The HomosexualTransgenderTransvestite Culture in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Based on scholarly studies, homosexuality may be defined as a deviant form of sexuality because gay men do not reach the theoretical normal developmental end point of resolving the Oedipus complex by desiring someone like their mothers and identifying with their fathers (Cabaj Stein 452). On the other hand, the term transgender may be defined as an umbrella term that covers a wide variety of ideas and manifestations, all relating to gender and its remarkable potential for unique personal expression (Sheridan Sullivan 1). The transvestite is enacting a fiction of gender transformation and directing his audience toward an inherently contradictory interpretation of his gender (Kahn 14). The research and analysis of a piece of literature, with underlying themes including the homosexual, transgender, and transvestite culture will the primary purpose of the paper.
In John Berendts book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, the author has prominently fit in the homosexualtransgendertransvestite culture in his main characters. The story, which was set in Savannah, Georgia, explored social interaction in the community, especially among the homosexuals, transgenders, and transvestites in the community. Furthermore, the book explored how the small town perceived eccentricity and how the perceptions and ideas of the people influence how individuals of the third sex, in turn, perceive and handle themselves publicly.
Based on a true story, Berendt wrote the book in the first-person perspective narrating how the primary voice telling the story learns about life in Savannah and the controversies and the interestingly eccentric characters that live in the ideally dull and boring small town life. (Berendt) The primary purpose of Berendt, however, in writing the book was to relate the culture of Savannah, a small town, which refuses to deal with changes and accept modern ideas, perspectives, and way of life.
On the whole, the story revolves on the murder of a local, Danny Hansford, and the narrators fixation in looking into and understanding how and why the death happened. Along the way, Berendt unravels who the culprit is along with other murders that have been unaccounted for, remaining as ghosts or shadows in the small towns history. The author seemed to focus on the quality of life in the small town based on the norms or morals inherent within the environment by mirroring it in characterization. Although the plot or theme of the novel was not primarily about homosexualstransgenderstransvestites, the dominance of these characters in the novel makes it an interesting piece to discuss since it offers a different and wider perspective about the themes and issues that concern homosexualstransgenderstransvestites. The focus of the succeeding discussion will then be in exploring how the above themes are discussed and presented in the novel from the perspective of the author.
Depiction of HomosexualsTransgendersTransvestites in the Novel
The novel is about a murder trial of the death of Danny Hansford, a male prostitute, at the Mercer House, which is owned by Jim Williams. Jim Williams, on the other hand, belongs to the privileged in Savannah. Williams has obtained his status and possessions as an antique dealer and a restorer of houses in town. He was also known for the lavish parties he throw that only the most influential and prominent individuals in Savannah attend to. The death of Hansford was a result of the altercation between himself and Williams. (Berendt)
The problem between both characters was brought about by issues about love, relationship, and money, but Williams, unwilling to expose his sexuality and relationship with Hansford, placed the blame on the latter and utilized Hansfords unconventional behavior as an excuse in justifying his death. Apparently, Hansford had emotional problems and was known to resort to alcoholism and drug addiction. Thus, it was easy for the locals of Savannah to believe that Hansfords death was his own fault and to relieve Williams from guilt and accusations although he was entirely responsible for Hansford and four others death. (Berendt)
Although the relationship between Hansford and Williams was implied in the novel, the locals of Savannah were nave and unaccepting of homosexuality enough to leave them ignorant or in denial of Williams sexuality and his relationship with his lover, Hansford. Added to the townspeoples acceptance of Williams and Hansfords relationship and sexuality was the formers position in society. Although Williams was at fault for Hansfords death and the investigation of his death should have been seen as a crime of passion, the authorities did not explore this side of the case, and it was because Williams belonged to a well-to-do household. So what does the story imply then about homosexuality in Savannah in the South during that time The story simply denotes that homosexuality was either not accepted in the local community or the locals in Savannah remain ignorant about homosexuality and were unable to see people as who they truly are beyond their status and material possessions.
On the whole, the judgments of the people of Savannah on homosexuality were based on social norms and status. Accepting or ignoring the sexuality of an individual is subjective to the individuals social status or position in society. (Welsch Adams, 180) As expressed by Welsch Adams, the homosexuality of these characters exists below the surface of socially acceptable behavior. In both, what is hidden o taboo proves mysterious and fascinating, but also easy to condemn. Because it exposes to many levels of an intricate social order, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil can be used to initiate discussion of the complex hierarchies and social interaction imposed by variations in culture (180).
Williams, in turn, took advantage of the mindset and judgments of the locals by masking his sexuality and his crimes through propriety and abiding by the norms and standards set by society in small town Savannah. (Johnson 3-4) Denby described Williams ability to escape from being judged by the people in Savannah since The eccentricity in the small town is able to flourish precisely because of the exquisite dedication to manners and propriety. Jim Williams wants to play the game by the rules and survive. His defense, in part, depends on his social standing, his friends, and his reputation. Refinement is part of his armor (120).
On one hand of the argument, it may be argued that judgments against homosexuals depend on other factors, and that the people in Savannah may exhibit a little respect or pseudo respect towards homosexuals as long as they belong to the upper classes of society. In the novel, the locals were willing to look past and just ignore Williams sexuality and crimes since the man is rich and well respected in the business circle. Thus, homosexuality and judgments towards it in the novel relates to an all-encompassing truth. The all-encompassing truth is that homosexuality is taboo and most people in Savannah do not receive homosexuality well, but their disapproval may be ignored if the individual who is judged is an affluent who holds power in society. The phenomenon may also be described as discrimination within discrimination or double discrimination, since homosexuals are discriminated upon, but still homosexuals are also discriminated based on their social status. (Alexander)
Another distinct feature of homosexual culture in the book is the lack of self-acceptance and courage to bear ones sexuality. Thus, past homosexual culture, as represented by the culture set in Savannah in the novel, is more inhibited and fearful of society. Today, however, homosexuality is being paraded, literally and figuratively, as a sign of liberalism, power and pride, mirroring self-acceptance among homosexuality and their personal satisfaction or pleasure in showing people who they are on the inside.
The character of Lady Chablis represents the transgendertransvestite culture, and may also be the symbolism of illusion in the novel. Lady Chablis is a cross-dresser who takes pills in order to enhance his female features. Unlike Williams, Lady Chablis was open about his sexuality and took major steps in order to assert it even in a traditional community. Thus, if homosexuality, as symbolized by Williams in the novel, was inhibited and fearful of outside judgments, transgenderism and cross-dressing were the opposite. Despite the traditional and conservative nature of Savannah, Lady Chablis was very open in introducing herself as female. Although Lady Chablis may have had her share of prejudice, the drag queen relates that as long as he steers clear from other individuals who might give him a hard time because of his sexuality, there will be no altercations or any problems. (Johnson 343-345) In the novel, Lady Chablis shows strength in his character as he endured the embarrassment of other people for him, as well as other crimes committed against him such as molestation.
The homosexualtransgendertransvestite culture in Savannah, as depicted in the novel, is the change that is seeking to tip the balance of social norms in the small town. Homosexuality and the transgendertransvestite culture are depicted in two different ways. Homosexuality is inhibited and repressed, but still manages to creep all over the small town as many of the characters in the book exhibit internally conflicted souls. Furthermore, the actual experiences of Lady Chablis, as she recounted in actual interviews, reveal that there are men in Savannah who are inwardly homosexual, while some even molested the drag queen against her will. The transgendertransvestite culture, on the other hand, was depicted openly.
According to Psychologists, repression of homosexuality may the cause of inhuman or immoral acts against other human beings, including sexual molestation. Thus, it is possible that the experiences of Lady Chablis may be brought about by the refusal of some men in Savannah to acknowledge their homosexuality. Consequently, Lady Chablis, being openly gay and accepting of his identity was considered as the easy target for men in the small town to victimize, since they repress their homosexuality and try with difficulty to hide their true self from others. Rosario said that
The detection of denied or repressed homosexuality was also viewed as useful for diagnostic purposes in cases of suspected sex offenses, paranoia, and schizophrenia. As noted earlier, Sigmund Freud (1911) had first suggested that paranoia might be a manifestation of repressed homosexuality Paranoiacs defend themselves against their own despised homoerotic yearnings by imagining that the object of their passion hates them (94).
The homosexualtransgendertransvestite culture is not inhibited or not repressed, but still considered taboo in the small town. Despite the refusal of the small town to accept or acknowledge the culture however, the two still remain to be strong forces that were pushing Savannah to change and to come to terms with the homosexualtransgendertransvestite culture.
Repressed homosexuality, as one of the primary themes in the novel, may be understood by relying on psychological information or findings. According to May, Strikwerda, Hopkins,
To some extent, the explanation of repressed homosexuality may be wish fulfillment on the part of some gays. Forced necessity of survival to be secretive and cryptic themselves, many gay men find it eminently reasonable to suspect any man of potential homosexual desire, and in fact, want such to be the case.
It is reasonable, if optimistic, to hope that there are really more of you than there seem to be. And in light of the fact that many openly gay men report that they used to be homophobic themselves, the repression theory seems to be both empirically sound as well as emotionally attractive (102).
At the end of the novel, Berendt has managed to relate the stubbornness of Savannah in acknowledging the changes in the local community, which is not a result of outside intervention nor presence in the small community, but a change in culture that starts from the towns individual members. Berendt related, from his own observation, that Savannah is a small town that shuts itself from the world and continually seeks to preserve its culture amidst cultural and societal changes in the outside world. It is one of the ultimate goals of Savannah to preserve its culture despite modernism. The presence of the homosexualtransgendertransvestite culture in the small community signifies change, liberalism, and progressiveness. The culture may be considered an agent of change, or a sign that Savannah then was on the brink of changing despite the towns refusal or stubborn nature. Thus, the homosexualtransgendertransvestite culture may be considered as a threat to little Savannahs goal of cultural preservation.
Conclusion
Overall, although the novel, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, does not directly or purposefully tackles the homosexualtransgendertransvestite culture, the presence of characters that practice or observe the culture makes it an ideal piece of literature to explore and understand. The social issues emphasized by Berendt in the novel are deeply tied with how the local community in Savannah treated individuals in the novel who were homosexuals. At Savannah, social status and affluence are the primary criteria for judging human beings. Individuals who hold valuable positions in society are being judged less and are valued by the townspeople, but individuals who belong to poor families are neglected and ignored. Williams, who was hinted as a homosexual, who allegedly killed his lover belonging to a poor family, was still respected despite his involvement in a heinous crime. On the other hand, the townspeople judged the victim, Hansford, because he was poor. Further judgments were passed about his personality and way of life due to his social status. The respect or pseudo respect that the townspeople had for Williams showed how the local community is nave or ignorant about homosexuality or just respectful of Williams social position. Nevertheless, the people at Savannah do not make proper and fair judgments against the people they deal with.
The underlying themes of homosexual transgendertransvestite culture involve the inevitable nature of change and how the way of life of individuals in the community influence how it will adopt or change its culture. In the novel, homosexuality is represented as a repressed nature, while the transgendertransvestite culture was depicted as open and accepting. Despite the differences in the two concepts, it is important to consider that the homosexualitytransgendertransvestite culture will eventually change the social structure, culture, and tradition at Savannah, if it has not already happened in the past years.
Homosexuality and the transgendertransvestite culture may be considered as agents of social change that threaten the norm of the traditional society. In the book, the presence of such issues or themes reflects the changing Savannah and how its social structure is beginning to reshape the traditions and culture of the small town.
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