Indledning
“The lynching of Jube Benson” from 1904 is a well-written short story by the black author, Paul Laurence Dunbar. The short story is a part of the collection of short stories
The heart of a happy hollow, which focuses on the African American life experiences after the conclusion of the civil war.
The theme of the story is injustice of African Americans in the United States at the time. Thus, the short story depicts the hanging of the black man Jube Denson, who was a slave .
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Uddrag
Dr. Melville is one of the main characters and the protagonist in the short story. He was around the age of fifty, with grey hair and with a serious and youthful face.
The author describes him: “but his face, though lined and serious was youthful, the face of a man hardly past thirty” (p.65, l. 6). He was a highly educated doctor who practiced in a little town of Bradford, USA, where the lynching takes place.
He fell in love with his landlord’s beautiful and young daughter, Annie. But not only did Dr. Melville fall for Annie, but most of the townsmen also fell for her, including the other main character Jube Benson who was a black slave.
Dr. Melville describes how he grew to like Jube Benson and appreciated him and his commitment to please him. Dr. Melville describes Jube very positively and you can sense a friendship occur and blossom:
“Jube was a most admirable liar” (p. 66, l. 23) and “I would rebuke him for these deceptions, he would give way and roll on the floor in excess of delighted laughter until from very contagion I had to join him” (p. 66, l.25)
They almost initiated in an alliance together, where Jube lied to young men who wanted Annie in Dr. Melville’s advantage.
His appreciation turns into a friendship, and when Dr. Melville gets sick, Jube shows how truly and deeply he cares for him by taking care of him every day.
Dr. Melville even admits his love for him “Why, I grew to love him, love him, oh, yes, I loved him as well” (p. 67, l. 15).
But Dr. Melville can’t suppress and overcome the deep-rooted racism in him, so when the other people from the town suspect and accuses Jube Benson of the rape and killing of Annie
Dr. Melville initiates a lynching of Jube Benson with only a hunch,” and I went forward under the impulse of a will that was half my own, half some more malignant power’s ” (p. 68, l 21).
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