A Second Look at Nancy

After Wednesday’s discussion, and the points Kristen made, I went back and re-read “That Evening Sun Go Down” trying to keep Kristen’s perception of Nancy in mind as I read. What I found upon my second reading was that although I can understand where Kristen is coming from, I see what she means, I stand by my original analysis of Nancy—she is strong, black female character, admirable and pitiable, but not a flat stereotype of an African American servant. While I respect other characterizations of Nancy, I think that once one looks beyond the surface of her character, taking the time to read the story with the care Faulkner wrote it with, it becomes apparent that Nancy is an impressive and dynamic character.
The first thing I noticed on my re-read was the way that Faulkner wrote about Nancy in the very beginning of the story. He, or rather Quentin, describes the way she does the laundry in uplifting and flattering terms. She is steady with the laundry basket, holds her head high and dignified, and is independent, not being helped by her husband like the other laundresses. I think that this description is very telling. It is not just about the way she does the laundry but about Nancy herself. She is proud, independent, strong, and steady. Though it may not seem so, what with the drinking, prostitution, and possibly by unlikely drug use, but Nancy is proud to be how she is, which is why she refuses to “learn” breakfast for the Compson family even when it is her duty, and why she laughs when Mr. Stovall kicks her teeth out. Nancy is stronger than she lets on, and Faulkner lets the reader know this, though in an indirect way.
Second, Wednesday we talked about how Nancy kept say “I’m just a nigger,” and the way little Jason kept declaring that he wasn’t a “nigger.” It was posited that this was ridiculous, and that these declarations reinforced stereotypes and depicts Nancy as comically “black.” I respectfully disagree with this assertion. Nancy’s repeated claim that she is a “nigger” is not her blaming her life on her skin color, but, rather, Nancy’s acceptance of what society has labeled her. She is not a “nigger” by choice, and because society labels her so, she must resign herself to the fact that she cannot do anything about her situation. Like Will Mayes, no one believes Nancy when she claims that Jubah is coming to kill her. She cannot convince the Compsons to help because she is seen only as a “nigger” in their eyes. There is one telling thing in the story which leads me to believe this. When Jason is naming “niggers,” stating that Dilsey and Jubah are “niggers,” he has to ask if Nancy is a “nigger.” He is too young to automatically label Nancy the way his parents do because he sees her as someone he admires (think back to the way Quentin describes the way Nancy does laundry). And when Jason asks Dilsey if he is a “nigger,” she replies “I suppose not,” and not outright no. This leads me to believe that being a “nigger” is more than just a skin color, it is a designation one “earns” from society.
I can go on and on about the intricacies of Nancy’s character. Her relationship with Jubah is complex, at the same time both touching (everything he had was also hers) and terrifying (she fears he’s going to kill her). Nancy is complex, a sign of rebellion against the social constraints of her race in a turbulent time, and when one looks at Nancy and Dilsey together, all sorts of binary oppositions appear. Ultimately, though, Nancy is a very three dimensional character, and one of Faulkner’s most dynamic African American characters.