Analyse af Shirley Jacksons 'After you, my dear Alphonse'

” After you, my dear Alphonse” by Shirly Jackson analysis

“After you, my dear alphones” is a short story written in 1943 by Shirly Jackson. In the short story, Shirly Jackson tackles a quite heated subject, the subject of racism. In the story we are introduced to Johnny, his mother Mrs. Wilson and Johnny friend, who he brings home for lunch an African American boy called Boyd. Mrs. Wilson prejudice of Boyd because of his African dissent, is the main vocal point of the short story.

In 1943 the discussion between white Americans and Americans with African accent, was and had been for some while, a tense affair. With racism occurring in almost all parts of society, violence was inevitable. Though violence was a big factor in the American society at the time, more silent and some might even say deeper racism displayed from a local point of view, with the mother who symbolizes the thinking of the small American communities. This is probably a portrait of Shirly Jacksons experience of her own home town in Vermont. Where she experienced the rather deep racist thinking of the common American people.

Mrs. Wilson is described as rather small-minded and racist “… And just because you don’t like them, don’t say that about Boyd. Boyd will eat anything.” (p. 2, ll. 12), where she makes the assumption that the Boyd will eat anything, most likely (while she doesn’t know anything about him yet) because he is black. And later when she asks about the Boyd’s family relations she makes an, not inherently racist remark, but one which builds on her image none the less “What about all your other brothers and sisters? I guess all of you want to make just as much of yourselves as you can.”(p. 3, ll again she assumes, based on Boyd’s race, that he has a lot of brothers and sisters. Finally, Mrs. Wilson makes the makes the final comment, and suggests that Boyd should take some of her and Johnny’s old clothes, back to his own mother so she can make something for the children “Boyd, Johnny has some suits that are a little too small for him, and a winter coat. It’s not new, of course, but there’s lots of wear in it still. And I have a few dresses that your mother or sister could probably use. Your mother can make them over into lots of things for all of you, and I’d be very happy to give them to you.” (p.3, lll. 20), Which is the climax of the story, and also where Mrs. Wilson comepleatly opens up for her views and believs on African Americans, though her remark after Boyd’s answer “But I have plenty of clothes, thank you,” he said. “And I don’t think my mother knows how to sew very well, and anyway I guess we buy about everything we need. Thank you very much though.”(p. 3, ll. 26), which indicates that Mrs. Wilson is mistaken about Boyd’s family’s financial situation, the full meaning of her words come to light, and she say” “There are many little boys like you, Boyd, who would be grateful for the clothes someone was kind enough to give them.”, This indicates a bigoted and an extremely small-minded way of thinking. Afterwards Boyd ask Johnny if mrs. Wilson is still mad, and Johnny replies that he doesn’t know and proceeds to describes his mother: “She’s screwy sometimes.”. Though the interesting part here would be that Boyd then says that he also thinks that his mother sometimes can be “screwy” which probably is a synonym for racism, for the children who has not learned about the true meaning of racism jet.