Coley killing Tom Jamison with an ax upon his return to the store; the irony being that it was inside the store when Zelene first said she would kill him. Because the justice for the unspeakable crime of attempted murder on a baby was carried out by a normal citizen, this speaks highly for the overall theme. Although other elements of southern gothic fiction are prevalent in “This Is the Only Time I’ll Tell It”, good versus evil, and, more importantly, how evil should be treated, is the engine that drives this story. God, the uniting or divisive factor in the south, also plays a huge role in the story.
More importantly, the difference between what is deemed moral in God’s eyes, and what the characters perceive as justifiable sin. Mr. Coley mentions the town’s resistance to telling the truth about the next of kin. “But we had 37 lifetime Presbyterian mouths gone flat against their teeth until judgment day…”(Christ Haunted Landscape, 233).
The way a person believes in God is also important in this short story. For Mr. Coley, Baptists are a bit weaker than his people, Presbyterians. “My wife’s people, Baptists, are a lot more soft-headed; one of them would have read his Commandments wrong and weakened someday. (Christ Haunted Landscape, 233).
There were many grotesque and macabre aspects of this short story as well. For example, the first point of conflict deals with the attempted murder of a nine month old baby. Secondly, the way Tom Jamison was murdered, brutally by ax, would churn most people’s stomachs. Also, a valid point could be made that Zelene is grotesque. She is described as “pitiable herself. She was 38, and built like a salt block. ” (The Christ Haunted Landscape, 233).
The Essay on Burning Flesh Elie God People
Where is God now (A man behind me asked) He is hanging here on this gallows This is where the Holocaust left young Elie. It left him with a feeling that there is no God, or if there is, he is not as wonderful as everyone has been proclaiming that he is. The story begins in the small town of Sighet near Transylvania were Elie lived with his parents and two little sisters. Elie studied the Talmud ...
She was not entirely attractive, by any means, and she lived in relative squalor compared to the rest of the townspeople. This is The Only Time I’ll Tell It” is a perfect example of southern gothic literature. First of all, the overall theme of the story was good versus evil, and what should be done about it. Secondly, the aspect of what should be done with evil is related directly to the characters’ views on God, and the morals they’ve received from Him. Last but not least, it was overall creepy. To imagine a man trying to kill his nine month baby is enough to put fear into anyone’s heart. Although there are frightening parts to it, the story does a good job of making the reader ask themselves what they would do in Mr.
Coley’s position. The answer to that problem also relates directly to the audience’s religious views. Whatever God they may believe in, good versus evil is always prevalent, and that is why this story connects with many people. So, what would you do? Would you strike a man down for a crime that happened over 16 years earlier? Could you? These questions create intrigue in the reader, which is why this short story is so popular today. http://www. jenksps. org/pages/uploaded_files/CAMPsouthern%20gothic%20elements. pdf The Christ Haunted Landscape
