The Convict by James Lee Burke
"The Convict" by James Lee Burke is a short story set in New Iberia, Louisiana, focusing on the experiences of a young white boy named Avery Broussard during an encounter with an escaped African American prisoner. The narrative unfolds over three days, highlighting the complex dynamics of race and community during a time marked by overt racial discrimination. As tensions rise, Avery observes the differing attitudes of his parents—his father, Will, is more progressive in his views, while his mother, Margaret, embodies the fears prevalent in their community.
The story begins with a discussion among men in a bar about racial integration, revealing deeply ingrained societal attitudes. When they learn about the escaped convicts, Avery's family faces escalating anxiety and moral dilemmas. Avery discovers the convict hiding in a houseboat, which leads to a series of events that challenge his understanding of right and wrong, as well as the nature of compassion in a prejudiced society. Ultimately, the narrative explores themes of fear, empathy, and the impact of societal views on personal actions, leaving a lasting impression on Avery as he grapples with his family's decisions and the realities of their community.
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The Convict by James Lee Burke
First published: 1985
Type of plot: Social realism, regional
Time of work: About 1945
Locale: Louisiana
Principal Characters:
Avery Broussard , the narratorWill Broussard , his fatherMargaret Broussard , his motherThe convict , an African American escaped criminal
The Story
"The Convict" describes an encounter with an escaped African American prisoner from the point of view of a young white boy. The events of three days make an indelible impact on young Avery Broussard as he observes how his mother and father and the community act and react.
The story begins in the small town of New Iberia, Louisiana, where Avery is with his father and several other men in a hotel bar. Will Broussard, his father, is a respected member of the community, but when he mentions the possibility of racial integration in the schools, it is clear none of the other men share his view. After they leave and pick up Avery's mother from a book club meeting, Avery asks his father why he drinks with the men as they always end up arguing. His mother, Margaret, says that Will should not provoke them.
At a roadblock they are told that two dangerous convicts, one of whom is an African American, have escaped from an Angola prison truck and are in the area. Margaret becomes increasingly anxious, and when they hear the door on their tractor shed banging, she does not want her husband to go outside in the rain. When her husband returns, Margaret tells him that she has heard on the radio that one of the escapees is a murderer. About 3:00 a.m., they hear the door bang again. Avery watches his father go out, then come back and take some towels and a lunch pail back to the shed.
Margaret stays in her room that morning, clearly upset with her husband. Will suggests that his son go to a picture show, but instead Avery pokes around an old houseboat left stranded on the shore years before. He sees a bloodied black man huddled on the floor, the chains of his broken handcuffs nailed to a beam of wood. Before Avery can say anything, his father yanks him away.
Margaret insists that they call the sheriff. Will promises that the man will be gone that night and that he is no threat to them. The rest of the day they do not speak to each other. That evening, Avery watches his father take a sack to the old houseboat and hears him tell the man to take the provisions and get out of the area. The next day Margaret goes to her sister's house.
When night comes, Avery sees a light in the trees and knows the convict is back. Will and Avery find him carrying a knife and no longer wearing his prison uniform. He says he came back because there are too many men looking for him. He admits he was in prison for murder and needs a place to hide. Will makes Avery go back to the house, and soon Avery hears a shotgun blast. He assumes his father has shot the convict, but Will says he just shot to scare him away and that he will have to call the sheriff now.
Later Avery and his parents stand on the front lawn with the sheriff and watch four deputies put the convict in a squad car. Will says that he had helped the man the night before. The sheriff says no one would believe that. Margaret is relieved that the sheriff is not going to tell what really happened and fixes a fine meal for her husband and son. The story ends with Avery thinking that at the time he did not understand why his parents acted as they did, he only felt grateful that the strife was at least temporarily over.