Journal #21

The ill-fated "Mule-Bone" by Langston Hughes and Zora Neal Hurston was finally performed on stage in 1991 for the first time after years of controversy over the rights to the play. Knowing a little about its history, I think that readers who are aware of it approach this text differently. I found myself thinking "that's so Zora," and also imagining Hughes writing in certain parts. This play is very comical, full of irony, satire and even an unexpecected theme of brotherhood at the end.

Although it never tells us for sure, I think that Dave was white, Jim was black and Daisy must have been a mix because both desired her, and she desired them, but she could not decide which man to choose. (When Daisy tells Dave "I ain't done nothin' to you but treat you white," I wasn't sure if that was revealing his race, or if in her mind, she was treating him better than a black man should be treated). If Daisy had been white, keeping in mind the cultural context, it seems like a no-brainer. Dave would have been selected without question, because frankly, life would have been very rough for a white woman and a black man at this time. And yet, she could not have been very dark in her skin tone if Dave was white and not afraid to call her his wife.

We enter the scene in the middle of the controversy. Jim is kicked out of town, we don't find out why until the end. Apparently he hit Dave with a mule-bone when they fought over Daisy in town. As each man professes his undying love for Daisy, they promise ridiculous things in order to out-do each other and to win her affection. Daisy is a complete air-head, relying not on her love for either of them, but on their abilities to win her over with their words.

The ridiculous lengths the men go from promising Daisy trains and boats, to walking on water, make the ending even more ironic. After all of these lies Daisy chooses Jim. They discuss their future together and Daisy tells him that he could get a job doing outside labor. Abandoning his dedication to Daisy, Jim says that he simply cannot go around lifting anything heavier than his box. Daisy is very annoyed and decides that maybe Dave is the one for her. Dave tells her that he can barely carry his feet forward, much less work a job to support her. This really sets her off and she announces that there are plenty of men who would. This leaves Dave and Jim to salvage their friendship that was temporarily broken because of Daisy.

The dynamic change in the story is just so abrupt and surprising it really is comical to engage in the dialogue and realize how quickly things can change. One moment Jim was alone and kicked out of town, the next Daisy decided to marry him, shortly after she leaves them both, Dave convinces Jim that he can return to town, and everything falls right back into place.

Works Cited

Hughes Langston and Hurston, Zora. "Mule-Bone." The Portable Harlem Renaissance Reader. Ed. David Lewis. New York: 1995. 729-738.

Bontemps, Arna. "Poetry." The Portable Harlem Renaissance Reader. Ed. David Lewis. New York: 1995. 224-226.