Spoon River Anthology · Chapter
The Spooniad explained
An epic fragment by Jonathan Swift Somers, recounting the political and social strife in Spoon River sparked by Flossie Cabanis's return and the ensuing conflict between Thomas Rhodes and John Cabanis, culminating in a violent election day
What happens
An epic fragment by Jonathan Swift Somers, recounting the political and social strife in Spoon River sparked by Flossie Cabanis's return and the ensuing conflict between Thomas Rhodes and John Cabanis, culminating in a violent election day featuring the duel between hog-eyed Allen and Bengal Mike.
Themes in this chapter
Hypocrisy and Corruption
Thomas Rhodes rules the church and bank, using religious authority to suppress personal freedoms while engaging in financial manipulation.
Class and Power
The liberal-conservative divide reflects class struggle, with the bank and church controlling economic and moral life.
Illusion vs. Reality
The epic form ironically elevates petty local conflicts, contrasting grand poetic language with the mundane and violent reality.
Characters to notice
- Judge Somers
Author of the epic fragment, depicted as a deep student of life and a counselor to the conservative faction.
- Thomas Rhodes
Ruler of the church and bank, disapproves of Flossie Cabanis and leads the conservative opposition.
- Flossie Cabanis
Daughter of John Cabanis, whose return with a troupe of players and provocative dance sparks the town's conflict.
- Daisy Fraser
Appears at the liberal meeting, throws gold and silver to the cause, and is nearly ejected from the hall.
- Kinsey Keene
Subtle-witted liberal who brings in Bengal Mike to counter hog-eyed Allen.
- John Allen
Hog-eyed Allen, champion of A. D. Blood, terrorizes the liberals and fights Bengal Mike.
- Jack McGuire
Shoots the town marshal, leading to cries of 'Lynch him!'
- Willie Metcalf
The idiot who warns the liberals of the marshal's impending arrest and the arrival of hog-eyed Allen.
Key passages
“Of John Cabanis’ wrath and of the strife Of hostile parties, and his dire defeat Who led the common people in the cause Of freedom for Spoon River, and the fall Of Rhodes’ bank that brought unnumbered woes And loss to many, with engendered hate That flamed into the torch in Anarch hands To burn the courthouse, on whose blackened wreck A fairer temple rose and Progress stood—”
The epic will tell of John Cabanis's anger, the party conflict, his defeat as a leader of the common people, the bank failure causing widespread suffering, and the resulting hatred that led to an anarchist burning the courthouse, after which a new, better building symbolized progress.
Opening invocation setting the epic's scope.
“Then, since the mercy seats more empty showed, One of God’s chosen lifted up his voice: “The woman of Babylon is among us; rise, Ye sons of light and drive the wanton forth!””
Because church attendance declined, a preacher denounced Flossie Cabanis as a sinful woman and called for her expulsion.
Religious hypocrisy used to target Flossie.
“Whether to lie supine and let a clique Cold-blooded, scheming, hungry, singing psalms, Devour our substance, wreck our banks and drain Our little hoards for hazards on the price Of wheat or pork, or yet to cower beneath The shadow of a spire upreared to curb A breed of lackeys and to serve the bank Coadjutor in greed, that is the question.”
Harmon Whitney asks whether the people should passively allow a hypocritical, greedy clique to ruin them financially and control their lives through the church.
Central rhetorical question of the liberal cause.
“I wish to God this fight were now inspired By other passion than to salve the pride Of John Cabanis or his daughter.”
Jefferson Howard laments that the conflict is driven by personal pride rather than a noble cause.
Critique of the trivial motivation behind the political struggle.
