A Village Singer
“A village singer” portrays the internal conflict, the bitterness and responses of Candace when she was dismissed from the choir that served for forty years. The story partially points out the social norm that set down for women. In this community, women are not considered equal and have the same feelings as men which represent through Reverend Pollard and Williams Emmons.
Williams Emmons is three years older than Candace, but he still holds his choir leader position. If they complain that her voice has worsened, Williams’s voice logically must have the same situation as her. However, Emmons is not dismissed and remain his choirmaster position. The minister just like Candace also serves at the church for forty years. He hesitates of his speech and could not keep the freshness for his sermons.
He still can stay in the church and continue his duties since nobody asks him to leave his position and gives him a photograph album. Candace indicates that all of them have the same position in the church and change according to age, but the congregation chooses to dismiss her as she is a woman.
Candace’s bitterness, pain, and conflict become more intense due to the betrayal of people around her. A betrayal of Emmons who had sung duets and had walked Candace home after rehearsals in Saturday night when he said “a most outrageous proceeding” for Candace action. He critics her voice with Alma and supports the dismissal.
Even Candace’s nephew, Wilson Ford, threats to throw her organ out of the window if she continues to disturb Alma’s solo. He does not express any sympathy or even gently discuss her grief. She also feels hurt and betrayed by members of the choir since they celebrate for her and leave a photograph album with the letter informing her dismissal from the choir. However, the way that Candace responses and against to conflict is full of anger, foolishness, disregard, and arrogance.
She says that the member of the church pretends to be a Christian; however, she also goes against what the church teaches. She uses photograph album as a footstool, disturbs Alma’s solo, refuses to pray “‘I don’t see any use prayin’ about it,’ said she. ‘I don’t think the Lord’s got much to do with it, anyhow'” and challenge other people to stop her ” I’d like to see anybody stop me.”
Besides that, the story carries the message of kindness and forgiveness. At the end of the story, Candace forgives to all people who have wronged her and also ask for the forgiveness from those people. She apologizes to the minister, reconciles with Alma, and forgive Wilson.
