Laura Wexler's Fire In A Canebrake

In Fire in a Canebrake, Laura Wexler describes a truly infamous event in mid-twentieth century American history. Wexler does not simply stop at describing the Moore’s Ford lynching of 1946 though, she goes so far as to incorporate it into our understanding of the world at the time by carefully unraveling the various complexities that surrounded the event itself. Furthermore, she is able to make sense of an otherwise very disorganized collection of accounts and shape it all together to reveal larger historical context. As the novel progresses, it is easy to see that Wexler is more interested in painting a broad historical picture for the reader than she is in merely outlining the horrible quadruple killing of George W. Dorsey, Mae Murray Dorsey,

Roger Malcom, and Dorothy Malcom.
Wexler’s purpose is immediately noticeable through the extreme detail of her writing.

Her awareness throughout the text in regards to setting, character introduction, and even overarching themes such as national and state-level politics is exceptional. These are the elements that build the backbone of Fire in a Canebrake. In the text, Wexler mentions a key NAACP figure by the name of Walter White. She notes his statements regarding the lynching, but then also contextualizes them: “Walter White knew few specifics about the lynching victims . . . but specifics [to him] didn’t matter because the victims were now symbols of injustice: a NAACP cause” (Wexler, 78). In contrast, Wexler’s goal, as expressed through her writing, is much more gripping than this. She, is fully invested in specifics. She even mentions in the author’s note that she tried to bring the lynching victims to life (Wexler, 266). She definitely exceeds expectations in that aspect by including in-depth biographies for each character. Additionally, Wexler includes explanations of characters’ relationships to one another and even provides a look into the actions of the characters before / leading up to the actual lynching. This information allows the reader to really connect with the characters and understand the context of the situation they

faced.
With that being said, the lynching victims are assuredly viewed as more than just symbols or pieces of a story. For example, Wexler writes that George Murray had “love for music” and “skill as a farmer” (Wexler, 99). It is in this way that Wexler is able to evoke empathy for an innocent person much like the NAACP might have done back in 1946. On the flip side though, she also writes of things that organizations like the NAACP or other individuals may have chosen to ignore for various reasons. For example, the possibility of any of the lynching victims having previously engaged in some kind of sexual activity with whites. There is a lot to be respected here of Wexler’s ability and desire to give as much of the narrative as possible to readers, sparing no detail. It is because of this that we have the ability to see the broad historical picture mentioned earlier—a time when a man or woman as human as any had to live in perpetual fear across all aspects of life, from walking to church to attempting to vote.
Wexler’s skill is then furthered by conclusions that she draws.