Noticeable Differences But Grave Similarities in the Consequences of Evident Evil and Masked Evil in “Portable Phonograph,” “The Lottery,” “A Good Man

By Michelle Mercer, Student

We have constructed a society that punishes those whose evil is evident, we remain blissfully ignorant to evil that is disguised, consequently, allowing it to fester and become as harmful as the evil we overtly condemn.

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Noticeable Differences But Grave Similarities in the Consequences of Evident Evil and Masked Evil in “Portable Phonograph,” “The Lottery,” “A Good Man Is Hard To Find,” and “Young Goodman Brown”
In most Western societies, malevolent behavior is not tolerated. Those who engage in such behavior relinquish their rights as a citizen by either being removed from society or removed altogether. In Texas, capital punishment may be applicable for a murderer. Alternatively, in England life imprisonment may serve as punishment for the same crime. In New York, a monetary penalty may apply to a thief, whereas Yemen authorities may sentence the convicted to death for the exact offense. What constitutes behavior as evil? And why would one society consider the same deed more punishable than another? Additionally, who can confidently speculate that all types of malevolence are recognized and removed from society? What of the evil that remains buried in citizens and societies that cleverly masquerades itself in governments or churches and average individuals such as a grandmother or a nurse? While we have constructed a society that punishes those whose evil is evident, we remain blissfully ignorant to evil that is disguised, consequently, allowing it to fester and become as harmful as the evil we overtly condemn. Undoubtedly, Clarke’s “Portable Phonograph” and O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” epitomize malevolence with devastating scenery and a composed killer. However, the setting and mood of Jackson’s “The Lottery,” the symbols within Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown,” and the character of the grandmother in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” all illustrate masked evil that ultimately causes irreparable harm and unexpected tragedy to all involved.
Symbolism can often expose evil that would otherwise remain concealed, therefore, exposing the full extent of its true vice. Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” is filled with symbolism that subtly alludes to masked evil within the unblemished central character. However, Clark’s “Portable Phonograph” is explicitly graphic and has been highlighted by the author’s dramatic use of symbols. In the beginning, “Young Goodman Brown” could be interpreted as a young man’s journey into the woods where he discovers the people of his village attending a witches’ sabbath. The protagonist, Brown, is exposed to the evil that is “the nature of mankind (Hawthorne 444). With the inclusion of obvious symbols, the reader is able to decipher much of Hawthorne’s message. Notably, Goodman Brown is intended to represent all mankind (Miller 255-64) and his wife, Faith, represents his religious devotion and faith in mankind (Korb). Obviously, Brown’s rendezvous in the forest is with a traveler who symbolizes the devil and the forest represents a mysterious place that harbors the unknown. However, is it conceivable that the story signifies not only Brown’s doubt in the goodness of mankind, but his eventual surrender to evil?
Upon his departure into the forest, we discover that Brown is disloyal to his wife and deceitful. Foolishly, he believes that he can indulge in sin one last time and thereafter resume loyalty to his wife as he declares, “and after this one night, I’ll cling to her skirts and follow her to Heaven”(Hawthorne 437). Once engulfed by the darkness of the forest, Hawthorne quickly reveals the bearing resemblance between Brown and the devil, “although perhaps more in expression than features” (Hawthorne 437). Additionally, the meeting reveals Brown’s father and grandfather’s involvement in past atrocities, bringing immediate anguish to the descendant. Brown’s despair increases as the devil also informs him that he has “a very General acquaintance here in New England” (Hawthorne 438). Brown begins to contemplate the belief that intrinsic evil exists and these thoughts eventually overpower him as “maddened with despair, so that he laughed loud and long, did Goodman Brown grasp his staff and set forth again” (Hawthorne 441). The diabolic laughter and the staff that Brown now seizes suggest his submergence into immorality. It seems that “Brown’s dark nature has wholly enveloped his good” (Walsh 331-36). Hawthorne secures this concept as Brown rages through the forest “giving vent to an inspiration of horrid blasphemy, and now shouting forth such laughter…”(Hawthorne 442) along a path that represents “the call of fate” (University of Michigan). Once at the congregation, Brown feels a “loathful brotherhood, by the sympathy of all that was wicked in his heart’ (Hawthorne 443) when he responds after being called upon as one of the converts in a gathering of veiled citizens and become as they are—evil. Tormented by the unknown concluding events in the forest, Brown emerges as a changed man. He lives a doubting and dismal life in his Salem community where life continues as usual. Brown sees evil in all people he passes, but is unaware of his own connection with evil.
While masked evil is released and ultimately cause the psychological decline and destruction of the central character in “Young Goodman Brown,” the symbolism in “Portable Phonograph” illustrates the pure malevolence that is explicitly apparent from the beginning. Clark portrays a society that has been devastated by war. His subtle, but brilliant symbolism fortifies the intensity of the aftermath of a malicious conflict. There are neither actions nor diction to demonstrate the evil that exists within the society, instead, there is lack of action and silence within the natural environment that symbolically portrays the evil that caused the destruction. Through the use of dramatic colors Clark immediately establishes the intensity and lifeless conditions in which the story is set. “The red sunset, with narrow, black cloud strips” (Clark 292) instantly alludes to aggression, bloodshed, depression and death. The subtly of the wind being “High in the air” (Clark 292) forces the reader to overlook the message that the civilization below is asphyxiating: wind signifies the vital breath of the universe. (University of Michigan). However, the presence of “leafless alders and willows” (Clark 292) and absence of running water reiterates the malevolence that Clark symbolizes throughout his lengthy introduction. Comparatively, “Portable Phonograph” and “Young Goodman Brown” symbolize one concept: evil, regardless of its form, causes harm to all concerned. Sadly Brown looses his faith in humanity while war devastation is disturbingly evident.
A person’s mode of behavior can disclose an evil that is disguised within a character who ultimately causes grave consequences. Evidently, the Misfit in O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard To Find” represents an evil that is recognizable; in contrast, the grandmother in the same story masks an evil that ultimately causes the demise of her entire family. The Misfit, a mentally disturbed child, has recently escaped from the Federal Pen after killing his father, when he encounters the family from Atlanta. From the onset, the reader is aware of the older man’s malice. After being identified, the Misfit engages in a chilling explanation for his mannerism. Clearly, the man sees his life as meaningless and acknowledges that there are “no real pleasures in life” (O’Connor 645). Explaining his deviant and barbarous behavior, after he has ordered the slaying of the grandmother’s family, the Misfit shocks the reader with an insight into his attitude that “there is nothing for you to do but enjoy the few minutes you got left the best way you can—by killing someone or burning down his house or doing some other meanness to him. No pleasures but meanness” (O’Connor 645). Regardless of the possible unfortunate circumstances of his past, the Misfit’s unlawful behavior is blatantly evil and chilling to all. Unlike the Misfit, the grandmother’s facade prevents her true nature from being immediately revealed. Outwardly, the grandmother is irritating. She talks non-stop, badgers her son, and seems to be a busybody. However, we soon discover that she is in fact, deceitful, conspiring, prejudice, and self-serving. Primarily, her concern is her own happiness and her desires being fulfilled such as protecting her cat and being perceived as a well-dressed lady. Her desire to visit an old house from her childhood leads her to manipulate her family when she remarks, “ It would be very educational for them” and entices the family with the prospect of discovering silver behind the secret panels in the house. Compiling with his mother’s persisting demands, Bailey redirects the vehicle where it rolls into a ditch after her cat pounces on him. Once in the ditch, the grandmother invites the occupants of a “big black battered hearse-like automobile” (O’Connor 641) to help, evidently unaware of the foreseeable dangers of such a bid. She quickly identifies the man as being the Misfit. The events that proceed the grandmother’s shriek, “You’re the Misfit!” (O’Connor 642) brand the Misfit as a callous murderer and the grandmother as a blameless victim.
Seemingly, the Misfit’s behavior is impious, whereas, the grandmother’s behavior is not. Moreover, she did not commit a heinous crime like the escapee and therefore should not be categorized as evil. However, the grandmother’s behavior was overlooked and the consequences of this were a factor in the outcome. From the onset, she was perceived as an annoying, older lady, who according to society is harmless and is generally left to his/her own device. In reality, those similar to the grandmother in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” are often overlooked and disregarded as being anything other evil and certainly i capable of causing detrimental harm. Yet, the evil in which she masked proved to be irreparably tragic, leading to the demise of herself and her entire family.
The setting and atmosphere can expose an evil that rests hidden within a society or an environment, consequently, resulting in tragedy. Vividly, Clark’s “Portable Phonograph” depicts a society that has been devastated by war. The setting in which the story takes place masterfully captures the atrocities that recently evolved. Dissimilar is “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson who depicts a community that masks an evil within their charming setting that is both despicable and terrifying. The story takes place on a June morning in the town square of a small village. “Amidst laughter and gossip, families draw slips of paper from the ballot box” (Oehlschlaeger 259-65) in keeping with the tradition of the annual lottery. Jackson depicts the occasion as a festive one that all locals are excited to attend. The climate on the June morning is warm and clear and “the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green (Jackson 268). Jackson includes the time frame in which the lottery drawing will be finished, adding that the villagers will be home in time for noon dinner. As some of the locals are introduced and the formalities of the event are underway, the outcome could never be anticipated. The festivity of the yearly occasion certainly masks the tragedy that eventuates when the winner, Tessie Hutchinson, draws the paper with the black dot. The horror of unexpected stoning in “The Lottery” is magnified because of the serene setting that Jackson skillfully creates and the warm and friendly mannerism of the participants. Jackson is noticeably delving into the dark side of human nature by forming a tradition that is meaningless to many in the village and deliberately evil. Accordingly, there are very few who question the ongoing ritual and admittedly, many forget why there was even such a tradition. When Mr. Adams announces that the north village is contemplating stopping the tradition, Mr. Warner, participating in his seventy-seventh lottery, snorts, “Pack of crazy fools” and is equally disgusted when Mrs. Adams adds, “ Some places have already quit lotteries” (Jackson 271). Perhaps the only humane hope in the story is Mrs. Dunbar who with only small pebbles in her hands says, “I can’t run at all. You’ll have to go ahead and I’ll catch up with you” (Jackson 273). “But we may believe that she will not. Marked by the loss of her son, she may still be the victim and not the perpetrator” (Nebeker 100-107). In contrast, Bobby Martin, Harry Jones, and Dickie Delacroix collect stones and place them in a pile, guarding them from the other children. Other significant participants in the stoning of Tessie Hutchinson include Mr. Adams, who had previously questioned its existence, as he stands at the front of the crowd when the stoning commences. Similarly, Mrs. Delocroix, an acquaintance of the victim, who is pleasant and friendly, represents “the duality of human nature” (Guerin 74) as she selects a stone so large that she must pick it up with two hands. Unlike the pretense setting of the events in the village square, the setting in which “Portable Phonograph” is depicted is outwardly horrific. Within the first paragraphs, Clark includes explicit detail to create a realistic portrayal of the desolated environment. Vivid imagery forces the reader to feel remorse towards the lifeless surroundings that struggle in the midst of “acrid smoke,” “narrow and deeply rutted remains of a road,” and “crusts of shallow, brittle ice” (Clark 292), regardless of who or what is responsible for the conflict. The remnants of tanks and bombs and absence of humans within the setting emphasize the malevolence that Clark intended to illustrate so deliberately. The stoning in “The Lottery” and the ruin in “Portable Phonograph” equally illustrate evil that exists within the respective societies. Admittedly, one deals with instant death, while the other continues an event that kills one person annually. However, the form in which these evils present themselves is irrelevant. While the desolate society has no choice but to deal with the results of the war, the other chooses to remain ignorant to meaningless tradition that causes malevolence to flourish generation after generation.