Theme in A Gathering of Old Men by Ernest Gaines
A Theme in A Gathering of Old Men, by Ernest Gaines Racism has been an ongoing issue among multiple ethnicities for ages. Ernest Gainess A Gathering of Old Men, is a novel that touches on oppressed black men living on a Louisiana sugarcane plantation during the twentieth century. The black men have endured a life of subordination and intimidation. ... Although Beau Boutan was not the direct cause of the mens oppression, the theme of the story exemplifies that people can still achieve redemption for their misfortunes by standing up against a representation of their oppression. The old black men in the story are basically sick and tired of being sick and tired. They and Candy, a thirty-year-old white woman, all have consented to take the blame for the murder of a white man named Beau Boutan. ... However, Mapes, the sheriff, is having trouble arresting a suspect for the murder because Candy and several old men with shotguns have assembled at the murder scene and all claim that they had shot Beau.