The Collected Stories of Chester Himes Book

COUNTDOWN: Mid-20th Century North American Crime
BOOK 85 (of 250)
In 1933, Himes published his first six works: five shorts and the novella, "Prison Mass". I've read 3 of Himes' novels and they were especially good in characters and atmosphere, so I chose "Prison Mass" to read first and to review. Besides, Himes probably wrote this while in prison. Does Himes deliver on characters and atmosphere during the first phase of his career?
HOOK - 3 stars: "The convicts shuffled up the worn, wooden stairs, filed through the doorway into the Catholic Chapel, 2 by 2....Just convicts...Some were white, some red, some brown, some black...Some Americans, some Mexicans...Soft-eyed embezzlers, granite-eyed killers, oily-haired politicians...The gamut of crime, the gamut of men." No doubt Himes knew every type of criminal, encountered every type of crime. But who will we meet?
PACE - 3: Right on target: no rush to tell a story, plenty of time for reflections.
PLOT - 4: Earl attends mass to borrow money; Merton is lured there by the 'bright altar lights'; and Willie has come to pray. Willie had taken a murder rap for his brother, who had died during Willie's incarceration. Willie's father had also died, and now his mother is dying of leukemia. These 3 are thrown into deep sadness and reflect upon what everything means.
This is heavy duty stuff: it hurts deep. Although one might argue this is purely character driven, there is a plot, and it's a big one: what happened to my life and now what do I do? Can the 3 men possibly come up with enough money so that Willie can visit his mom, that is IF the governor allows the visit? This could have been a melodramatic mess. It is not, but at points veers in that direction. There is nothing subtle here: Himes doesn't tap us gently with a rubber hammer.
CHARACTERS - 4: Earl Thomas (nicknamed 'Signifier' as a reference to his 'scoffing and jeering' at everything) is in his late 30s, solidly built. He has served 3 of his 7-year sentence for car theft.
Merton Wayne (nicknamed "Brightlights" because of his fascination, for example, on stage spotlights.) He is in the 'cripple' company for a fractured vertebra. Merton has served 4 of his 20-year sentence for robbery. Willie Manners (nicknamed 'Kid' because he entered prison at age 17) is thin and has vivid yellow hair. "His complexion was the peculiar whiteness of swiss cheese in the harsh light of a noon-day sun, but in the sympathetic shadows of the chapel his skin was smooth a cream colored." Kid has had the worst life has to offer, and bad things keep coming and coming. I'm sure Himes is Earl and Merton and Wayne. All 3 think of methods of redemption: Himes certainly did, just look at the body of work he left us. But again, Himes is just this side of melodrama: Kid looks different from everyone and he's the one that life has given the worst treatment.
ATMOSPHERE - 3: "The priest approached the altar...The congregation became suddenly silent...One could hear the laborious breathing of a nearby neighbor suffering from asthma or a severe cold...a crucifix of beaten bronze...Flickering candles...Tussels of silk." Himes' focus is on the chapel and on the possibilities offered by a Prison Mass on Christmas Day: the author rarely takes us into a jail cell. Flashbacks offer sins of youth.
SUMMARY - 3.4. I enjoy this story. Yes, Himes delivers on several levels. But in addition to Himes atmospheric touches, one of the best elements of his novels is the humor, and perhaps only after leaving prison could Himes find his way to ensure his characters laughed at themselves and each other. This is heavy stuff, man. Heavy. Himes, though, is good enough not to take us over the edge into melodrama. But he comes awfully close. More on Himes in my countdown.