Class Differences In Charles Chesnutt's Po Sandy

In many texts published in the fin-de-siècle, there are extreme class differences that effect various relationships in both forms of platonic love and romantic love. Within these relationships, it seems as though there are plenty of fantastical elements that come into play in order to reconcile these differences. Relationships in various stories need a specific element of fantasy to provide a bridge between relationships. Using examples from James, Chesnutt, Jewett, Norris, Wilde and Whitman, it can be seen that class differences can affect relationships to the point where fantasy is needed to resolve these issues. In the Cage by Henry James is a prime example of explicit class differences and the effects it can have on relationships. Within
The story gives two suitable examples in the relationships between John and Annie versus Sandy and Tenie. The narrator, John, expresses plenty of opportunities to show that he might not have married his wife strictly for love purposes. It seems as though he only does certain things for his wife in order to placate her, rather than because he actually loves her. At the end of the story, John gives the impression of irritation with his wife when she wishes to not use the wood from the school house because believes in the fantasy of the story told by Julius with all of its supernatural elements by saying, “‘you wouldn’t for a moment allow yourself’, I replied with some asperity, ‘to be influenced by that absurdly impossible yarn which Julius was spinning today?’” (Chesnutt, 53). His tone with her illustrates extreme distaste for his wife’s suggestion of finding different wood, even though he eventually abides her wish and finds different wood to build the
After a very short time period of being together, Sandy and Tenie are split up between two different households and Julius explains, “[Sandy] wouldn’ ‘a’ mine comin’ ten er fifteen mile at night ter see Tenie”. Even though the slave couple was only together for a brief time and possibly were only brought together to procreate more slaves for the plantation, this couple chose to make the best of the situation and be as loving as they could toward each other. The way these couples differ is that even though they both might not have gotten married for reasons of love, it is possible that their class differences are major factors into why they choose to make the best of the situation, like Sandy and Tenie, or dread the relationship, like John and Annie. Similar to the telegraphist finding other means for happiness, John and Annie are in a higher class which gives alternate options to make themselves happy if they aren’t getting what they need from a relationship (like Annie’s new kitchen), whereas the lower class makes the most of the situation and uses the happiness from love to keep their relationships