The Gilded Six-Bits

by Zora Neale Hurston

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Joe Banks
Joe Banks is married to Missie May. The couple, who are newlyweds, clearly share a deep love. Joe works the night shift at the local fertilizer plant, though his earnings are modest. At the end of his workweek, he and Missie May partake in a playful ritual where he rolls his pay in coins over their threshold. Their life is characterized by "joyful mischief" and genuine tenderness. "That was the best part of life—going home to Missie May." They embody domestic bliss, both content in their roles and routines, until the arrival of the flashy stranger, Slemmons. Joe is captivated by Slemmons's apparent wealth and tales of success with women, and he wishes to show off Missie May to him. When Missie May has an affair with Slemmons, Joe is devastated and becomes silent. He leaves Slemmons's gilded trinket around the house as a constant reminder of her betrayal. However, when Missie May gives birth to a son who resembles Joe, he finds it in his heart to forgive her completely. He uses the gilded coin to buy her molasses kisses, symbolizing that love and sweetness have triumphed over blame.

Missie May Banks
Missie May Banks is Joe's new wife, and she is thrilled with her role as his spouse and their domestic life. She enjoys taking care of their humble home and eagerly awaits Joe's return each day. Their relationship includes playful banter and "mock battles," often ending with her searching his pockets for candy and trinkets. However, their relationship faces real conflict when Missie May agrees to an affair with Slemmons, a boastful outsider who promises her gold that she knows Joe admires but cannot obtain. It is suggested that Missie May desires the gold not for herself, but for Joe. She is heartbroken when Joe catches her with Slemmons, fearing that he will never love her again. Although Joe tells her not to dwell on the past, he leaves Slemmons's gilded trinket around the house as a reminder of her infidelity. Missie May resolves to stay in the marriage until Joe leaves her, which he does not. Their daily routine continues, but without the joyful banter and affection they once cherished. Joe finally forgives Missie May entirely when she gives birth to a baby boy who looks just like him.

Clerk
A white clerk assists Joe when he goes to Orlando to buy supplies after Missie May gives birth. The clerk inquires about the gilded fifty-cent piece, and Joe explains about Slemmons without admitting that Slemmons tricked and cuckolded him. After Joe leaves, the clerk remarks to the next customer, "Wisht I could be like those darkies." The clerk interprets Joe's story through the lens of stereotypes, viewing blacks as simple and happy.

Joe's Mother
Missie May encounters Joe's mother after leaving the house, having found the gilded gold piece under Joe's pillow. Aware that Joe's mother disapproves of her, this meeting reminds Missie May of her pride and strengthens her determination to maintain the "outside show" of her marriage. When Missie May goes into labor, Joe's mother tends to her. Although she initially disapproved of their union, after the birth of Joe's son, she tells Joe that he made a good choice in marrying Missie May.

Otis D. Slemmons
Otis D. Slemmons is a refined newcomer in the small, rural, all-black community of Eatonville, where he has recently opened an ice-cream parlor. Joe is captivated by Slemmons's stories of seducing women and making money, while Missie May attempts to lift her husband's spirits by mocking Slemmons's large belly. Despite this, Missie May is drawn to his flashy gold jewelry, wishing she could acquire some for Joe. Enticed by the promise of gold, she agrees to a sexual relationship with Slemmons. It is only after Joe catches them together and takes Slemmons's watch chain that Missie May realizes Slemmons is a fraud, and his gold piece is merely a gilded fifty-cent coin. Slemmons symbolizes the hollowness of material wealth and the pretense of urban sophistication.

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