Surname 1

Student’s Name

Professor’s Name

Course

Date

Effects of Racism

The purpose of this essay is to examine the effects of racism as demonstrated by William

Faulkner in a short story, “ Dry September” and the poem “ The Lynching” by Claude Mckay.

Based on these authors, racism destroys not only the recipient but also the individuals involved

in practicing it.

In the short story “Dry September” Faulkner organizes the plot that demonstrates racism on a

single incident involving the killing of an innocent black man, Will Mayes. A sexually frustrated

and aged white spinster named Miss Minnie spreads rumors that she had been attacked by a

black man. Because of the falsehood, Mayes was murdered by a group of men among a war hero

without having to substantiate his guilt. While no one knew what happened, the rumor of a black

man attacking a white woman spread “like a fire in dry grass.” The desire to revenge against a

white woman by the men in the barbershop was to demonstrate their white superiority. When one

of the members in the group gathered in the shop tried to question what happened John

McLendon asked: “Happen? What the hell difference does it make? Are you going to let the

black sons get away with it until one really does it (Peek 76)?” Whilst the black man was

murdered, Faulkner was quick to highlight the effects of the murder on Miss Minnie, McLendon

and the townspeople who were ready to have the “black sons” taught a lesson. Miss Minnie is
 Surname 2

unmarried and lives a frustrated life. On the other hand, McLendon lives in a small house and is

violent towards his wife due to life frustrations. Thus, his killing of Will Mayes was a way to

relieve the personal frustrations he had.

Claude McKay used the poem “The Lynching” to demonstrate the acts of violence and racism in

the 20th century against members of the black community. Men who were lynched had a spiritual

background that made it possible for them to have a good relationship with God. The act of

lynching inflicted physical harm against the victims and psychological torture against the rest of

the black community who lived with fear. These individuals were subjected to cruel acts beyond

racism. However, throughout the 14-line poem that has been structured to reflect a sonnet, it is

evident that while the victims of lynching suffered, the perpetrators also experienced negative

effects. Specifically, these people will be rejected by God because of the awful sin they commit.

Individuals who participated in lynching of the members of the black community could not be

forgiven, as their crimes were too cruel even in the eyes of God. Possibly, this is because they

also do not have remorse for the act that they commit. McKay stated, “The awful sin remained

still unforgiven (Line, 4).” Further, to demonstrate the effects of those participating in lynching

due to racism an example of children who viewed the lynching often by dancing around the dead

black man is given and emphasis given that their futures will be ruined as there was high

possibility of them growing as racists. In addition, for the women who watched the lynching,

they had blue eyes which was a representation of lifelessness rather than being beautiful.
 Surname 3

Works Cited

Claude McKay. “The Lynching.” Poetry Foundation, 2018.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/56983/the-lynching. Accessed 10 Dec.2018.

Peek, Robert W. Hamblin Charles A. A William Faulkner Encyclopedia. Greenwood Publishing

Group, 1999.