
The Marrow of Tradition
' The Marrow of Tradition' Summary
Set in the fictional town of Wellington, The Marrow of Tradition features several interweaving plots that encompass the poles of the racially segregated society of the American South at the turn of the century. One plot follows Major Carteret, the white owner of the major Wellington newspaper, as he colludes with several other powerful white men to take political control of the town. They are outraged about a provocative editorial published in a black paper that questioned white justifications for lynchings. As the town’s unrest intensifies, Carteret faces domestic pressures; his only child Dodie and wife Olivia are both unwell. Carteret’s niece Clara, recently introduced to society, is courted by the young Tom Delamere, a handsome and conniving aristocrat who spends most evenings nurturing his penchant for drink and cards. His habits are contrasted with those of Lee Ellis, a rival for Clara, and William Miller, a young black physician who with his wife has returned to his hometown of Wellington to practice medicine. He gained his medical education in Paris and Vienna. Though jarred by segregation and Jim Crow racism, Miller sets up his practice and starts his life. Miller's wife, Janet, is the biracial half-sister of Mrs. Olivia Carteret; Janet spends her entire life hoping to be acknowledged by her white sister, who is too proud to accept her father's miscegenation after her mother died. Josh Green as a boy witnessed the murder of his father at the hands of a white man—a character named Captain McBane—and is intent on exacting revenge.
All these subplots are forced to a crisis through two events: the murder of a white woman, Polly Ochiltree, for which a black servant, Sandy Campbell, is accused, and county elections. Campbell would have been lynched and burned without a trial if it weren't for Miller alerting his boss, the grandfather of the actual murderer, Tom Delamere. Old Mr. Delamere and Lee Ellis discover the truth and save Sandy's life, but Tom is never apprehended for his crime. A few months later, on the eve of the elections Major Carteret, Captain McBain, and one General Belmont conspired to incite a "revolution," overthrowing the Republican party from power and keeping blacks from participating in the elections. They published inflammatory statements in the Morning Chronicle and the revolution quickly became a riot which engulfed the town.
The novel culminates with justice for some—the faithful servant Campbell is saved by his patron, Delamere falls from grace, Josh Green avenges his father's death albeit at the cost of his own life, and Janet Miller gains recognition from her sister, who, along with Major Carteret, was humbled to respect the black Miller family in order to save an ailing Dodie.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1901Authors

Charles Chesnutt
United States
Charles Waddell Chesnutt was an African-American author, essayist, political activist and lawyer, best known for his novels and short stories exploring complex issues of racial and social identity in...
Books by Charles ChesnuttDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books

The Prairie Wife by Arthur Stringer
It tells the story of a young woman named Jessie Drummond, who travels to the Canadian prairies to marry her fiancé, but soon finds herself caught up...

The Clock Struck One by Fergus Hume
First published in 1898, this classic work has stood the test of time and continues to enthrall audiences with its clever plot and intriguing charact...

Sea Lady by H. G. Wells
The Sea Lady tells the story of a mermaid who washes ashore in Edwardian England, a world vastly different from her watery home. Driven by an innate y...

Gleanings in Buddha Fields by Lafcadio Hearn
"A journey into the soul of Japan through the lens of Buddhism." In a land of ancient temples and sacred texts, a writer seeks to understand the esse...

Legends of Old Honolulu by William Drake Westervelt
The history and culture of Honolulu are the main topics covered in this book, which contains several myths and stories gathered by Dr. Westervelt from...

Wheat Princess by Jean Webster
Marcia Copley, a wealthy American heiress, travels to Rome seeking a romantic entanglement with an aristocratic Italian. However, her idealized visio...

The Snow Queen and Other Stories by Hans Christian Andersen
The story began with a young girl that grew up with a step mom and two sisters. The mother did not like Martha and everyday make her work harder then...

Visha Vahini by Ramanuja Rao Somaraju
Visha Vahini is a social drama set in Southern India in the early 1900s. It tells the story of a young man who falls deeply in love with his classmate...

Le Loup blanc by Paul Féval, père
Un captivant récit d'aventure pour. Le Loup blanc est un roman palpitant écrit par Paul Féval, père, un auteur renommé du 19e siècle. Publié pour la p...

Aesop's Fables, Volume 12 (Fables 276-284) by Aesop
Dating back to the 6th century BC, Aesop's Fables tell universal truths through the use of simple allegories that are easily understood. Though almost...
Reviews for The Marrow of Tradition
No reviews posted or approved, yet...