Article #472-1 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

Excerpt from The House Behind the Cedars, by Charles W. Chesnutt

"Yas, Mars Geo'ge," replied Plato with a grin that distended that organ
unduly. That he did not keep it shut may be inferred from the fact
that within the next half hour he had eaten and drunk fifty cents'
worth of candy, ginger-pop, and other available delicacies that
appealed to the youthful palate. Having nothing more to spend, and the
high prices prevailing for some time after the war having left him
capable of locomotion, Plato was promptly on hand at the appointed time
and place.

Tryon placed a letter in Plato's hand, still sticky with molasses
candy,--he had inclosed it in a second cover by way of protection.
"Give that letter," he said, "to your teacher; don't say a word about
it to a living soul; bring me an answer, and give it into my own hand,
and you shall have another half dollar."

Tryon was quite aware that by a surreptitious correspondence he ran
some risk of compromising Rena. But he had felt, as soon as he had
indulged his first opportunity to talk of her, an irresistible impulse
to see her and speak to her again. He could scarcely call at her
boarding-place,--what possible proper excuse could a young white man
have for visiting a colored woman? At the schoolhouse she would be
surrounded by her pupils, and a private interview would be as
difficult, with more eyes to remark and more tongues to comment upon
it. He might address her by mail, but did not know how often she sent
to the nearest post-office. A letter mailed in the town must pass
through the hands of a postmaster notoriously inquisitive and
evil-minded, who was familiar with Tryon's handwriting and had ample
time to attend to other people's business. To meet the teacher alone
on the road seemed scarcely feasible, according to Plato's statement.
A messenger, then, was not only the least of several evils, but really
the only practicable way to communicate with Rena. He thought he could
trust Plato, though miserably aware that he could not trust himself
where this girl was concerned.

Explanation

**Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from The House Behind the Cedars by Charles W. Chesnutt**

Context of the Source

The House Behind the Cedars (1900) is a novel by Charles W. Chesnutt, an African American writer of the post-Reconstruction era. Chesnutt, who was of mixed-race heritage, often explored themes of racial identity, passing, and the social constraints of the Jim Crow South. This novel follows Rena Walden, a light-skinned Black woman who passes as white, and her brother John Warwick, who has fully assimilated into white society. The excerpt focuses on George Tryon, a white man infatuated with Rena, and Plato, a young Black boy whom Tryon uses as a messenger to secretly communicate with her.

The novel critiques the hypocrisy of racial hierarchies, the dangers of racial passing, and the impossibility of true social mobility for Black Americans in a racist society. This scene occurs early in the novel, as Tryon—aware of the social taboos against interracial relationships—attempts to circumvent them through deception.

Themes in the Excerpt

Racial and Social Barriers
- The passage highlights the strict racial divisions of the post-Civil War South. Tryon, a white man, cannot openly communicate with Rena, a Black woman (even if she is passing), without risking scandal.
- His internal monologue reveals the absurdity of racial etiquette: "What possible proper excuse could a young white man have for visiting a colored woman?" The question underscores how racism polices even the most innocent interactions.
- The postmaster’s snooping symbolizes the surveillance and gossip that enforced racial boundaries. Tryon fears that a letter would be intercepted, showing how Black lives were constantly scrutinized.
Deception and Secrecy
- Tryon’s use of Plato as a messenger is a clandestine act, emphasizing the illicit nature of interracial connections.
- The double envelope (to hide the sticky candy residue) is a small but telling detail—Tryon is protecting the letter’s contents from prying eyes, mirroring how Rena must hide her true identity to navigate white society.
- His distrust of himself ("he could not trust himself where this girl was concerned") suggests that his attraction to Rena is both genuine and dangerous, threatening the racial order.
Economic and Power Dynamics
- Tryon bribes Plato with money (a half-dollar), exploiting the boy’s poverty. This reflects the economic vulnerability of Black people in the South, where white men could manipulate them for personal gain.
- Plato’s indulgence in candy and ginger-pop contrasts with Tryon’s calculated secrecy, showing how childlike innocence (Plato) is exploited by adult cunning (Tryon).
The Illusion of Control
- Tryon believes he is in control of the situation—he thinks he can trust Plato, outsmart the postmaster, and manage the risks. Yet his internal conflict ("he could not trust himself") suggests that desire undermines his rational judgment.
- This foreshadows the inevitability of exposure—a central tension in the novel, where passing and secret relationships are always at risk of being uncovered.

Literary Devices & Stylistic Choices

Irony & Satire
- Situational Irony: Tryon, a white man, must resort to the same secrecy as enslaved people who used intermediaries to communicate. The roles are reversed—now, a white man is the one hiding his actions from a racist society.
- Dramatic Irony: The reader knows that Rena is passing as white, but Tryon does not yet fully grasp the social explosion his pursuit of her could cause.
Symbolism
- The Sticky Letter: The molasses candy on Plato’s hands taints the letter, symbolizing how Tryon’s desire is messy, forbidden, and hard to clean up.
- The Second Envelope: Represents duplicity—Tryon is hiding his intentions, just as Rena hides her race.
Characterization Through Dialogue & Action
- Plato: His grinning, candy-eating, and quick obedience paint him as a naïve but shrewd child. His economic desperation (spending his money immediately) contrasts with Tryon’s calculated moves.
- Tryon: His internal monologue reveals his privilege (he assumes he can control the situation) and his weakness (he admits he can’t trust himself).
Foreshadowing
- Tryon’s anxiety about being discovered hints at the eventual unraveling of Rena’s secret.
- The postmaster’s prying eyes suggest that secrets in this society cannot stay hidden forever.

Significance of the Passage

Critique of Racial Hypocrisy
- Chesnutt exposes how racial norms are artificially enforced. Tryon’s desire for Rena is natural, but society forces it into secrecy, revealing the absurdity of racism.
The Cost of Passing
- While Rena passes as white, she is still trapped by racial expectations. Tryon’s clandestine pursuit shows that even if she appears white, she is never truly free from racial constraints.
Power and Exploitation
- Tryon’s use of Plato mirrors how white society exploits Black people—whether through labor, deception, or emotional manipulation.
The Tragedy of Forbidden Love
- The passage sets up the doomed nature of Tryon and Rena’s relationship. In a society where interracial love is taboo, their connection can only lead to disaster.

Conclusion: Why This Scene Matters

This excerpt is a microcosm of the novel’s central conflicts:

Racial performance (Rena passing, Tryon hiding his feelings)
The illusion of control (Tryon thinks he can manage the risks, but desire and society will undo him)
The exploitation of the vulnerable (Plato is used as a pawn)

Chesnutt’s subtle but sharp prose critiques the racial and social structures of the post-Reconstruction South, showing how even small acts of defiance (like a secret letter) are fraught with danger. The scene is not just about romance—it’s about power, deception, and the inescapable grip of racism.

Would you like a deeper analysis of any particular aspect (e.g., Plato’s role, Tryon’s psychology, or the historical context)?

Questions

Question 1

The narrator’s description of Plato’s "grin that distended that organ unduly" and his subsequent consumption of candy serves primarily to:

A. establish Plato’s youthful exuberance as a foil to Tryon’s restrained demeanor, emphasizing generational differences in racial awareness.
B. underscore the economic deprivation of Black communities post-war by highlighting Plato’s immediate expenditure of meager funds.
C. introduce a tone of dark comedy that subtly critiques the absurdity of racial hierarchies by juxtaposing childlike indulgence with adult conspiracy.
D. foreshadow Plato’s unreliability as a messenger, suggesting his immaturity will compromise Tryon’s secretive intentions.
E. humanize Plato as a sympathetic figure whose small joys contrast with the oppressive social structures surrounding him.

Question 2

Tryon’s decision to use Plato as a messenger, despite his awareness of the risks, is most fundamentally driven by:

A. a calculated assessment that Plato’s marginalized status makes him less likely to be scrutinized by white authorities.
B. an irrational compulsion that overrides his logical evaluation of alternatives, revealing the destabilizing power of desire.
C. a pragmatic recognition that Renaissance-era racial etiquette permits interracial interactions only when mediated by a third party.
D. a subconscious attempt to assert dominance over Rena by involving a Black intermediary in their communication.
E. an assumption that Plato’s loyalty can be secured through financial incentives, reflecting Tryon’s class-based condescension.

Question 3

The "second cover" protecting Tryon’s letter functions as a metaphor for:

A. the layered deceptions inherent in racial passing, where identity is always shielded by performative artifice.
B. the futile attempts of individuals to control narratives in a society where surveillance and gossip render privacy illusory.
C. Tryon’s own psychological compartmentalization, as he separates his rational self from his emotionally driven actions.
D. the economic transactionality of interracial interactions, where even intimacy is mediated by material exchange.
E. the fragility of written communication in an oral culture, where letters are vulnerable to misinterpretation or interception.

Question 4

The passage’s portrayal of the postmaster as "notoriously inquisitive and evil-minded" serves to:

A. externalize Tryon’s paranoia, suggesting his fear of exposure is a projection of his own guilt.
B. critique the institutional complicity of white authorities in policing racial boundaries through informal networks.
C. provide a realistic obstacle that heightens the tension of Tryon’s clandestine efforts, adhering to narrative conventions.
D. imply that Rena’s eventual downfall will stem from systemic surveillance rather than individual betrayal.
E. illustrate how racialized power operates through both overt violence and the mundane tyranny of gossip and scrutiny.

Question 5

The most precise interpretation of the line "he could not trust himself where this girl was concerned" is that it reveals Tryon’s:

A. acknowledgment of his own moral weakness in succumbing to an attraction he knows is socially transgressive.
B. fear that his emotional vulnerability will lead him to reveal Rena’s racial identity involuntarily.
C. recognition that his infatuation is a temporary madness, distinct from his usual rational self-governance.
D. anxiety about the practical consequences of his actions, such as damage to his reputation or social standing.
E. unconscious internalization of racist ideologies, whereby his desire for Rena conflicts with his subconscious belief in her inferiority.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: C

Why C is most correct: The passage’s description of Plato’s exaggerated grin and candy consumption is laced with ironic contrast: a child’s innocent indulgence is set against Tryon’s furtive, adult scheme to circumvent racial taboos. The narrator’s tone—particularly the phrase "distended that organ unduly"—carries a wry, almost satirical edge, framing the scene as a dark comedy where the absurdity of racial hierarchies is laid bare. The juxtaposition of Plato’s naivety with Tryon’s calculated deception underscores the grotesque nature of the social structures forcing such secrecy.