I found the charactors in this story really interesting. I did a little research, and found out that the charactors are supposed to symbolize personality traits in people.
For example, the Bible-selling boy in the story is supposed to symbolize deception. He pretends to be a "good country boy", but tricks and steals from Hulga/Joy. Even at the end of the story, he comes out looking like the good guy. Mrs. Freeman and Hopewell beleive he's coming back from selling Bibles to the Negros, not fooling around and stealing from one of their daughters.
There was one line I didn't understand well. At the end fo the story, the boy says something like "I hope you don't think I beleive in that crap! I may sell Bibles but I know which end is up and I wasn't born yesterday and I know where I'm going". I feel like this is important and symbolic, but I don't really understand whta it means. Anyone care to explain?
I like Mrs. Freeman. She seems like the empitomy of an annoying charactor. She thinks she knows everything, but she really knows nothing. I think the wordplay between Mrs. Freeman and Hopewell is very simple and generic. It kind of reflects their cookie-cutter personalities. They both see the world very simply, and stick to their lines. They try to fit the world into their mold, and explain things by their philosophies.
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Anisha -- the line you had a question about is important, but it is not necessarily symbolic. The whole story the boy is seen as a "good country boy," which implies that he is simple-minded. But on the contrary, he is not; he makes up many personas and makes others believe that he is simple-minded, when in actuality he is a very sly, clever boy. He is able to fool everyone into believing that all he is trying to do is to sell Bibles. In this quote he is basically is saying that his whole "good country boy" persona was just an act, a ploy to steal artificial limbs. He was not a simple boy selling Bibles, he is a man with a hidden agenda and a clever plan.
I disagree with your assessment of Mrs. Freeman. She is annoying and nosy, but I think she is quick to pick up on gossip and to report it. You describe Mrs. Freeman and Mrs. Hopewell as "simple and generic," but I think they are anything but that. They both fall for the Bible-seller's trap, making them seem gullible, but not simple-minded. Both women are driven by deeper forces. Mrs. Hopewell is almost afraid of her daughter and is driven by her need to care for Joy/Hulga. Mrs. Freeman is driven by her need to know everything and will go to great lengths to be in on the latest gossip. They thus see the world through these different lenses, and like any person try to fit the world into their mold, but of course it doesn't necessarily fit. I think there is a lot more to these characters than is seen on the surface.
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