34 pages • 1 hour read
William FaulknerDry September
Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1931A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Drummer
A word used to describe a traveling salesman peddling his wares across the countryside, drummers typically carried their goods in square leather boxes as they traveled. Particularly popular in the South during the Civil War era (1861-1865), drummers got their name because they pounded on their boxes with drumsticks to announce their presence as they walked along the lanes leading to plantation homes, lest they be shot if they caught the owner unaware or if they were suspected of being a Yankee spy. At least two different drummers make appearances throughout “Dry September.” While the locations of their homes are not revealed to the reader, their occupation as drummers implies they travel throughout the South, symbolizing the widespread influence of prejudice and racial violence.
Changing of Seasons
The title “Dry September” is a metaphor for the period of rapid change in the early 20th century that sacrificed tradition, challenging the conventional view of the world. As the values and traditions of the Old South waned, September signifies not only the changing of seasons from fall to winter but also a bygone era replaced by a new one.
As progress fractured many aspects of American life that Modernism sought to reassemble in new and exciting ways, the title “Dry September” further satirizes the construct of womanhood in terms of reproduction synonymous with the changing of seasons. That is to say, the term “dry September” refers to the advanced stage of a woman’s life brought about by menopause, whereby as the childless Miss Minnie approaches her late thirties, she is approaching the final season of her reproductive usefulness to society. However, consistent with the layers of duality William Faulkner imbues within the narrative, the phrase “dry September” further symbolizes outdated conventional norms and gender roles.
Voile
Voile is a sheer dress fabric made of thin cotton or silk. Miss Minnie Cooper is described many times throughout “Dry September” as wearing these dresses to be more comfortable in the insufferable heat. However, as the duality of the narrative suggests, Miss Minnie adorns herself in sheer clothing to elicit attention. The voile dresses also symbolize virtue and modesty and show that she adheres to conventional standards of femininity. They provide a façade of innocence and youth that helps convince Miss Minnie that time isn’t passing her by. The dresses’ association with purity and virtue reinforces the racial hierarchy and power dynamics that propel the story’s action.
Dust
The pervasive dust in “Dry September” plays a significant role in establishing the story’s atmosphere. A visual reminder of the oppressive heat, the dust represents the moral desolation of the complicit townspeople. The dust also accompanies moments of violence. When McLendon and his mob drive, dust follows the cars and hangs in the road. They arrive at the ice plant but can barely breathe through the “parched dust.” When Hawkshaw leaps from the car, he rises and brushes the dust from his pants, suggesting that he is—at least, in part—clean of the sin that stains the others. When McLendon returns home, he wipes his body of sweat but immediately leans into the dust of the screen. There can be no hope for his redemption, because the dust doesn’t just swirl around him but would have stuck to his sweaty body.
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By William Faulkner
