A Gathering of Old Men | Ernest J. Gaines | "Gathering" forces coming of age and confronting racism

A Gathering of Old Men | Ernest J. Gaines | A Changing

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A Gathering of Old...

	A Gathering of Old Men Ernest J. Gaines Vintage, 1992 - 224 pages average customer review:based on 67 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

"Gathering" forces coming of age and confronting racism

"A Gathering of Old Men" is one of Gaines premier works. As with his other novels, it takes place along the St. Charles River in Louisiana. Unlike some of Gaines' other works, this book has better and more balanced characterization than any of his other works. It is very important for me as an educator that books dealing with racism present an even and balanced view of the issue--that it not simply show blacks as always and entirely the complete victim. It is also important that all white characters are not presented in a flat monolithic manner. Pleasantly, Gaines accomplishes these goals in "Gathering." The novel, which takes place during the 1960's, is a murder mystery in which the victim is a white overseer on a sugar plantation who is killed by a black man. When news of the murder reaches other black in the parrish, several old men fire their shotguns and go to the crime scene to take credit for the shooting. Countering these characters are the family of the victim who are notorious for exacting Klan-like revenge for any violations of the unwritten race rules in that area. Everyone, the old men, the young people, and the white victim's family, is looking for a fight. The question is who, if anyone, will stand up and say that enough is enough. This is the question Gaines dares to answer in "Gathering." His handling of this question, the question of when it is time to forgive, is very eloquently played out in the ending scenes. It leaves no clear bad guys and no obvious victims. His ending forces each person to admit his or her on complicity in perpetuating racism. For these reasons, I would highly recommend this novel as a classroom or individual read for high school students in grades 10-12 or for any adult reader..

Violet R. Jones

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A Changing

A Gathering of Old Men was assigned to me by my 10th grade literature teacher. I did not think it was going to be that good but it turned out to be a good book. I thought it was good of the author not to take a side. I would have never have thought it would have been Charlie since he did let everybody hit on him. But one day he changed, he became a man and Beau happened to be there. So Charlie took it out on him. Gil, Beau's brother, Fix's son also come a man,by standing up to his father. I think the author should have told more about the whites. The end ended good with one of the whites and one of the blacks dead. Many people thought it was about racism but once I thought about it I don't think it was. It showed favor to both the whites and the blacks. They were just standing up for what they believe.

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A Changing of Age

A Gathering of Old Men was assinged to me by my 10th grade literatere teacher. I did not think it was going to be that good but it turned out to be good. I tought it was good of the author not to take a side. I would have never have thought it would have been Charlie since he did let everybody hit him. But that day he changed Beau was there. So Charlie took it out on him. Gil,Beau's brother,Fix's son also changed of age. He stood up to his father. I think the author should have told more about the whites. The end ended good with one of the whites and one of the blacks dead. Many people thought it was about rascism but a don't because it shows favor to both the whites and the blacks.

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Characters, Characters, Characters

"A GATHERING OF OLD MEN," a book written by Ernest J. Gaines is an inspiring story about race problems in 1960 Luisiana. The book about the unatural death of a white overseer. By the hands of an unknown black citizen of the parish owned by a young white woman, Candy. Candy, being raised by the people in the parish, rounded up as many of the old black men who all where glad to take the credit. But as our story unfolded a long list of characters with numerous backgrounds came into play. I particularly liked that the whole story was narrated by a different person each chapter, thus giving you many points of view. Well, for the record I am a Sophmore student at JCHS and was required by my 10th grade Lit teacher to read the book.