The Sherriff's Children Chesnutt Analysis
The Sheriff's Children by Charles Chesnutt, Editorial
The Sherriff’s Children is one of Charles Waddell Chesnutt’s outstanding pieces of works scrutinizing the insidious impacts that racism had on America. Although he succeeded in showing the roles that the white community played in contributing to the problems witnessed by the African Americans, there were some problems in developing the plot. Chesnutt failed to effectively develop the major characters like the resourceful daughter. Besides, the way racial topics were presented revealed that there was an idyllic and stereotypical description in the narration. “The nigger is sure to hang anyhow; he richly deserves it; and we’ve got something to teach the niggers their places, or white people
won’t be able to live in the country” (Chesnutt186)
Chesnutt began the narration without the focus on racial topics with the description of North Carolina as the location where events would later unfold. Although much of the narration is based on the clear and concise display of the inhumane racial stereotypes, the evidence of prejudice seemed to be overemphasizing on the South. He described the farms that the whites used to till without mentioning the hard work of the blacks. When the mentioning of this community was done, it was then turned demeaning, referring to a character as “negro”. Chesnutt further overemphasized on the child who was introduced at the beginning of the story, that turned out to be his child. Sheriff Campbell, who was lucky to survive death through a disarmament done by one of his children, the man he was protecting. “”Good God!” he gasped you would not murder your own father?” (Chesnutt190) The sheriff was among the first people to own slaves in the region. The decision to have a moral conflict confined to the character’s father, Chesnutt then further failed to establish the relationship between these children. Despite these flaws, the problem of racism was clearly shown for all in the society to see. The descriptions of racial problems were quite simplified, the idea was championed by other numerous authors of this type of racial degradation, hence recognizing the problem as a general societal norm.
The Sherriff’s Children is one of Charles Waddell Chesnutt’s outstanding pieces of works scrutinizing the insidious impacts that racism had on America. Although he succeeded in showing the roles that the white community played in contributing to the problems witnessed by the African Americans, there were some problems in developing the plot. Chesnutt failed to effectively develop the major characters like the resourceful daughter. Besides, the way racial topics were presented revealed that there was an idyllic and stereotypical description in the narration. “The nigger is sure to hang anyhow; he richly deserves it; and we’ve got something to teach the niggers their places, or white people
won’t be able to live in the country” (Chesnutt186)
Chesnutt began the narration without the focus on racial topics with the description of North Carolina as the location where events would later unfold. Although much of the narration is based on the clear and concise display of the inhumane racial stereotypes, the evidence of prejudice seemed to be overemphasizing on the South. He described the farms that the whites used to till without mentioning the hard work of the blacks. When the mentioning of this community was done, it was then turned demeaning, referring to a character as “negro”. Chesnutt further overemphasized on the child who was introduced at the beginning of the story, that turned out to be his child. Sheriff Campbell, who was lucky to survive death through a disarmament done by one of his children, the man he was protecting. “”Good God!” he gasped you would not murder your own father?” (Chesnutt190) The sheriff was among the first people to own slaves in the region. The decision to have a moral conflict confined to the character’s father, Chesnutt then further failed to establish the relationship between these children. Despite these flaws, the problem of racism was clearly shown for all in the society to see. The descriptions of racial problems were quite simplified, the idea was championed by other numerous authors of this type of racial degradation, hence recognizing the problem as a general societal norm.