North of Boston · Chapter
The Code explained
In a hayfield, a town-bred farmer makes an offhand comment about taking pains, which is misinterpreted by one of his hired hands, James, who storms off.
What happens
In a hayfield, a town-bred farmer makes an offhand comment about taking pains, which is misinterpreted by one of his hired hands, James, who storms off. The remaining hand, a country-born worker, explains the local code: a skilled laborer will not be told how to do his job. He then recounts a story of a previous boss, Sanders, who gave a command that was taken as an insult, leading the worker to bury him under a load of hay in retaliation, though Sanders survived unharmed but humiliated.
Themes in this chapter
Work and Labor
The poem explores the unwritten rules of farm labor, where a worker's pride and autonomy are paramount, and being told how to do a job is a grave insult.
Communication and Misunderstanding
The farmer's innocent comment is misinterpreted by James, and the narrator's story illustrates how a command can be taken as a challenge, leading to violent retaliation.
Characters to notice
- Unknown Narrator
The town-bred farmer who fails to understand the local labor code and makes an innocent comment that offends James.
- Unknown Narrator 2
The country-born hired hand who explains the code and recounts the story of Sanders.
- James
The hired hand who takes offense at the farmer's comment about taking pains and leaves the field.
- Sanders
The former boss who was buried under hay by the narrator after giving an insulting command.
Key passages
“The hand that knows his business won’t be told To do work better or faster—those two things.”
A skilled worker will not accept instructions on how to improve or speed up his work.
This line encapsulates the central code of the poem: experienced laborers resent being directed in their craft.
“Never you say a thing like that to a man, Not if he values what he is. God, I’d as soon Murdered him as left out his middle name.”
Never give a man a command like 'Let her come' if he has any self-respect; I would have preferred to kill him than to let that insult stand.
The narrator explains the severity of the insult that led him to bury Sanders under the hay.