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ornamental line

Remorse of Conscience

"The effect of a bad reputation being
subjective as well as objective [. . .]" (76).
Charles Chesnutt's The Marrow of Tradition (1901)

 

Points for Reflection

C. Chesnutt's The Marrow of Tradition (1901), chps. 7-15

  1. Do the novel’s three doctors share similar values?
  2. As configured by Chesnutt, does a majority of the voting population in North Carolina wish to repeal the 15th amendment?
  3. Does the relative power of the three conspirators mirror that of their differing rank?  Is General Belmont, the most senior in military rank, the most influential, followed by Major Carteret and then “Captain” McBane?
  4. General Belmont speaks of purity of the plotters’ motives, and flavors his rhetoric with ideas culled from The Bible and other literature--as when he suggests that they “‘avoid even the appearance of evil’” (I Thess. 5:22), affirms McBane’s transparency with “‘An honest man’s the noblest work of God’” (4.248 from Alexander Pope’s “An Essay on Man”), and declares that “‘A good name is better than great riches’” (Prov. 22:1).  Why might Chesnutt allow a die-hard racist, to cite these sources in this way (52-53)?
  5. Why does General Belmont prefer that black Americans be free?
  6. In a letter to one Mrs. W. B. Henderson, Chesnutt observes that his novel was “criticized as being bitter” though he “did not intend it to be so” (Norton 211).  What do you think?  Does bitterness undergird The Marrow of Tradition?
  7. Does Jerry’s preoccupation with money make him mercenary or practical?
  8. General Belmont recommends that Major Carteret have a talk with his nephew, Tom, about his card-playing and liquor (58), a suggestion Carteret takes to heart.  How does Tom respond to the “mild lecture” given him by his uncle, and what does this reveal about his character?
  9. Is Tom Delamere a mirror image of his grandfather, Mr. Delamere?
  10. When questioned about Tom’s behavior, does Ellis close ranks and refuse to say anything incriminating?
  11. Does Clara know herself well, according to the narrator?
  12. Do Tom and Major Carteret share the same assumption about the impact of marriage on men?
  13. What does Mrs. Janet Carteret make of Mammy Jane’s superstitious beliefs?
  14. By what ethical code does Josh Green abide?
  15. Does Dr. Miller approve of Josh Green’s trajectory?
  16. Does Chesnutt appear divided between the divergent opinions of Josh Green and Dr. Miller, or does the novel appear to implicitly support one man’s position more than the other’s?
  17. How has Mrs. Ochiltree’s aging impacted her cognitive function?


a two-tone painting of a castle-like structure to the right side in all black with a tall tower and wall surrounding it near a body of water. the water and sky are golds and ambers.
Portrait of Booker T. Washington
Henry Osawa Tanner


Dr. Paul Marchbanks
pmarchba@calpoly.edu