42 pages • 1 hour read
Cassie Dandridge SelleckThe Pecan Man
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2012A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Summary
Background
Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Character Analysis
Themes
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
Tools
BetaThemes
Lies and Their Justification
This theme manifests throughout the novel in several ways and affects each character differently. When Grace is raped, she quickly shows outward signs of trauma. Not wanting Grace to suffer, Blanche insists that the best response is to convince her that what she experienced was merely a bad dream. Initially, Ora is skeptical about this approach, but Blanche convinces her that the police would either dismiss the claim of rape as a lie or blame Grace herself for the crime, thus worsening the trauma. In this way, Blanche believes that the lie she tells Grace is justified and will aid in her healing.
Ironically, Ora—though she initially disapproves of Blanche’s lie—lies by omission when she does not reveal that Marcus killed Skipper Kornegay. Though Marcus’s actions were out of anger for what Kornegay did to Grace, Ora knows that Blanche would be devastated that Marcus committed such violence. By keeping this information from Blanche, Ora believes that she is saving her from the heartache that would come from knowing the truth about Marcus. Further, because Marcus dies in a car accident, Ora is certain that she need never worry about Blanche discovering the truth.
The two lies together, however, exacerbate the situation, leaving Eddie Mims vulnerable to being accused of Skipper’s murder. Though the lies that Ora and Blanche tell may be justified to protect the people they love, hiding the truth has serious repercussions for Eddie. Eddie, however, becomes complicit in the lies because he knows—as Blanche does—that racial disparities within the legal system mean that few will believe the truth: that he is completely innocent in Skipper’s death.
As the initial lie is told, Blanche emphasizes how one lie begets another in order to sustain the original lie. There comes a point when, as Blanche predicts, the effort of maintaining the lie becomes burdensome. Further, though Blanche and Ora initially conspire to hide the truth to protect others they care for, Eddie ultimately is harmed by their lies. Arguably, the secret that Eddie keeps about his paternity is its own type of lie. That he is Blanche’s father and Marcus’s grandfather, however, explains his motivation for sacrificing himself and allows him to preserve Marcus’s memory.
Race and Injustice
The novel’s setting, both its time period and its locale, is instrumental in shaping the divide between the races in Mayville. Though racial desegregation was mandated nearly a decade before the events of the novel, racist views prevail among some of the citizens and are not easily erased. Eddie, as an unhoused African American man, is an easy target when Skipper is murdered. Prevailing beliefs that he is dangerous because he is an unhoused Black man lead to him being accused of the crime. Though no physical evidence linking Eddie to the crime exists, many citizens are quick to arrive at the conclusion that he is guilty because of his race and economic status. Eddie is aware of this reality, which is a key reason why he does not speak out in his own defense when he is arrested. He is certain that—because he is already guilty in the court of popular opinion—he will never receive a fair trial with unbiased jurors. His lifelong experience with racism, coupled with his desire to keep the truth of Marcus’s culpability a secret, fuels Eddie’s decision to plead guilty to the murder charge.
Some characters, specifically Ora, encourage him to trust the justice system. Ora’s racial and class privilege makes it difficult for her to perceive the ways that justice is denied to her African American neighbors. As the novel unfolds, her realization of the hardships that Eddie and others face is a significant aspect of the change that her character undergoes. Blanche helps open Ora’s eyes to such injustices. Ora is often frustrated when Blanche resists the aid that Ora offers, especially when Blanche or her family appears to be treated unfairly. For instance, when Grace struggles academically and is treated rudely by her teacher, Ora is adamant that she should intervene. Blanche is equally adamant that Ora’s privilege will not extend as far as to change the teacher’s mind; she underscores to Ora that the color of her family’s skin is a defining feature to those who cling to bigoted thoughts. Similarly, when Ora insists that Blanche need not wear her housekeeper uniform—as she has grown to be Ora’s friend rather than a mere employee—Blanche is quick to point out that the lack of uniform will fail to erase the prejudiced beliefs of others. That Blanche’s “place” is one of servitude is a racist belief that some will cling to regardless. In this way, racial injustice affects her just as it affects Eddie. Both characters feel helpless to change such ingrained beliefs.
Righting Past Wrongs
As the novel opens, Ora indicates that she is reflecting on a specific time in her life that occurred decades earlier. The novel unfolds to convey events that occurred in 1976. In the early chapters, as readers watch the events of 1976 unfold, Ora explains that she is recounting the events to reveal the truth of what transpired. It becomes apparent that the events, whatever they might be, were either misconstrued or covered up in some manner, and Ora is determined to correct her past wrongdoings.
It becomes clear that several events of 1976 are shrouded in lies. The first is the assault and rape that Grace endured. Though the initial lie of the event being a bad dream is motivated out of love and a desire to protect Grace from the trauma, it ultimately does not serve its purpose. Grace’s mind and body cannot forget the traumatic experience. She has been deeply harmed not only by the assault but also by Blanche and Ora’s attempts to erase it. The difficulty Grace endures as she ages—struggling in school, bearing two children she is unable to care for, and becoming addicted to substances—is evidence of the lasting impact of the rape. Ora has witnessed the damage her lie has done to Grace and sets out to resolve this hurt near the end of her (Ora’s) life. By revealing the truth to Grace, Ora helps Grace heal.
In a parallel way, Ora’s refusal to reveal that Marcus was responsible for Skipper’s death is also a wrong she must right. Just as she sought to protect Grace by lying to her about the rape, Ora keeps Marcus’s actions a secret out of her love and care for Marcus (understanding that his love of his sister was at the root of his actions) and for Blanche. This lie, though, ultimately causes Eddie to bear responsibility for Skipper’s death. Ora is never fully content with the decision to allow Eddie to take the blame, and this unsettled feeling indicates that she is making a mistake. As her friendship with Eddie grows, Ora sees that he is a kind and loving person, and their friendship, coupled with the injustice he has faced, motivates her to exonerate him after his death. In righting these past wrongs, Ora not only frees herself of the burden of lies she has carried but also makes room for healing to occur for Grace and for Eddie’s daughter and grandchildren.
