Children as Legacy: Fostering a Viable Interracial Future in Chesnutt’s The Marrow of Tradition

Presenter: Allison Mary Marchand

Faculty Sponsor: Emily D. Field

School: Bridgewater State University

Research Area: Literature

Session: Poster Session 4, 2:15 PM - 3:00 PM, Auditorium, A38

ABSTRACT

Charles Chesnutt’s novel The Marrow of Tradition (1901) has been analyzed by scholars through various lenses. However, there has been little investigation into the significance of the novel’s two children: the white child, Theodore “Dodie” Felix Carteret, and the unnamed Black son of the Millers. Thus, there is a gap in our understanding of what the novel conveys about the future, as these children represent it. This thesis analyzes both children’s representations of their respective races’ legacies to evaluate what they imply about the future of race relations. Examining other historical and literary sources from Chesnutt, this study establishes what Chesnutt’s beliefs concerning children and African Americans’ futures were, providing context to the novel’s creation, plot, and conclusion. The children’s representations suggest that aristocratic white people must respect the intelligence and resources of African Americans to maintain their social standing and that middle class African Americans cannot ignore their history nor the plight of lower-class African Americans as doing so leaves them susceptible to further oppression. With these symbols, Chesnutt indicates how societal attitudes must change to yield a better future. The findings of this research contribute to our understanding of The Marrow of Tradition and its regard for the future, as it is through the children that a new perspective regarding legacy and necessary attitude adjustments is discovered. Furthermore, these findings are relevant in modern times, as Chesnutt’s sentiments about cooperation and awareness become increasingly important as attempts to systematically oppress African Americans become more rampant.

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