Analysis

An analysis of the short story “The Lynching of Jube Benson” shows that the narrative does not have a traditional structure, as it is instead presented as a story within a story. The narrative follows Dr. Melville as he tells two friends about lynching Jube Benson, a young black man who was once his friend.

The main character of the short story is Dr. Melville. He befriends Jube Benson, a young black man, and ends up having an active role in his lynching after he wrongfully accuses him of murder. 

The story’s physical setting is the town of Bradford, where Dr. Melville set up his medical practice in the past. In present times, Dr. Melville tells his story from one of his friends’ library. The social setting looks at the issue of lynching, which is connected to racism against black people. 

In the first and last part of the story, the events are told by a third-person narrator who is outside the plot. In the story within the story, Dr. Melville becomes the first-person narrator . 

The language is formal, but easy to understand. The author introduces passages written in the African-American dialect, which illustrates some characters’ racial background. 

A full analysis of the short story can be found in the following pages.