplyDeleteAli, you wrote, "As a fighter, Paul gets to live out his vengeance over and over again on whites without breaking the law as whites do to blacks." I did not make that connection at all (duh, silly me) but now that you brought it up, that makes a lot of sense. Thank you so much for your input, Ali!
ReplyDeletePaul seems to me to be the archetype of the black man as he would have been viewed by white Americans of the period. He, "didn't have that fine way about him" but rather was,"like a mad bull." He may fight America's battles, however, he may not kill white men unless he is under a French commander. Interestingly, although Paul's brutish quality was a problem for him in America, in Europe, "a little fame began to come into being for him."
ReplyDeleteBesides fighting, the other thing that Paul does proficiently is play the banjo. This ties directly to Minstrelsy which was another arena in which black men were commodified.
The band members, "wonder how it was that nothing happened during those first seven years," yet during that time Paul was not provoked, but rather left to his own devices.
I think that Bennett is showing us that as long as the black man is unmolested by white America he is capable of forging his own place in the world. In each instance that Paul gets into trouble he is in relationship with white Americans, so I suppose my answer is that Paul's racism is a direct response to an America that uses him when it needs him and then discards him (as the streetwalker does once he has lifted her up).
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ReplyDeleteI don't think that Paul is a violent man by nature, but the issues of racism present at the time heighten the anger that Paul and many African-American were wrestling with. Paul acts "like a mad bull, especially if his opponent [is] a white man” because the ring is the only place where hitting a white male is legal and wouldn’t get lynched for defending his honor. Paul’s white opponents in the ring represent white American social order at the time. When Paul is beating the daylight out of his adversaries, he is working out his anger, frustration, humiliation and oppression that he and others have suffered at the hand of white people. It is in the ring and on the battlefield that Paul (He served in the French battalion during WWI) feels empowered. However, outside of those two places, Paul’s powers are limited because the white man is controlling him. I think that Jonathan says it best when he asserts, “Paul's racism is a direct response to an America that uses him when it needs him and then discards him (as the streetwalker does once he has lifted her up).” I think that the French uses him too, but some may disagree with me.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all of your great insights, guys. You rock! :D
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