Justice In 'A Gathering Of Old Men'

Justice

In “A Gathering of Old Men,” Ernest J. Gaines’s character Candy Marshall develops a plan to protect long time plantation worker Mathu. The plan is to gather former or existing plantation workers to help Mathu with his case and lie explaining that each of them did the murder. Candy understands justice by organizing a plan, the justice is successful because none of the plantation workers are arrested, and justice is significant because the plan has worked but consequences will follow. The theme is the redefinition of black masculinity, the old men on the plantation had spent their days running from trouble.

First, Candy is trying to protect Mathu by getting the people together to fight for him. Snookum and Candy argue, “What I’m telling all them people to get here quick for?’ I asked her. ‘That’s none of your business, Snookum. You’re nothing but a little boy. Now, get moving and don’t stop running.” Candy did not want to see Mathu arrested so she

Snookum and Candy argue, “What I’m telling all them people to get here quick for?’ I asked her. ‘That’s none of your business, Snookum. You’re nothing but a little boy. Now, get moving and don’t stop running.” Candy understands that she needs to gather up as many people as she can and get them to lie for Mathu’s

But her plan was not particularly perfect. Multiple people had gotten killed and the blacks were set on five-year probation. The judge states, “He said since the two mean who had killed Beau and shot Mapes, he could not pass judgement over them, but ask that their souls rest in peace. But for the others, he said he was putting all of them on probation for the next five years or until deaths-whichever came first.” This is significant because it shows how justice can be brought upon someone but can also come with negative