READING QUESTIONS:
- On page 7 of the text, Bob Casper is described as this representation of “young American manhood.” How does Victor Daly’s depiction of Bob Casper lend to and reflect or even challenge the ideals of “American masculinity” in relation to race and sexuality throughout this section? Also, how is the concept of “young American manhood” portrayed through Bob Casper in comparison to the other masculine characters introduced in this section?
- In the similar context of my previous question on page 8, Bob Casper is stated to be a “true Southerner… He believed in the Baptist Church, the supremacy of the white race and the righteousness of the Democratic Party.” With this intersection of religious identity and racial identity, does this section of the text serve as a critique of the morality of white Christian nationalism in America during this era? Is there an interrogation of Christianity as an institution that, in some ways, may support the values of white supremacy?
- Reading the conversation between the characters Montie, Roscoe Simms, and Teddy Burwell on page 12, where Simms asks, what do they as Black men, have to do with the war? It is a “white man’s war.” How do you examine this conversation in relation to the Black struggle for equality and this possible resistance of “patriotism” in this racially segregated society during World War I?
BONUS QUESTION: Throughout this section we have a bit of a “love triangle” and see both masculine characters, Bob and Montie’s, encroaching desire for Miriam. On page 26, Mariam has internal thoughts about the perception and reality of the interracial dynamic; “Southern white men, she thought, could only seek friendship with comely colored girls for one purpose—a social equality that existed after dark.” What do you make of this internal conflict and reflection of interracial relationships that lend to this objectification of Black womanhood that complicates the dynamic she may have with Bob? ALSO, how do you read Montie’s detest for the relationships with Black women and the white soldiers?
Thank you all for reading and engaging with my questions. This is a very rich text, and I am excited to read your thoughts!