Essay on Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark

By way of personal inadequacy, mistaken loyalty and priorities or fear of being labeled a coward, the characters in the Ox-Bow Incident novel allow themselves to be pushed into murder. An analysis of the metaphors in the novel will show the different ways in which this novel relates to the current civilization. One metaphor is darkness. The journey to arrest the rustlers starts when night approaches. Darkness epitomizes the secrecy considered important in forming a lynch mob. The fear of being recognized makes the act illegal. Moreover, the dark portrays the negative side of civilized life. This is as a result of the traditional connections relating purity with white while associating black with evil. This is evidenced in the US where discrimination is still ripe. Whites are considered the dominant community in America while the Blacks and other minority groups have to play the second fiddle. The recent spate of police shooting of black men in the US has divided the nation (Koring). Creation of Black Lives Matter Movement has been done as a response to what is perceived as race-triggered killings. Blacks foul white police officers for failing to treat them as normal citizens.

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Something must have gone amiss when a large number of Americans believe that their country does not treat them equally due to the color of their skin. Another metaphor in the novel that can be related to current civilization is the lynch mob. The lynch mob is used allegorically in the novel. The way the mob is characterized is not just a form of criticism of the dominant groups in the US, rather it epitomizes the corruption embedded in societies. Law enforcement officers in the US are tasked with the responsibility of protecting all citizens irrespective of race, color, sex, nationality, religion and socio-economic background. Unequal treatment of citizens demonstrates the corruption. The lynch mob also portrays the weakness in communities. African Americans are almost resigned to fate as they believe that the government is doing little to help them. The novel undermines the idea that a community is supported and promoted through integration. This group of people represents a dislike of humankind. In the same vein, it must be reiterated that one of the many disturbing patterns ignored by most of the media houses over the recent past is the rapid increase of black mob attacks against the whites. It appears as if the black community has harbored hatred towards the whites based on the recent black shootings (Koring).

Finally, Martins letter can help explain what must be done to promote integrity and cohesion. Prior to his murder, Martin gets the chance to write a letter to his wife. Furthermore, the letter portrays how truth can be hidden. Most of the people involved in the lynching opted not to read the letter. For this reason, the letter epitomizes the innocence and the truth. It also represents dishonesty among those who never wanted to read the letter. The novel submits that Davies is increasingly obsessed by the letter. Figuratively, this portrays Davies as a man who believes and promotes fairness and justice. The US government must ensure that all citizens are treated fairly and equally. Law enforcement officers, on the other hand, must promote the deepest principle in human nature which is the craving to be appreciated.

References

Koring, Paul. Police Shootings of Black Men Divide the United States of America. 2016. Web.

<http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/police-shootings-of-black-men-divide-the-united-states-of-america/article32018691/>

Walter Van Tilburg Clark. Ox-Bow Incident