Annotation-A Gathering of Old Men

A Gathering of Old Men by Ernest J. Gaines
Paperback: 213 pages
Publisher: Vintage Books USA (1992)
Copyright: 1983
ISBN: 0-679-73890-8
Genre: Historical Fiction, Classic

The old Black men on the Marshall plantation have gathered to fight the injustices of the past. One of the sharecroppers has killed a white man, Beau Boutan. Beau beat his worker. Candy Marshall is in the area where the Blacks live as these are her people, “I will protect my people.” She sends young Snookum (most of the characters have a nickname) to round up the men of the community for there will be consequences based on the past. Snookum runs to fulfill his assignment. Each man must determine what it is that they will do; fight or flight. One of the old men commented while riding to the designated meeting point, “I’m scared, but I’m here” (40). Sometimes being there is enough.

The old men that gathered at Mathu’s place, the determined location, faced down Mapes, the sheriff, and some even took slaps to the face; “Blood dripped from Uncle Billy’s mouth, but he would not wipe it away (68).” Still they stood; “Clatoo did not look down” (86). They had to stand for each one had a story of how the Cajuns had mistreated them from beating or mistreating their family members to taking ownership of land that their ancestors had worked for years. The old men were renters. They had to stand for the souls in the graveyard. Johnny Paul expressed what the others felt when sharing why he killed Beau to the sheriff:

You can’t see the church with the people, and you can’t hear the singing and the praying. You had to be here then to be able to don’t see it and don’t hear it now. But I was here then, and I don’t see it now, and that’s why I did it. I did it for them back there under them trees. I did it ‘cause that tractor is getting closer and closer to the graveyard, and I was scared if I didn’t do it, one day that tractor was go’n come in there and plow up them graves, getting rid of all the proof that we ever was (92).

There were a number of characters, although, this did not hinder the reading of the story. The main characters represent figures from the past:

The Old Men
Mathu, Charlie, Johnny Paul, Clatoo, Chimley, Mat, Yank, Dirty Red, Billy and the others
They are the slaves who said no and revolted, they are the freedom seekers who traveled on the Underground Railroad, they are the ones who paved the way. They are men.

Beau Boutan, the overseer
While smiling he told his worker, “I was go’n have a little fun with you first. Was go’n hunt you like a rabbit, and shoot you when I got tired. But now look like I aint’ go’n waste my time” (191).

Fix Boutan, the Night Riders of the past

Candy Marshall, the Savior
“I will protect my people.” On the surface this seems gallant but underneath it all, her character is the personification of a redeemer. These were her people as in property. She just did not recognize this fallacy in herself. She loved Mathu but she loved the memories of her ancestors and the land even more. Candy wanted Mathu around so that he could tell her future unborn child “about Grandpa. Tell him about the field. Tell him how the river looked before the cabins and wharves. No one else to tell about these things but you” (177).

Luke Will, the vigilante who cannot leave the past

Gilbert Boutan, the voice of reason when faced with his family heritage…. “Those days are gone forever, I hope” (143).

This book will appeal to readers because it is a story that they have heard many times before but told here from a personal perspective of those most impacted. The men get to tell their story as opposed to a historian or journalist. Yes, this is fiction but good fiction is based in fact. The theme of injustice and response to injustice is a human story. There are strong, developed characters. There is humor; the female characters are strong willed and provide comic relief. Snookum also offers humor in innocence. There is a suitable, good ending. Most importantly, there is a lesson; a lesson of determination and strength. This is a moving story that will challenge readers to think beyond the past.