Group 4 Scene Rationale

Rationale:
 

This passage very well reflects our global topic of distinctions between what is universal and what is historically or culturally specific. It also reflects our group topic, the influence of the supernatural on the meaning of a work as a whole. In the scene we chose, lines 254-300, Troy recounts his encounter with the Devil. However, he convinces nobody, not even the reader, that was actually the Devil. He describes him as a well dressed, white man with a clipboard. Devilish huh? Anyways, he goes on to recount how he agreed to pay the Devil if he would provide him the credit to purchase three rooms worth of furniture; he had been turned down because of a lack of credit at the store. He is required to pay the Devil 10 dollars a week. That’s all. However, this white man wasn’t depicted to be the Devil in any way other than Troy’s retelling.

 

This brings us to our world education, distinctions between what is universal and what is historically or culturally specific. It’s plausible to assume that Troy called this man was the Devil because of the period he lives in. He’s African, in a period in which whites and blacks weren’t exactly buddy-buddy. It is because of this historical period and the way Troy was brought up that he assumes this man was the Devil. After all, Troy had only lived in his house for three days and this man just showed up to offer him credit. Not something you’d find in his time period, and accurately represents Troy’s belief system and how he was raised.

 

On top of reflecting the universal theme, the scene also reflects our group idea about how the preternatural affects the meaning of a work. In the whole scene, Troy talks about how the Devil came to him with a deal. In traditional storytelling, the hero would reject the deal with the Devil and come to find an inner strength. This is not the case with Troy. He breaks this stereotype and agrees to take the “Devil’s” deal and furnish his house. This creates an interesting paradox seeing as he’s a Christian man and is constantly on the lookout for Death. His agreeing to the Devil’s proposal seems to go against his belief system yet he does it anyways.