The Dramatic Effects Of Setting In James Baldwin's Come Out The Wilderness

The dramatic effects of setting on Ruth Bowman In James Baldwin’s, “Come out the Wilderness” settings of city bars, a southern barn, and insurance company lobby help to reveal Ruth’s southern origins, emotional struggles in the big city, and her hidden desire for someone to comfort her and break through her hard exterior. The use of a bar by Baldwin whenever Ruth feels upset or stressed works to accentuate the escape which a bar is generally associated with. Ruth’s distinct flashback to a southern barn, a less than desirable place for people, helps to bring forward a traumatizing attempted sexual encounter she experienced while coming of age. The short lobby encounter between Ruth and Mr. Davis displays Ruth’s hidden desire for a ‘country

During the 1900s sexual acts were viewed by society as dirty and unholy. The setting provided by Baldwin of a barn does an excellent job creating that environment. Ruth’s brother refers to her following catching her in the barn with another boy stating, “….you dirty…you dirty…you black and dirty-“ (p.432). This highlights the drastic nature of her suspected actions and the serious stigma they carried at this time in society. The narrator says at the end of the flashback, “she felt dirty, she felt nothing would ever make her clean” (p.432). After this statement of Ruth’s internal thoughts, it becomes quite apparent the narrator is using the barn, a traditional housing for wild animals, as a backdrop for a scene highlighting the ‘wild’ actions of a teen coming of age and the stigma imposed by society regarding an issue of a sexual

Mr. Davis is referred to “…always be the best dressed man in anybody’s lobby” (p.438) by Ruth. This comment clarifies any doubts the reader may have towards his ability to gain the attention of Ruth. The lobby setting makes this clear as Mr.Davis is able to stand out in such a crowded environment among many other business men. Mr. Davis finally takes his opportunity to take Ruth out for lunch stating, “I be delighted to have your company Miss Bowman” (p.438). The use of a southern diction and Mr.Davis calling her ‘Miss Bowman’ reminds Ruth of her roots while at the same time taking place in the lobby. This comforting request by Mr.Davis goes a long way, especially in a lobby, as it helps to set him apart from the crowd and reminds Ruth of her home. Baldwin’s use of a lobby as the setting for this scene is remarkably clever as it captures the drastic difference between a southern gentleman as opposed to one from the city and an individuals desire for something familiar when they are placed in a new stressful environment. Should the author had used the bar for this scene the effect it had on Ruth and the reader would have been completely different as both would have been accustomed to that style of