The Death of Tommy Grimes

Her er Studienets study guide til novellen The Death of Tommy Grimes” af R.J. Meaddough, III. I guiden giver vi dig overblik over alle de væsentligste analyse-elementer, som det er værd at tage fat i, når du selv skal skrive din egen analyse af denne novelle. Derfor behandler vi indhold og opbygning, personkarakteristik og miljøbeskrivelse, fortæller og fortællersynsvinkel, sprog, tema og budskaber.

Præsentation af teksten

Titel: “The Death of Tommy Grimes”
Forfatter: R.J. Meaddough, III
Udgivet i: “Brothers and Sisters: Modern Stories by Black Americans” (collection)
Udgivelsesår: 1962
Genre: Novelle

Uddrag

Her ser du et uddrag af vores study guide:

Title

The title of the story “The Death of Tommy Grimes” by R.J. Meaddough, III leads readers to believe that they are going to discover events that cause the death of a character called Tommy Grimes. As the narrative progresses, readers find out that the title is misleading, and that Tommy undergoes a symbolic death by losing his innocence. The only character who dies is a black man whom Tommy kills.

The title also hints that the main character might be a boy and not an adult, since the informal nickname “Tommy” is used instead of “Tom”. The narrative reveals that Tommy wishes to be called “Tom” and, implicitly, to become a man: “Soon! Soon! Soon they would be calling him Tom Grimes like his father. Soon he would be able to go into the Hut and drink liquor with the rest of the men.” (p. 3, ll. 19-21). Consequently, the title refers to Tommy’s wish to transition into manhood and experience the community with other men.