Raisa Habersham

Professor Quick

ENGL 2340

November 19, 2010

Fact versus Fiction: How Character Assumptions

Show Prejudice in “Dry September”

Law & Order: Special Victim’s Unit introduces us to rape cases that are normally seen through

the eyes of the detectives, police, and persons involved. The show's characters investigate these

incidents and have often been successful in finding the perpetrator. Now in its 12th season, Olivia

Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) are continuing to solve these cases,

making every attempt to find the offender according to the law. Eight decades ago, that was not the

case. More often than not, if a woman – particularly a white one – were raped, a black man was the

accused without checking the facts or questioning his integrity. But what happens when the situations

of the alleged rapist and the victim are conflicting? In William Faulkner’s “Dry September,” the lines

of racism and sexism are blurred. Faulkner presents the situations of the South during the 1930s

through the characters assembled in Jack Hawkshaw’s barbershop. In the story, we get a glimpse of an

alleged rape through the opinionated clients and barbers without mention of what happened in the

incident. Faulkner’s choice in not including the incident forces us to see how people assert their racial

and sexist assumptions.

Faulkner leaves everything implied in the story, forcing us to choose between Will Mayes and

Minnie Cooper’s side of the story. We are not given any dialogue from Minnie or Will concerning the

situation, leaving us to rely on the omniscient third person view and the dialogue and opinions of those
in Jack Hawkshaw’s barbershop. Faulkner provides an objective view of the situation using the third

person. This point of view allows us to draw our own conclusions of what actually happened, taking

into account are own personal beliefs and experiences. However, our thoughts are complicated with the

characters' dialogue.

When discussing the racial attitudes of the characters, Faulkner only reveals snippets, as with

the rest of the story, of the speakers’ statements which in turn leaves their beliefs open to interpretation.

This happens particularly when the characters discuss Will Mayes' involvement in the situation:

“‘Believe, hell!’ a hulking youth in a sweat-stained silk shirt said. ‘Won’t you take a white woman’s

word before a nigger’s?’” (245) From the information Faulkner has chosen to reveal, it is justified that

those in opposition of Will Mayes are basing their argument solely on his race. In contrast, Jack’s

defense of Will is based on two things: his knowledge of Will and Minnie’s age and promiscuity: “I

don’t believe anybody did anything. I don’t believe anything happened. I leave it to you fellows if them

ladies that get old without getting married don’t have notions that a man can’t – ” (246) While Jack

does not refer to Minnie's looks, his statements imply that a woman of her age should use discretion

and behave as a lady. Jack gives the sense that Minnie's age reflects her appearance.

Descriptions of Minnie are framed using the third person. The narrator repeatedly refers to

Minnie's “voile dress” and compares her former self to how Minnie is now. Minnie dresses in revealing

pieces to downplay her age. However, her efforts are overlooked: “Each afternoon she dressed in one of

her new dresses and went downtown alone …when she passed and went along the serried store fronts

in the doors of which the sitting lounging men did not even follow her with their eyes anymore.” (248)

Choosing to dress like her younger counterparts and participating in the same activities makes

onlookers believe Minnie deserved and perhaps wanted the attention of an improper suitor. There is no

dialogue to corroborate or refute Minnie's claims, making her actions, appearance, and behavior

significant in her side of the story. Minnie and Will are evaluated on an uneven playing field,
considering there are no facts stated just opinions about each. This makes it unclear if there is a more

believable individual.

The names and titles of characters play an important role in their assumptions. The characters

that are given names provide the main assumptions in the story. The youth is appropriately named

Butch, coinciding with his terse thinking and actions. Introducing Butch as “the youth” tells us that the

he is immature and is not very knowledgeable. Butch’s dialogue indicates that one thing matters in

determining what happened – race: “ ‘Who is? Who’s getting them?” youth said. “Fact, hell! I – ” (246)

Butch’s refusal to consider the facts speaks to his integrity. He, like other white males in the 1930s,

wants to preserve the purity of white women at the expense of black males. African-Americans were

believed to be unchaste; their punishment for acting improperly, particularly towards a white woman,

was lynching. In contrast to Butch, Jack, an older, more experienced barber, knows Will Mayes and

analyzes the situation according to Minnie’s actions. Jack wants to rely on the facts, “get the Sheriff

and do this thing right.” (247) Jack is also introduced by his title, the barber. The title speaks to Jack’s

precision in regards to his craft and how well skilled he is in it. His expertise in his craft indicates that

to Jack, “the facts” are all that matter, and the authorities are trained to determine whether or not Will

did anything. Regardless, Jack stands firm in his belief that Will didn’t do it: “I ain’t accusing nobody

of nothing, I just know and you fellows know how a woman that never – ” (246). Jack doesn’t view

race as an issue because he knows Will Mayes and can vouch for his character, which also gives Jack

some credibility. However, Jack assumes, just like Butch, and does so based on Minnie’s sex. Both

men’s assumptions reinforce their stereotypes they’ve imposed on Will and Minnie, which reflect their

feelings toward black men and women, respectively.

While Faulkner addresses marginalized individuals throughout his story he does not avoid what

is considered to be the norm – the white male. The perceptions of Will and Minnie come from white

males, namely McClendon. McClendon is the only character to be introduced by name first. The names
of other characters are mentioned after their title is given or not at all. While the arrangement places

emphasis on the other characters' thoughts, Faulkner wants you to focus on all aspects of McClendon

for he embodies the standard of the 1930s. Faulkner asserts that McClendon is important and should be

introduced by name only. His title is given to us afterward, giving us the notion that he is greater than

the title itself. McClendon proves he is superior whether it be leading a mob to attack Will and or being

abusive to his wife. This speaks to his authority; Jack wants to involve the police, but McClendon

knows that the only authority in this land is him – the white male. McClendon’s treatment of Will and

his wife express his views on African Americans and women. McClendon doesn’t feel he has to justify

his behavior or feelings like Jack or Butch because he is the norm.

Faulkner’s unwillingness to go into detail about the alleged rape forces the reader to focus on

assumptions. Will and Minnie are not perceived by their individual traits, but on their outer appearance.

Butch views Will as just a “nigger” while Jack views Minnie as a loose, old woman. McClendon views

them as one in the same – lesser individuals. By presenting us with limited dialogue and a third person

view, we get to see how little to no facts bring out characters’ prejudices towards minority groups.
 Works Cited
1. Faulkner, William. “Dry September.” ENGL 2340, Quick. Fall 2010. Paul Quick, Athens, Ga,
Bel Jean Copy and Print Center, 2010. 245 -252. Print.