Footfalls by Wilbur Daniel Steele
"Footfalls" by Wilbur Daniel Steele is a poignant narrative centered around Boaz, a blind Portuguese immigrant and cobbler residing in a small fishing village in New England. Boaz's life is marked by a joyful acceptance of his challenges, including the loss of his wife and his son's shortcomings. His affection for his son, Manuel, is evident, although his tendency to spoil him has led to Manuel's laziness and lack of ambition, contrasting sharply with the industrious lodger, Campbell Walker. The story intensifies when Campbell tries to confront Boaz about Manuel's behavior, while unbeknownst to them, Manuel is eavesdropping on their conversation.
A tragic fire ensues, resulting in Campbell's death, which is shrouded in mystery and leads to Boaz's deep introspection and withdrawal from his vibrant personality. The narrative takes a dramatic turn when Boaz confronts a familiar footstep years later and engages in a violent struggle, ultimately revealing the truth about Campbell's deception and his own silent knowledge. As the community learns the shocking events that transpired, Boaz emerges transformed, ready to rebuild both his home and his life. The story explores themes of perception, misunderstanding, and the complexities of human relationships, making it a compelling read for those interested in character-driven storytelling.
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Footfalls by Wilbur Daniel Steele
First published: 1920
Type of plot: Fable
Time of work: The 1920's
Locale: An unnamed New England coastal town
Principal Characters:
Boaz Negro , a hardworking, happy, blind cobblerManuel , his shiftless sonCampbell Walker , his lodger, a bank clerk
The Story
Boaz Negro, a blind Portuguese immigrant cobbler living in a small New England fishing village, has faced his disability and other hardships, such as the death of his wife, unflinchingly and with a cheerful equanimity that flows from his ineradicable joy in life. He loves his fellow townspeople, whom he recognizes by their footsteps, but he especially dotes on his son, Manuel. He is always ready to supply the young man with pocket money, unable to see that his spoiling has made Manuel too lazy to set on a definite career path. Manuel contrasts sharply with Campbell Walker, Boaz's lodger, who has moved to the town to take an important position at the local bank, and who gives every sign of being destined for prominence.
The story's pivotal events occur one evening when Campbell tries to make Boaz aware of his son's slothfulness. Their conversation is inconclusive because Boaz resolutely maintains that his son is too sickly to hold a steady job. In the course of the talk, Campbell drops a concealed money bag. Taking the cobbler into his confidence, he explains he must hide some bank gold in his room overnight. Campbell does not realize that Manuel is eavesdropping from the other room. Later, Boaz hears Campbell invite Manuel to a game of cards and then hears one man leave the building. Boaz broods over these occurrences, finding out almost too late that his house is on fire.
Once the fire is doused, a charred body, apparently that of the young clerk, is discovered on the bed. His skull has been bashed in and his money is missing. Rather than comment on his son's apparent viciousness, Boaz withdraws into himself, not speaking except to swear that he will repay that cachorra, referring to the murderer with the Portuguese word for dog.
Many years pass and Boaz works on stubbornly, having become cold and taciturn where he was once jolly and lively. He refuses to rebuild his dwelling, residing in the largely burned-out hulk of the original structure. The only time that Boaz arouses himself is when he hears an unfamiliar footstep.
One evening a man enters the shop and startles Boaz, who remembers the sound of the man's steps from long ago. After extinguishing the lights to hinder his opponent, he wrestles him to the ground and strangles him to death. Feeling his victim's face, Boaz is upset by the roughness of a beard. When townspeople force their way into the shop, having been alerted to trouble by the sounds of a violent struggle, they meet the fantastic sight of Boaz kneeling beside and shaving the man he has slain. The second shocker for them is that the corpse is Campbell, who had faked his death in order to cover the tracks of his escape.
Boaz now states that on the night of his son's murder he recognized the fleeing man by the way he walked but had been afraid, given the stereotyped views most people held of his son and the clerk, that no one would believe his story. Thus, he had nursed his knowledge in secret.
Because of the extraordinary nature of the provocation, Boaz is not brought to trial and now, although chastened, he returns to his better spirits and sets to work to rebuild his house and renew his life.