NCHS AP English Language

Chapter 4- Past and Future- Emily Rew

The theme of isolation from the community is prevalent throughout the first four chapters of Light in August and links the characters of Joe Christmas, Joe Brown, and Joanna Burden by a common thread. Joe Christmas has no past that the reader knows of excpet for what he has done since he came into Jefferson. Christmas is isolated because of his mixed race that no one seems to know what he is and the fact that he has no parents or past. This causes the community to isolate him as well as causing himself to act hostile towards others. Joe Brown in somewhat isolated by befriending Joe Christmas and the fact that he ran away from home because of Lena Grove. By giving himself a new name he has isolated himself from the past. Joanna Burden is also isolated from the community because of her supposed love and relationships with negros. Her brother and grandfather had been killed in the town square after a debate on slavery and she had been locked up in her big plantation house on the edge of town ever since. Although each character seems to have a distinct past they all become linked together when Joe Brown moves to Jefferson. Brown and Christmas become bootleggers and live on Joannas property and Christmas has supposed relations with Joanna Burden. The relationships between these characters become exploited when the fire occurs, the day Lena Grove comes into town. The sad thing about these three characters is that it is very difficult for them to change what people think of them because of thier past. The past cannot be changed or relived but does influence the future of these characters by bringing them together at this point in the story. BEcause Joe Brown imprenated Lena he ran away and came to Jefferson to start fresh. Joe Christmas came wondering into the town without any apparent past and if he had not been working at the mill, he and Joe would not have started bootlegging and living on Joanna's property. Also, if not for the isolation of Joanna Burden she might not have stayed in the same house. The pasts of each character therefore determined how they became a part of each other's lives apparent to society the day of the fire.

The past exists only in our memory and cannot be changed or relived but is ever growing and reflects the accomplishments or failures of each person to one another. Each time a point in conciousness passess it is add to our every growing memory. Our past also affects mroe than just our individual person but affects the pasts of other persons as well. Each persons past actions influence the pasts of others in direct or indirect ways.
-E REw

posted by NCHS AP English Language III @ 8:55 AM