Miss Cynthie by Rudolph Fisher
"Miss Cynthie" is a short story by Rudolph Fisher that explores the cultural clash between rural and urban life through the experiences of its titular character, a seventy-year-old woman from Waxhaw, who travels to New York City to visit her grandson, Dave Tappen. Despite her spry demeanor and quick wit, Miss Cynthie is apprehensive about the mysterious nature of Dave's work, which is hinted to be less than respectable. Upon arriving, she is struck by Dave's glamorous lifestyle, characterized by his elegant dress and upscale living arrangements, which stand in stark contrast to her humble origins.
The narrative reaches a turning point when Miss Cynthie accompanies Dave to a theatrical performance, where she is shocked to discover that he is a celebrated singer and dancer. Her initial feelings of disgust and pious outrage about the theater gradually give way to a deeper understanding of the artistic expression taking place. In a pivotal moment, Dave acknowledges Miss Cynthie's influence on his success, attributing his talent to her nurturing, which ultimately leads her to reconcile her views on entertainment. The story concludes with a sense of pride and joy for Miss Cynthie, as she embraces her grandson's achievements while reflecting on the complexities of cultural values and familial love.
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Miss Cynthie by Rudolph Fisher
First published: 1923
Type of plot: Social realism
Time of work: The 1920's
Locale: Harlem, New York City
Principal Characters:
Miss Cynthie , a seventy-year-old southern grandmotherDave Tappen , the grandson whom she raisedRuth , Dave's girlfriend and show partner
The Story
Miss Cynthie has just arrived in New York City from Waxhaw, the author's frequent prototype of the rural South. She has come to visit her grandson, Dave Tappen, whom she raised after his mother's death. Dave has apparently done well for himself since coming to the city, as evidenced by his sending money to his family back home in Waxhaw. It is clear from the beginning of the story, however, that Miss Cynthie does not know in what type of employment her grandson is engaged. Miss Cynthie, as she insists on being called, is seventy years old, yet she is very spry and quick-witted, in contrast to what might be assumed from her bumpkinish appearance and outlandish baggage.
In the opening scene, Miss Cynthie engages in a good-natured banter with the redcap who offers to assist her with her luggage. During her climb from the train depot up to the street level, Miss Cynthie turns the topic of conversation to her grandson, who is to meet her at the station. She shares with the man her hopes for her grandson's success, but she is clearly apprehensive about the type of work in which he is engaged.
When Dave Tappen arrives to pick up his grandmother, he is immediately recognized by the redcap as someone with a wide-ranging reputation, although the redcap does not reveal why Dave is so well known. The redcap's subsequent chuckle at Miss Cynthie's hopes for her grandson's accomplishment—a preacher, a doctor, or an undertaker, at least—heightens the suspicion that Dave is engaged in some activity of which Miss Cynthie would not approve. Dave's elegant mode of dress, his exquisite "robin's egg blue open Packard with scarlet wheels," and his luxurious, well-appointed apartment in one of the best areas of the city add more mystery to the source of his income.
The next evening, Dave and his girlfriend Ruth take Miss Cynthie to the Lafayette Theater, where crowds of people compete for his attention. Still unbeknownst to Miss Cynthie, Dave has become a celebrated singer and dancer and will perform in the show's debut later in the evening. As Miss Cynthie watches the opening act of the show, she is a mixture of incredulity, amusement, disgust, and pious outrage because she inwardly considers the theater a sinful enterprise. Although the show's scenes of cottonfields, the good-natured humor, and the music awaken some interest in Miss Cynthie, they are not enough to cover her shock and embarrassment when her beloved grandson dances onstage amid a group of scantily clad dancing girls. Miss Cynthie can hardly contain the heartbreak of seeing the boy whom she raised "from a babe" turn into a "tool of the devil." For the remainder of the show, Miss Cynthie withdraws as she bemoans her grandson's activity and her own failure and complicity in what he has become.
At the close of the show, however, Dave comes onstage alone and sings a song that Miss Cynthie taught him as a child. To the delight of the audience and the pride of Miss Cynthie, Dave acknowledges his grandmother as his inspiration and attributes his success to her wise and wholesome teachings. He gives her one of the many floral bouquets tossed to him onstage. Miss Cynthie, through an epiphany of sorts, comes to understand that neither entertainers nor theatergoers are necessarily "tools of the devil." She realizes that she has not lost Dave to the city's vices but that he is engaged in a wholesome expression of his art, and she becomes reconciled with her beloved grandson. As the story closes, Miss Cynthie is singing and tapping her foot to the little jingle that she taught Dave as a child and that has now made him famous.