"Like a violin for the wind to play": lyrical approaches to lynching by Hughes, Du Bois, and Toomer

African American Review, Fall, 2004 by Kimberly Banks

Presumably the lynching eliminates the protagonist's different social status and affirms the distance between the protagonist and the local black community. However each protagonist's attempt to fulfill his dreams through a return underscores a continual process of social negotiation. Although each local black community does not accept the protagonist's ideas about social change, they are willing to argue and struggle about those ideas. Therefore, in the representations of lynching by Hughes, Du Bois, and Toomer, the social act of lynching, as an act of terror directed toward a local black community, fails to forestall the social change, the danger each protagonist represents. The act of lynching does not eradicate the debates about social change that the protagonist instigates. In other words, the social act of lynching does not rob the protagonist of his humanity; indeed, by making the lynching a lyrical moment, Hughes, Du Bois, and Toomer contrast the protagonist's humanity against the inhumanity of the mob.

The Dream

Each protagonist from the short stories by Hughes, Du Bois, and Toomer articulates his dreams in terms that retain his humanity. In Hughes's short story, Roy sees his ability to play classical music as a contribution to a global cultural exchange in which black men are equal and valued participants. Du Bois's John also sees himself participating in a global cultural exchange. He envisions such participation in terms of audience. He can be transported and whole listening to Wagner's music. While Tom in Toomer's short story does not participate in a global cultural exchange, he envisions a geographical, social, and familial space off limits to the economic and social inequalities and injustices he must face on a daily basis. Hughes, Du Bois, and Toomer draw the reader into each protagonist's dream because each one is fairly rational and reasonably sought.

Roy's choice of the violin and classical music is significant as a source of inspiration and hope to bridge racial exclusiveness. Not long after his return to Hopkinsville, Missouri, from Europe, Roy gives a classical concert at his mother's home church, Shiloh Church, which offers segregated seating: "Poor white folks" pay fifty cents and sit in front, and "even poorer Negroes" pay twenty-five cents and sit behind them. Such an environment is the antithesis of Roy's dream. Section five of the short story, which reveals his tumbling into despair, is a mixed reflection on how he got away from Hopkinsville and the situation he finds himself in now. His dream of Carnegie Hall and Salle Gaveau is contrasted with the present reality of Shiloh Church. Roy hears a performing voice in his head as he plays his concert. This internal voice allows Hughes to register Roy's split in consciousness as it occurs. Roy still attaches the same energy and hope to his music although it has changed locations. The opening line of the section, "Hello, Mr. Brahms on a violin from Vienna at a colored church in Hopkinsville, Missouri" (39), suggests an announcer's voice rather than a personal reflection. It also reinforces Roy's distance from his own performance at the moment. Roy plays the meditation from "Thais" by Massenet to reflect "the broken heart of a dream come true not true" (40). Through his selection, he expresses the distorted way a dream can come true and nevertheless be false. Roy plays out his despair to an audience insensitive to the significance of his music. The only connection that his music makes with the audience comes through the music teacher, Miss Reese. Roy sees her as "the white woman in the cheap coat and red hat who knows what music's all about." At the end of the concert, instead of exultation, Roy feels acute sickness. He "was shaking a little and his eyes burned and he wanted terribly to cough. Pain shot across his shoulders. But he smiled his concert-jazz-band smile.... And he held out a feverish hand" (42). Roy finds refuge in the role of performer and at least feels some satisfaction in Miss Reese's understanding. He vaguely hopes that his performance in Hopkinsville will bridge a social gap it was unable to bridge in Europe.