Manhood
A Gathering of Old Men's namesake characters can be contrasted with Native Son's Bigger Thomas. While Bigger Thomas was driven to commit murder, the old men in Gaines’s novel react in a constructive manner. In making this change, Gaines de-emphasizes violence as a component of black manhood, and instead emphasizes their unified voice and community.[1]
Racial Interdependence
Racial interdependence between the Black, Cajun, and other white populations is a prominent theme in the novel. Miss Merle and Mathu raise Candy jointly when her family is unable. Additionally, Beau's brother plays on the LSU football team, where he and a Black player are nicknamed “salt and pepper”, and must work together to defeat Ole Miss.[2]
