Category: The Wife of His Youth

Analyzing from all the angles of reading a literary work, Charles W. Chestnuts short story, The Wife of His Youth, can undoubtedly be called a remarkable work. The novelty of the theme will attract the attention of all the critical readers. As it is the case with the members of the organization depicted in the story The Blue Veins, the story also stands between two classes of writings; it can neither be included in the black literature nor be in the white literature. The story having a slight protest and some mockery narrates the tale of the colored people of some rank, and their struggles to get out of the humiliating past. Past is seen as a haunting force and running away from it is impossible. It reveals that the true personality of a man lies in his willingness to accept his past. Facing a negative past elevates a man from his ordinariness.

The Wife of His Youth tells the story of Mr. Ryder who tries to hide his past as a slave and live among the reputed class of light-skinned colored people. He now almost forgets his old name Sam Taylor. He joins an elite society called the Blue Veins and becomes the dean of this society. Blue Veins is a group of people who believes in the unity and race-superiority of the white skinned blacks among the black community. This storyline points to the discrimination existing among the race. The Blue Veins think that black skinned are inferior and ignorant. They have white skins so that their veins show.

The haunting past of Mr. Ryder appears in the form of Liza Jane, his black wife during his days of slavery. When he escaped from slavery and ran to the north, he has left her alone. She was searching for around twenty-five years for her husband in many southern cities. Now she is headed for north in the pursuit. She has his old photograph with her. She is so confident that he is still alive, and she will find him. Still she believes that Sam loves her and they will be reunited again. Now she moves on to Groveland, Washington D. C where she meets Mr. Ryder, but fails to recognize he is her husband Sam Taylor. Now he is a major figure in the society with his wealth, intelligence, and leadership. Liza narrates his entire story to Mr. Ryder in the hope that he would help her to find her husband because of his position. The readers understand from Lizas story that she has loved Sam so passionately. When both of them were slaves, Liza informed Sam that their master was going to sell him, and she suffered even a beating for him. Sam managed to escape from there and moved to north. The masters could not find Sam, so they sold Liza in his place. Liza got freedom after the civil war and she made her livelihood working as a cook. The day on which Liza meets Mr. Ryder is very important for him, because that day he is giving a ball to his friends in honor of Mrs. Molly Dixon whom Mr. Ryder plans to propose. Molly Dixon is whiter than Mr. Ryder, and she is educated, well mannered, good looking and very younger than Mr. Ryder. But at the end of the story, Mr. Ryder faces the most difficult situation in his life; whether to give a life to his wife of youth Liza, or to marry the much younger and beautiful Mrs. Dixon. The story ends where Mr. Ryder dramatically resolves the conflict by deicing to marry Liza.

An in depth analysis of The Wife of His Youth will reveal that the strongly constructed plot has more to offer than its apparently simple subject. Past appears as a haunting force throughout the prosperous life of Mr. Ryder. But this mental trauma of Ryder is not depicted obviously anywhere in the beginning of the story. This hiding of the psyche adds to the impact of the story. The revelation about the past of Mr. Ryder can be conceived only with a shock. It is said in the beginning of the story that Mr. Ryder is a conservative in the society of the white skinned blacks:

I have no race prejudice, he would say, but we people of mixed blood are ground between the upper and the nether millstone. Our fate lies between absorption by the white race and extinction in the black. The one doesnt want us yet, but may take us in time. The other would welcome us, but it would be for us a backward step. With malice towards none, with charity for all, we must do the best we can for ourselves and those who are to follow us. (Chesnutt, 1899)

In the same way many masks are used by Mr. Ryder to hide his past. He is interested in reading. It is said that poetry is his passion (1). He tried to live a life which is in no way inferior to any pure whites; he owned a very comfortable and furnished house in a good street, and his house contained a good library, a piano and engravings. Further more, he likes to marry a girl who is well educated and whiter than he is. Mr. Ryders attempts to reach the higher order of the society by imitating the white society can be considered only as the endeavors to hide his racial inferiority. When we read it in another way, it can be said that the author imposes all these elite class qualities to Mr. Ryder only to strengthen the climax of the story.

The sangfroid and calmness of Mr. Ryders life is disturbed by the entry of Liza in one afternoon to the ball that he gives in honor of Mrs. Dixon. Liza is a symbol of the haunting past of Mr. Ryder. He understands that past cannot be wiped out or forgotten completely. It will enter into ones life in very crucial situations, as it has happened with Mr. Ryder. It affects only Mr. Ryder and not Liza, because, for Liza, past ant present are the same. The social status of Liza was of only as a former slave and plantation worker, and it has not changed even now. On the other hand, Mr. Ryder has an unrevealed past of a run-away slave, and now he is in an unimaginable position as a rich and reputed man, and the dean of the so called Blue Veins. This difference makes it Mr. Ryders own cup of tea.

Here Mr. Ryder is confronted with the most difficult situation in his life where he has to uphold his position as the leader of the society and community by keeping the secret and marrying a woman of high status, Mrs. Molly Dixon, or has to reveal the truth and marry Liza who is considered as inferior in race. It means, not only loosing the pretty and educated girl, but also sacrificing the position among his community that he acquired by his twenty-five years of hard work. At last, he chooses to reveal the truth that he was a former slave and Liza was his wife. But it took a lot of time and thought for him to take such a decision. His round about way of introducing the matter to the audience and the final question, shall you acknowledge her? (Chesnutt, 1899) are the evidences of the mental trauma and hesitation that he experienced before the final decision. He also succeeds to persuade his community to acknowledge a human being who lies outside their margins. The brave decision of Mr. Ryder elevates him to further heights. Only at that point Mr. Ryder achieves full claim to all the adjectives used to qualify him in the beginning of the story. Here he redefines and rediscovers his own personality. Mr. Ryder (and his community) who once accepted only the white colored blacks is now able to revise those theories for his wife. He was able to prove that racism is not a hard structure in the society, but a loose structure that varies according to the needs of the environment and time.

The Wife of His Youth proves that past helps men to rediscover their true personality. If Mr. Ryder has decided to run away from his past and from the wife of his youth, the haunting memories of the hidden past and guilt consciousness might have destroyed the peace of his life. Instead the brave decision to face the past has brought him new knowledge and wisdom. So, The Wife of His Youth turns out to be a source of wisdom and an experience par excellence to Mr. Ryder as well as to the readers.

Works Cited

Chesnutt, Charles W. The Wife of His Youth and Other Stories of the Color Line. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 1899.

Colorism is defined as a form of prejudice typically from members of the same race in which people are treated based on their social economic status from cultural implications related to skin color. Within the idea of “race”, various groups of people compete with one another. Throughout the book, “The Wife of His Youth” by Charles W. Chesnutt one can learn that the idea of racism existed, and that race continues to evolve throughout history. In the literary piece, the main character, Mr. Ryder, a highly idolized man in his society referred to as the Blue Veins Society. The Blue Vein Society was an organization of colored persons to establish and maintain correct social standards among individuals who were apart of the lower social economic status. The Wife of His Youth and Other Stories of the Color Line (1899) examines color prejudice among African Americans as well as between the races in a manner of reminiscent of George W. Cable. Charles W. Chesnutt born on June 20, 1858 of free black parents of Cleveland, Ohio. The family eventually moved to Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1866 to run a grocery store. Chesnutt’s time and education in the South, and return to the North, provided Chesnutt with a personal experience of the rise and fall of reconstruction and the evolution of segregation. He became an eager reader and keen observer of the people and the socio-political era which was reflected in his future writings. By exploring Chesnutt’s “The Wife of His Youth”, readers perceive how one’s socioeconomic status was a reason for passing for White and hiding the truth about one’s counterparts of a darker complexion.

Charles Chesnutt’s “The Wife of His Youth” features a highly respected man of the Blue Veins Society in a Midwestern city, who is also Mr. Ryder, the protagonist. He is preparing to marry another mulatto woman with a lighter complexion, when a much darker woman comes to him in search for her husband, whom she has not seen in 25 years. The story has been interpreted as an analysis of race relations, not between blacks and whites but within the black community, exploring its own color, class and prejudices. Mr. Ryder dreams of becoming white but ultimately seems to accept the fact of being black and the full history of African Americans in the United States. However, the ending of the story, has been called ambiguous and leaves questions unanswered.

Being that this literary piece is a short story, this was a quick read. However, it was very thought provoking. It was first published as part of a short story collection, The Wife of His Youth and Other Stories of the Color Line (1899). Though published several years ago, the issues conveyed in the piece are still prevalent today. Reading along in the story, thoughts of race relations within the black community today began to come up. Such discord within the black community has spread even further. Not only to mention the lack of union due to socioeconomic differences amongst one another. But in this story, where discord in race is the issue, Chesnutt is trying to inform his readers the black community can only move forward by joining together regardless of the skin tone prejudice that exists.

Critical examinations of Chesnutt analyze characters, tone, structure, and the historical context. In many occasions, critics discussed the ways in which Chesnutt subverts societal prejudice assumptions created through segregation. Reviews of Chesnutt’s literary piece were positive. After receiving several compliments from those who supported him and in various newspaper reviews, he wrote to editor Walter Hines Page. One later review from critic William Dean Howells praised Chesnutt. Howell was impressed with the main character’s characteristics. During the 20th century, “The Wife of His Youth” became Chesnutt’s most favorable collection short story. In my opinion, Chesnutt’s literary piece conveyed how things were during that time period. Chesnutt’s work was remarkable, Chesnutt explored the complex social and cultural lives of middle-class blacks in the North.

Charles Chesnutt’s collection of nine short stories was the first black fiction to attract the public attention of the white literary world. He scrutinizes the psychological and sociological effects of the Jim Crow laws on black, white, and mixed-race communities. Chesnutt writes regarding the black’s search for identity in the volatile period between the Civil War and the turn of the century. His characters of the story are mulatto, the rising black middle-class, and the freed slaves. His themes depict the tensions of interracial living which are still prevalent today. Chesnutt’s purpose in his literary work is to present a perspective of racial tensions and social issues confronting Southern whites and blacks. Chesnutt’s literary work is well-known in which it manifested the social conflicts present during their time.

The construct of class and race can have a considerable impact on the life choices of individuals. In “The Wife of his Youth,” Charles Chesnutt describes the story of Mr. Ryder, a prosperous African American with light skin which meets his wife, Liza Jane, after a long period of being apart. Even though Mr. Ryder wishes to marry Molly Dixon, who can solidify his social position. However, after consulting with the members of the Blue Veins society, he decides to return to Liza Jane. The present paper aims at demonstrating how racial and class motives influence the relationship between the protagonist of the story and the wife of his youth.

The couple met and separated due to slavery, as Sam escaped from his owner trying to avoid being sold. Sam was a free-born; however, his parents died, and he was brought to Liza’s master. After meeting and marrying, Sam escapes from his master, trying to avoid being sold. The couple could not reunite because the Civil war broke out, and “folks wuz scattered”. In short, all the three critical events in the life of Sam and Liza before the events described in the story are influenced by racism and social inequality. Without the construct of class and race, the relationship would not have started or ended so abruptly.

Mr. Ryder’s initial decision to conceal his identity as Sam was motivated by trying to retain his social status. Sam Taylor has worked his way up from the position of a messenger in a railroad company to become one of the most respected members of the African American elite. Before meeting Liza, the protagonist wanted to organize a ball, which “would serve by its exclusiveness to counteract leveling tendencies, and his marriage with Mrs. Dixon would help to further the upward process of absorption”.

In other words, he values being a part of an upper social class and is afraid of losing the respect of Blue Veins society, which is a symbol of aristocracy. Therefore, Mr. Ryder asks other members of the privileged how he should act in the situation. When it is confirmed that other members of the society believe that Mr. Ryder should return to Liza, he makes the decision. Such a decision-making pattern demonstrates that he does not value his feelings and duty before his wife, as much as he respects the opinions of the aristocracy. In summary, the couple reunited because Sam wanted to retain his social status by adhering to the decision of the Blue Veins society.

The Blue Veins society favored Sam’s returning to his wife for racial reasons. According to Bryant, the wedding between Liza and Mr. Ryder and Liza Jane is a metaphor for African Americans being faithful to their racial and cultural identity. Instead of making a choice between two women, Sam decides what values are more important to him: those of white people, which are material success and prosperity, or those of African Americans, freedom and faithfulness. In other words, the idea of race influences the decision to return to Liza and therefore affects the couple’s relationship.

In conclusion, the discussion presented above demonstrates that the construct of race and class have a considerable impact on the relationship between Liza and Mr. Ryder. First, social stratification and slavery are the reasons the couple met and parted. Second, Sam returns to Liza because the aristocracy believes it is right. Finally, the Blue Veins society makes the decision based on racial values.

In Charles W. Chesnutt’s story “The Wife of His Youth” Mr. Ryder poses a hypothetical question to his Blue Veins guests after unfolding a story so touching and revealing about his past identity. The question he poses is what shall he do? After hiding for so long and trying to be immersed into the white race and not adhered to the black race it is his past that catches up with him. It is Liza Jane’s presentence that compels him to accept his true self as a black man. Mr. Ryders void of slavery, abuse and a society that does not recognize them that in truth it is he is the one who will need to acknowledge his shameful abandonment of his past and to reconcile that accepting his true identity and that it is his hard work and success is a significant achievement for the black community.

In Charles W. Chesnutt’s literature works, cultural identity was a source of strife and complication of the mind as a result of the tone of your skin color. He more than likely wanted to create a message for his people of the dangers of losing one’s identity in the quest for appropriation. As he listened to Liza Jane depictions of her love “ He looked long and intently at the portrait. It was faded with time, but the features were still distinct, and it was easy to see what manner of man it represented”(16). Even though Mr Ryder worked hard to erase his past the picture told a story that he himself almost abandoned. How the right way to feel about one’s own ancestry can be overwhelming if ashamed or frightened of others reactions. Charles W. Chestnutt depicts how intelligent Mr. Ryder is as it is privy to tell that they knew from the start who he was referring to and what the outcome should justly be.

Fitting in with the white class seemed like the safest option for a passing black person in the late 1800s. The Blue Veins are a group of individuals with the means and the birthright to take advantage of society’s lack of familiarity with genetics and racial structure to operate under the guise of passing in public. Anyone can grab a gun and start a revolution especially in the 19th century so the fear that turmoil would start again stemming from the South’s hardy ideals was a very real fear for the black people living in the Northern states. The Blue Veins take it upon themselves to celebrate their passing and even are slightly open about their origins to delegate some acceptance from white society but the dangers of political tension keep them on their toes at all times.

The depiction of the “Blue Veins” is a depiction of the part of black culture that was confused about how racial tensions would continue in the United States. It spells out a paranoid and self-conscious group of people who do not want society to regress in it’s opinion of the black population so they must strive to fit in with the whites and to be unseen. To be a part of this privileged group there were some guidelines“the society consisted of individuals who were, generally speaking, more white than black. Some envious outsider made the suggestion that no one was eligible for membership who was not white enough to show blue veins”(1). The question that gets posed halfway through the story is one that says “have these people lost their way?” or more specifically “have these people lost their culture, their integrity, and themselves in the path to assimilation?” We do find the answer to this question in the final scene; it is the thought provoked that is the basis for the story itself. Do we deny our past and become an elitist because we have had the opportunity to do so or do we lift our community and for Mr. Ryder has beaten the odds.

By 1965, only five percent of the black population lived in the Northern part of the United States and only making up one percent of the population. After the Civil War, many of the black population would become involved in involuntary labor as indentured servants rather than move to the North for a less hostile environment. The racial tensions were high post Civil War for the reason that many black people were afraid that the country was now even more unstable. The Blue Veins were a group of men and women who acclimated into society because of their light skin and mannerisms. They looked to secure their place in high society, wanting equal treatment by likening themselves to the white populace. The white race were given every privilege and do not expect otherwise, but it is Mr. Ryder who fought hard for his place hidden in disguise perhaps pondering that “The Negro race, like all races, is going to be saved by its exceptional men”(Du Bois). Never did Mr. Ryder believed this could be his destiny. The question at the beginning of Chestnutt’s story begs for those to remember who they truly are and never forsaken your blessed ancestry just to fit in with the white race.

Throughout the story Charles W. Chestnutt makes it extremely palpable that racism existed within the race. If you examine the extent of how racism affected the black population just by the pigment of their skin, such as if they were very dark, they were oppressed more compared to the light skinned. Even the Blue Veins Society group was racist from within based on the standards to be a part of the elite group. Pritha Paul’s article on Internalized Racism: Can You Be Racist Against Your Own Race? Exemplifies that “Internalized racism is the personal conscious or subconscious acceptance of the dominant society’s racist views, stereotypes and biases of one ’s ethnic group. It gives rise to patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving that result in discriminating, minimizing, criticizing, finding fault, invalidating, and hating oneself while simultaneously valuing the dominant culture”(Pritha). Thus, those who had white skin running through their veins were highly respected, allowed to join, and to some extent within their world unapproachable.

As the story ripples it becomes clear that Mr. Ryder is entangled in a situation that he could easily get out of just by denying his past and true identity and continue to move forward and marry a highly respected, rich, educated, beautiful woman who is also a member of Blue Veins. Thus, the conundrum is that if he denies his true self and never admits that he too was a former slave and is married to Liza Jane, a very simple, dark black woman who has not aged well due to her harsh life is he abandoning his true self. Mr. Ryder struggles and continues to look for acceptance from within the group by asking the question should he acknowledge her and to his relief they tell him to accept her.

Inward racism is what C.W. Chestnutt slyly writes about in relation to the Blue Veins is that it is thinly held up and may have been only instigated by society’s white counterparts to them. As “The Blue Veins did not allow that any such requirement existed for admission to their circle, but, on the contrary, declared that character and culture were the only things considered and that if most of their members were light-colored, it was because such persons, as a rule, had had better opportunities to qualify themselves for membership”(2). This is an early onset hint from C. W. Chestnutt that these people have not left the path to righteousness. They are still self-aware of who they are and where they come from. The story leads the reader to believe that there could be a glitch in the mists of the group if Mr. Ryder’s dilemma is found out, but it was never a risk he had to calculate from the start.

The essence at the heart of this story lies in the power of a distinct culture of people to adapt but not be changed at their core.

Analyzing from all the angles of reading a literary work, Charles W. Chestnut’s short story, “The Wife of His Youth”, can undoubtedly be called a remarkable work. The novelty of the theme will attract the attention of all the critical readers. As it is the case with the members of the organization depicted in the story ‘The Blue Veins’, the story also stands between two classes of writings; it can neither be included in the black literature nor be in the white literature. The story having a slight protest and some mockery narrates the tale of the colored people of some rank, and their struggles to get out of the humiliating past. Past is seen as a haunting force and running away from it is impossible. It reveals that the true personality of a man lies in his willingness to accept his past. Facing a negative past elevates a man from his ordinariness.

“The Wife of His Youth” tells the story of Mr. Ryder who tries to hide his past as a slave and live among the reputed class of light-skinned colored people. He now almost forgets his old name Sam Taylor. He joins an elite society called the Blue Veins and becomes the dean of this society. Blue Veins is a group of people who believes in the unity and race-superiority of the white skinned blacks among the black community. This storyline points to the discrimination existing among the race. The Blue Veins think that black skinned are inferior and ignorant. They have white skins so that their veins show.

The haunting past of Mr. Ryder appears in the form of Liza Jane, his black wife during his days of slavery. When he escaped from slavery and ran to the north, he has left her alone. She was searching for around twenty-five years for her husband in many southern cities. Now she is headed for north in the pursuit. She has his old photograph with her. She is so confident that he is still alive, and she will find him. Still she believes that Sam loves her and they will be reunited again. Now she moves on to Groveland, Washington D. C where she meets Mr. Ryder, but fails to recognize he is her husband Sam Taylor. Now he is a major figure in the society with his wealth, intelligence, and leadership. Liza narrates his entire story to Mr. Ryder in the hope that he would help her to find her husband because of his position. The readers understand from Liza’s story that she has loved Sam so passionately. When both of them were slaves, Liza informed Sam that their master was going to sell him, and she suffered even a beating for him. Sam managed to escape from there and moved to north. The masters could not find Sam, so they sold Liza in his place. Liza got freedom after the civil war and she made her livelihood working as a cook. The day on which Liza meets Mr. Ryder is very important for him, because that day he is giving a ball to his friends in honor of Mrs. Molly Dixon whom Mr. Ryder plans to propose. Molly Dixon is whiter than Mr. Ryder, and she is educated, well mannered, good looking and very younger than Mr. Ryder. But at the end of the story, Mr. Ryder faces the most difficult situation in his life; whether to give a life to his wife of youth Liza, or to marry the much younger and beautiful Mrs. Dixon. The story ends where Mr. Ryder dramatically resolves the conflict by deicing to marry Liza.

An in depth analysis of “The Wife of His Youth” will reveal that the strongly constructed plot has more to offer than its apparently simple subject. Past appears as a haunting force throughout the prosperous life of Mr. Ryder. But this mental trauma of Ryder is not depicted obviously anywhere in the beginning of the story. This hiding of the psyche adds to the impact of the story. The revelation about the past of Mr. Ryder can be conceived only with a shock. It is said in the beginning of the story that Mr. Ryder is a conservative in the society of the white skinned blacks:

“I have no race prejudice,” he would say, “but we people of mixed blood are ground between the upper and the nether millstone. Our fate lies between absorption by the white race and extinction in the black. The one doesn’t want us yet, but may take us in time. The other would welcome us, but it would be for us a backward step. ‘With malice towards none, with charity for all,’ we must do the best we can for ourselves and those who are to follow us.” (Chesnutt, 1899)

In the same way many masks are used by Mr. Ryder to hide his past. He is interested in reading. It is said that “poetry is his passion” (1). He tried to live a life which is in no way inferior to any pure whites; he owned a very comfortable and furnished house in a good street, and his house contained a good library, a piano and engravings. Further more, he likes to marry a girl who is well educated and “whiter than he is”. Mr. Ryder’s attempts to reach the higher order of the society by imitating the white society can be considered only as the endeavors to hide his racial inferiority. When we read it in another way, it can be said that the author imposes all these elite class qualities to Mr. Ryder only to strengthen the climax of the story.

The sangfroid and calmness of Mr. Ryder’s life is disturbed by the entry of Liza in one afternoon to the ball that he gives in honor of Mrs. Dixon. Liza is a symbol of the haunting past of Mr. Ryder. He understands that past cannot be wiped out or forgotten completely. It will enter into ones life in very crucial situations, as it has happened with Mr. Ryder. It affects only Mr. Ryder and not Liza, because, for Liza, past ant present are the same. The social status of Liza was of only as a former slave and plantation worker, and it has not changed even now. On the other hand, Mr. Ryder has an unrevealed past of a run-away slave, and now he is in an unimaginable position as a rich and reputed man, and the dean of the so called Blue Veins. This difference makes it Mr. Ryder’s own cup of tea.

Here Mr. Ryder is confronted with the most difficult situation in his life where he has to uphold his position as the leader of the society and community by keeping the secret and marrying a woman of high status, Mrs. Molly Dixon, or has to reveal the truth and marry Liza who is considered as inferior in race. It means, not only loosing the pretty and educated girl, but also sacrificing the position among his community that he acquired by his twenty-five years of hard work. At last, he chooses to reveal the truth that he was a former slave and Liza was his wife. But it took a lot of time and thought for him to take such a decision. His round about way of introducing the matter to the audience and the final question, “shall you acknowledge her?” (Chesnutt, 1899) are the evidences of the mental trauma and hesitation that he experienced before the final decision. He also succeeds to persuade his community to acknowledge a human being who lies outside their margins. The brave decision of Mr. Ryder elevates him to further heights. Only at that point Mr. Ryder achieves full claim to all the adjectives used to qualify him in the beginning of the story. Here he redefines and rediscovers his own personality. Mr. Ryder (and his community) who once accepted only the white colored blacks is now able to revise those theories for his wife. He was able to prove that racism is not a hard structure in the society, but a loose structure that varies according to the needs of the environment and time.

“The Wife of His Youth” proves that past helps men to rediscover their true personality. If Mr. Ryder has decided to run away from his past and from the wife of his youth, the haunting memories of the hidden past and guilt consciousness might have destroyed the peace of his life. Instead the brave decision to face the past has brought him new knowledge and wisdom. So, “The Wife of His Youth” turns out to be a source of wisdom and an experience par excellence to Mr. Ryder as well as to the readers.

Works Cited

Chesnutt, Charles W. The Wife of His Youth and Other Stories of the Color Line. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 1899.