A Struggle for Life: Literary Analysis

• 

Author Background

Henry Clay Lewis was born in June 1825 in Charleston, South Carolina. In his young adult years, he spent much time as an apprentice for a medical doctor. He then went on to write stories and skits about the medical profession to demonstrate his creativity and knowledge of the medical profession.

A Struggle for Life: Summary

This short story begins as an obvious southern Gothic short story. A young doctor who is lost somewhere in what seems to be Louisiana needs to find a patient who is severely ill. As he is travelling through the bayou, he comes across an African American man whose appearance is somewhat unfortunate. In describing his appearance, it is said that the African American man looks like “A dwarf” of sorts. Almost as if he is an “orang outang” or other primate. He has a short, stout body with long arms and legs. Also, he seems to have long fingers and fangs for teeth, similar to the common primate.

This unfortunate looking man calls out to the doctor across the bayou and begins to led him to the patient in need. However, the journey is long and requires much guidance from the African American man. The doctor, who is also the main character, remarks at how lost and confused he is of his surroundings when they decide to take a break for the night.

Ultimately, the doctor brings out some liquor and begins to drink. The African American man asks him to share his drink, which he does so willingly. As they continue on their journey, it becomes clear that the African American man has become drunk and they are lost. As they lay down to sleep again, the next morning will not be so pleasant.

As the doctor awakens the next morning, the African American guide demands to have the liquor or he will kill the him. The doctor refuses and the guide attacks him, almost choking him to death before falling into the camp fire and burning to death. After this, the doctor manages to get to the needy patient, but it is too late.

Literary Devices Used

Lewis uses some typical literary devices in this story. Firstly, the setting.

The setting of this story takes place in a very nature centered environment. It is far from civilization and clearly considered the wild. Authors who use this device of making the setting a nature based location usually do so display some kind of deterioration of the civilized mind in their characters. A great example of this device is this very story. Being lost in the bayou, the African American man begins to fall into madness due to drinking. This madness leads to an attempted murder and his untimely death. This device is often used in Gothic literature to present a fear of leaving civilized society and what people can turn into be simply being in the wild.

Secondly, Lewis adds in a use of liminal space. However, he does so in a very unique way. He uses the mind of the doctor while dying as a space in time for which the doctor can account for every moment of his life. This is interesting, as most of the time liminal spaces are usually represented as physical spaces. However, this clearly just exists in the realm of the dying mans brain.

Racism

There is no doubt that this short story is profoundly racist. From the physical description of the African American man, to the way he speaks barely understandable English, to the fact that he ends up almost killing the doctor, this story is no doubt very prejudice. The story itself is based on the racist principle of black people killing white people because of their “inferior brains”.

Questions

How do you think the use of the two literary devices in this story add to the overall Gothic feeling of this story? Do you think the author made good use of these devices?