That Evening the Sun Go Down

"That Evening Sun Go Down"

William Faulkner was an old Southern gentlemen from an old Southern family. This is evident in his works, which show a small Southern county and its transition from the old days to the new. In his story "That Evening Sun Go Down," this theme is prevalent.

"That Evening Sun Go Down" takes place 15 years prior to 1931, and depicts a wealthy Southern family and the Negros who live on their land. It's not a happy tale, per se, but instead one where fear runs rampant. But I digress. The point I wish to make, is that Faulkner casts a sharp contrast between the values of the Old South, and the changing values of the current times. He makes constant references to the differences between "whites" and "niggers," most markedly by the children in the story, saying "You were scairder than Frony. You were scairder than T.P. even. You were scairder than a nigger." (page 115, lines 27-28)

These are the white children saying this, comparing their younger brother to something clearly inferior. The youngest, Jason, vehemently denies this association, multiple times throughout the story, saying quite firmly, "I ain't a nigger." (page 117, line 29).

The "niggers" also make this distinction, most notably a line by the character Jubah, discussing how the white man can enter his home and it ceases to be Jubah's property (page 113, lines 29-33). Nancy too, makes comments about it--every page is chock-full of racial statements, so clearly defining the line between blacks and whites.

One might argue that Faulkner doesn't even bother to make a distinction between old and new values, that he simply glorifies the old values and makes no mention of the new. This assumption would be incorrect. The distinction is made in the first paragraph, when Faulkner is discussing life today (and by today, I mean 1931). He makes constant use of the word "now," distinguishing this part of the story from the rest. He draws a line, saying "...even the Negro women who still take in white people's washing after the old custom, fetch and deliver it in automobiles." He is stating quite clearly that even in this small Southern town, the dynamics have started to change. "Negros" have automobiles, and are no longer held to the same class level as they once were.

That is the distinction he makes. That is the contrast between old and new.