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- Title
"Out of the Realm of Superstition": Chesnutt's "Dave's Neckliss" and the Curse of Ham.
- Authors
SWIFT, JOHN N.; MAMMOSR, GIGEN
- Abstract
The article discusses the structure and symbolism of the short story "Dave's Neckliss," by Charles W. Chesnutt. It is the last of Chesnutt's tales of pre-Civil War Southern plantation life, called conjure tales, which feature the character Uncle Julius as a narrator. The story recounts how a slave, accused of stealing a ham, was punished by being made to wear the stolen ham on a chain around his neck. This is said to be a reference to the Biblical figure Ham, who was thought to be the ancestor of African people. The depiction of American slaves as Hamites is analyzed.
- Subjects
SOUTHERN States; DAVE'S Neckliss (Short story); CHESNUTT, Charles W. (Charles Waddell), 1858-1932; PLANTATION life; SHORT story (Literary form); HAMITES; SOUTHERN States in literature
- Publication
American Literary Realism, 2009, Vol 42, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
1540-3084
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1353/alr.0.0033