The Imagery of Mississippi
Hiram explicates, “I was surprised by how little I remembered of Mississippi. I’d forgotten the heat, the heavy humidity that made me sweat all the time. The deep green bushes and trees everywhere seemed foreign, and it was strange to look out the train window and not see mountains anywhere. When our train finally pulled into Greenwood, I started worrying.” Hiram finds Mississippi to be more wet than Arizona. The ubiquitous, appealing greenery throughout Mississippi renders it a conventional pastoral. Moreover, mountains are not as omnipresent in Mississippi as they are in Arizona.
The Imagery of ‘Negroes’
Hiram elucidates, “Another big difference between Greenwood and Tempe was the Negroes. There had been a few Negro Porters on the train, but I was surprised by how many I saw around the Greenwood station. The freight workers on the platform were all Negroes, of course, but so were almost half the people around the station. The Negro women wore simple cotton farm dresses without hats; most of the Negro men and boys wore blue bib overalls, the same kind Grampa always wore.” The African-Americans are ever-present in Mississippi. Hiram’s ability to classify them validates the infeasibility of colour-blindness. Moreover, Hiram’s portrayal of the blacks is contributory to the construction of the subject of racism.
The Imagery of Hiram’s dream- (Chapter 10)
Hiram recounts, “ When I finally fell asleep Friday night, I dreamed that Dad and I were fishing somewhere on a gorgeous morning. The sun filtered through the trees and light reflected off the river like shiny scales, while we sat on the banks enjoying the peace and beauty of the place. Dad looked content and happy, not just with life but with me. We weren’t talking but I could feel his love and acceptance.” The imagery of the dream portrays Hiram’s unconscious longing for his father’s unreserved adoration. Hiram longs for a restored son-father connection between him and his father. Fishing alongside his father is a seamless opening for Hiram to renovate his relationship for it occasions tranquil bonding.
