Dry September (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: William Faulkner
- First Published: 1931
- Type of Plot: Psychological
- Time of Work: The late 1920's or early 1930's
- Setting: A small southern town
- Principal Characters: Miss Minnie Cooper, Will Mayes, Hawkshaw, John McLendon
- Genres: Psychological fiction, Short fiction
- Subjects: African Americans, Racism, Murder or homicide, South or Southerners, Emotions, Violence, Honor, Celibacy
- Locales: South (U.S.)
The Story
William Faulkner organizes the plot of “Dry September” around a single incident: the murder of an innocent black man. An aging and sexually frustrated white spinster starts the rumor that the black man has attacked her. A group of men, led by a former war hero, murder him before they substantiate his guilt.
After two months without rain, the small southern town of Jefferson has an explosive atmosphere. A rumor spreads through Jefferson that the black man, Will Mayes, has “attacked, insulted, frightened” Miss Minnie Cooper. No one knows exactly what has...
[The entire page is 1439 words long]
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