Exchange Value by Charles Johnson
"Exchange Value" by Charles Johnson explores themes of poverty, greed, and the psychological impacts of wealth through the story of two young men, Cooter and Loftis, who break into the apartment of their reclusive neighbor, Elnora Bailey. The narrative unfolds as they discover Elnora's lifeless body and a shocking amount of hidden wealth, including cash, stocks, and jewelry, accumulated over her lifetime. This unexpected treasure is juxtaposed with the stark reality of Elnora's life, revealing her struggles and the drastic change that wealth can impose.
As Cooter and Loftis grapple with their newfound riches, their actions reflect their differing responses to wealth: Cooter is wary and feels a moral conflict, while Loftis becomes increasingly obsessed with hoarding. The story raises questions about the value of material wealth versus emotional well-being, and how societal perceptions of money can influence personal identity and relationships. Ultimately, "Exchange Value" serves as a poignant commentary on the complexities of economic disparity and the human experience surrounding wealth, inviting readers to reflect on their understanding of value in their own lives.
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Exchange Value by Charles Johnson
First published: 1981
Type of plot: Psychological
Time of work: 1980
Locale: Chicago
Principal Characters:
Cooter , the narrator, a young, unemployed African American manLoftis , his ambitious older brotherElnora Bailey , a neighbor woman
The Story
Cooter and his brother Loftis break into the apartment of Elnora Bailey, an old black woman whose apartment is down their own hall. The woman has not been seen for a while, and although these two young men are not criminals by habit, they believe she will be an easy mark.
They find that Elnora, who is known around the neighborhood as a beggar, has been hoarding money and material things, including her own feces in coffee cans, for quite some time. They find her body, inflated in death, as well as close to $900,000 and additional wealth in the form of stocks and jewelry. They also discover many years' worth of old junk, including, most disturbing to Cooter, three portions of a tree. An old issue of the Chicago Defender tells them that she inherited most of her wealth from a former employer for whom she had worked as a maid.
Cooter urges his brother to forget the money and leave the things where they are, fearing they could be cursed. After Loftis dismisses his fears, the two set about moving everything valuable to their apartment. While they wonder what they should do with their haul, Cooter takes some money and goes on a shopping spree, buying himself new clothes. When he returns, Loftis has changed the locks and rigged a booby trap to protect their new things from anyone who would try to take them.
Loftis is angry that Cooter has spent $250 on clothing and warns him not to spend any more money until he, Loftis, returns from work. After Loftis leaves, the superintendent of the building discovers Elnora's dead body, and as she is being carried away, Cooter looks at her face and thinks that he can see there the poverty she dealt with for many years, and the way the money she unexpectedly inherited changed her. When Loftis does not return for four days, Cooter, obeying Loftis's command not to spend any more of the money, begs for food at a local diner, as Elnora once did.
When Loftis finally comes home, Cooter wants to confront him, but Loftis falls fast asleep. Cooter sees that Loftis has taped to a penny the message, "Found while walking down Devon Avenue." Seeing that Loftis has decided to hoard wealth like Elnora did, Cooter wonders if it has to be this way, but places this newfound penny with the rest of their wealth.
Bibliography
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