Henry Hawkshaw

In “Dry September” by William Faulkner, Henry Hawkshaw is described as a middle-aged man (l. 8). He is “a thin, sand-colored man with a mild face” (ll. 8-9) and has a “mild, stubborn tone” (l. 28) when speaking. He works as a barber in a barber shop in Jefferson. Some people refer to him as “Hawk” (l. 95; l. 154).

Inner characterisation

Henry Hawkshaw is a stubborn person who does not easily give up on his beliefs. When arguing with the other men in the barber shop, Hawkshaw states his point of view about the rumours circulating around town: he believes Will Mayes is innocent (l. 8). Although this statement creates controversy and earns him many insults, he strengthens his point through arguments: he knows both Will and Minnie (ll. 9-10), he argues that Minnie might be lying (ll. 20-22), he suggests they should call the sheriff and “do this thing right” (l. 68). As a result, Hawkshaw can be regarded as a logical and just man. He is focused on finding out the truth about the incident and prompts the other men to ...