Perspectives

Literary perspective

The short story “The Lynching of Jube Benson” by Paul Laurence Dunbar is a modernist work of fiction. 

First, this is illustrated by the non-traditional structure, which makes the narrative a story within a story. Secondly, the story uses two narrators, which is another modernist feature. Then, modernist literary works tend to focus on topics of current interest, such as racism and class differences. In his story, Paul Laurence Dunbar explores how Jube Benson becomes the victim of hatred and prejudice against black people. Finally, modernist stories rely heavily on symbols, which is also the case of “The Lynching of Jube Benson”. 

Historical perspective

Lynching is the act of killing someone by a mob, without a legal trial. Generally speaking, black people were most likely to become the victims of lynching, which became more common in the US in the decades following the Civil War. Lynching meant shooting, hanging, or torturing victims for accusations of theft, rape, or murder. However, many black people were falsely accused of these acts and became the victims of white people’s racism. Often times, a white, influential member of the community led the mob that captured and lynched the black victim. This is also seen in “The Lynching of Jube Benson”, where Dr. Melville, an important figure in the community, is the one to pull the rope that hangs his friend. 

Works with the same theme 

The short story “The Bonfire” by Ken Saro-Wiwa explores the theme of the scapegoat through the example of Nedam. Just like Jube Benson, Nedam becomes the victim of the community because he is different. If you compare the two stories, consider looking at the reasons why Nedam and Jube Benson are punished by their communities. In Nedam’s case, he becomes the scapegoat because of the community’s envy and superstition. In Jube Benson’s case, he becomes the scapegoat because of the deeply-rooted racism that defines members of the community. 

Another short story that deals with the theme of the scapegoat is “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin. In her story, the wellbeing of the city of Omelas depends on the suffering of a child, who becomes a scapegoat. When you compare the two stories, it would be useful to consider the motivations behind the communities’ actions. In “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”, the community is motivated by superstition, while in “The Lynching of Jube Benson”, the community is motivated by shared anger and racism. 

Shirley Jackson’s short story “After You, My Dear Alphonse” illustrates the theme of racism. In this story, Mrs. Wilson tries to interact with her son’s black friend, Boyd, and is unable to get past her prejudices and stereotypes. Just like “The Lynching of Jube Benson”, Jackson’s story shows that racism and prejudice are learned behaviors and that people should try to get past them. ...