# Kinsey Keene explained — Spoon River Anthology

> Chapter companion for Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters.

## What happens

Kinsey Keene delivers a defiant epitaph, addressing the town's elite—Thomas Rhodes, Coolbaugh Whedon, Rev. Peet, A. D. Blood, and the Social Purity Club—with Cambronne's legendary retort at Waterloo, commanding that his final words be carved upon his stone.

## Themes in this chapter

### Hypocrisy and Corruption

Kinsey Keene's epitaph targets the town's moral authorities, implying their hypocrisy.

### Death and Legacy

The speaker commands his defiant last words be inscribed on his stone, shaping his posthumous identity.

## Character check-ins

### Kinsey Keene

Speaker of the epitaph; addresses the town's power figures with defiance.

### Thomas Rhodes

President of the bank; directly called out by Kinsey Keene.

## Key lines

> Your attention, Thomas Rhodes, president of the bank; Coolbaugh Whedon, editor of the Argus ; Rev. Peet, pastor of the leading church; A. D. Blood, several times Mayor of Spoon River; And finally all of you, members of the Social Purity Club⁠— Your attention to Cambronne’s dying words...

Listen up, you town bigwigs—banker, editor, preacher, ex-mayor, and all you purity crusaders—I've got something to say, and it's the same thing Cambronne shouted at Waterloo.

_Kinsey Keene calls out the local establishment by name before delivering his insult._

> Well, what Cambronne said to Maitland Ere the English fire made smooth the brow of the hill Against the sinking light of day Say I to you, and all of you, And to you, O world. And I charge you to carve it Upon my stone.

So what Cambronne told the English commander just before the final volley—that's what I'm telling you, every last one of you, and the whole world. And I order you to chisel it on my tombstone.

_The speaker demands his defiant final words be immortalized on his grave marker._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/spoon_river_anthology_se/chapters/kinsey-keene
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/spoon_river_anthology_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/spoon_river_anthology_se/chapters