Previous
Tone
26. Anse
Explanation and Analysis—Anse's Bias:
In Chapter 26, it is evident that Anse is an unreliable narrator as he considers Jewel and his horse:
I told him not to bring that horse out of respect for his dead ma, because it wouldn’t look right, him prancing along on a durn circus animal and her wanting us all to be in the wagon with her that sprung from her flesh and blood…
Here, Anse tries to justify his distaste for Jewel and his horse. He paints himself as a dutiful husband, concerned for his deceased wife’s respect. However, throughout the preceding chapters, Anse has displayed carelessness with regard to Addie. In Chapter 9, he is angry that she calls for a doctor on the day of her death because he will have to pay for it. And in Chapter 59, upon arrival in Jefferson, he immediately replaces Addie with a new wife.
These moments where Anse’s actions expose his lack of care for Addie recontextualize his feelings about Jewel and his horse. His contempt for Jewel is likely not out of loyalty to Addie but out of something more personal and shameful. He may be jealous of Jewel’s height, dedication to his horse, or his more carefree nature. In any case, the reader understands that Anse's narrations are not without bias.
Related Themes:
