Major Molineux

Robin came looking for his kinsman, Major Molineux, in Massachusetts Bay.  But Robin failed to realize a bit of important information that might have helped his journey later on.  The Governors of Massachusetts Bay had all been driven out of power in some way.  Two of them were thrown in jail because of the populous. One was driven any by musket fire.  Another one, according to one historian, was argued to death by The House of Representatives.  The other two had the luck before the revolution to have peaceful terms.  Robin had just turned 18 and he was country-raised.  He wore a three pointed hat and well worn gear, except for his stocking, which were mad by his mom and sister. He had just gotten off the ferry and started to walk the streets until he realized that he did not know which way to go.  Robin’s wallet was light.  He processed down a street that became wider and had houses that seemed respectable to him.  One of the first people that he happened upon was a barber and a old man with a long dark coat and a shiny cane.  Robin stopped the man and asked loudly about the whereabouts of Major Molineux’ house.  The old man, surprisingly, in a angry tone, said that he did not know the man and because of his perceived disrespect Robin could be sent to the stocks in the morning.  Robin thought that this was just bad luck, but as the night wore on, anytime he asked about his kinsman he would get strange reactions.  He asked for his kinsman in a bar where he noticed a disfigured man talking in the corner.  After he asked ( and almost caught the ire of everyone in the bar)  the disfigured man sneered at him.  Soon after that and other incidents (Including a run in with a seductive housekeeper) robbing was told by the disfigured man that he would be able to meet his kinsman in front of a church.  The youth meet another man while waiting.  Robin explained to this man that the reason he wanted to meet Major Molineux is because he was rich and he was to help him gain a start in this world.  Then the men hear a ruckus coming down the street.  It was a parade of the town’s folk, followed by a cart, whiched contained his Kinsman, Tarred and Feathered.  After seeing this sight Robin wished to leave that night, but the man who stayed with him said no, not tonight that he should stay in town before deciding what to do.

            This story seemed like a ghost story at first and with out the information about the previous Governors being driven out of town, instead of killed; I would have kept thinking it was a ghost story until the end.  The protagonist, Robin, could be an audience stand in or a youth arriving in the big city.  Like the audience, he only knows little about the city.  The only things that I think keeps him from being a full audience surrogate is that the audience has advantage of knowing about the previous governors of the city.  I like how the city dwellers hint at the fact that the Major may not want to be found by the boy.  Everyone either acts hostile towards him or laugh him off.  At first the city seems inviting, with it’s nice streets and houses.  But the more he tries to find his kin, the more the city seems to turn darker.  Later on the streets are called strange and desolate.  After waiting in front of the church he (like any of us who has waited for someone outside) started to notice the townscape more.  It’s at this point that it seems the story is trying to give a respite from the strangeness in the story.  The streets near the church are described as Familiar with a beautiful strangeness and that they are beautiful under the moon.  This is before the crowd comes thorough and reveals the horrible truth to Robin.  It’s at this point, at the end of the story, that robin has a choice, and he can either stay in the city to try to find his own way from scratch or return home.