The Pleasure of Miss Pym by Charles Burkhart

Author:Charles Burkhart [Burkhart, Charles]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Published: 1987-03-17T16:00:00+00:00

3

Miss Pym and the Africans

An anthropologist by definition In Jane and Prudence there is a discussion among village ladies about the marriage of Mildred Lathbury, the heroine of the preceding novel, Excellent Women:

“Who has she married?” asked Miss Morrow.

“An anthropophagist,” declared Miss Doggett in an authoritative tone. “He does some kind of scientific work, I believe.”

“I thought it meant a cannibal—one who ate human flesh,” said Jane in wonder.

“Well, science has made such strides,” said Miss Doggett doubtfully. “His name is Mr. Bone.”

“That certainly does seem to be a connection,” said Jane, laughing, “but perhaps he is an anthropologist; that would be more likely. They don’t eat human flesh, as far as I know, though they may study those who do, in Africa and other places.”

“Perhaps that is it,” said Miss Doggett in a relieved tone. (JP, 13)

There is ignorance and confusion throughout the novels about what an anthropologist is, and what exactly one does. Even someone as alert as Sophia Ainger can say of her neighbor, the social anthropologist with a rather anthropological-sounding name, Rupert Stonebird, “I suppose he goes around measuring skulls and that kind of thing” (UA, 2). Her sister Penelope, though intent on marrying someone, even an anthropologist, has her reservations: “It seemed a dark mysterious sort of profession, perhaps in a way not quite manly, or not manly in the way she was used to” (7). Rhoda Wellcome, aunt of another marriageable young woman, has similar doubts:

She liked to think of her niece as being courted by suitable young men, though from what she had heard of them, she rather doubted whether anthropologists could be so regarded. There was something disquieting about all this going out to Africa to study the natives, she felt. (LA, 3)

A conversation at a supper party doesn’t help her:

“Now I suppose you Africanists won’t want chicken,” said Malcolm breezily, the carving implements poised in his hands.

“What do people eat in Africa?” asked Mabel earnestly.

“The Hadzapi tribe will eat anything that is edible except for the hyena,” declared Alaric precisely.

“Oh, well . . .” Mabel spread out her hands in a hopeless little gesture.

“The butcher wouldn’t offer you hyena anyway,” giggled Phyllis.

“Most African tribes are very fond of meat when they can get it,” said Tom.

“Yes, and many of them relish even putrescent meat,” said Alaric solemnly.

“Do they understand the principles of cooking as we know it?” asked Rhoda.

“Oh, yes, a good many of them do,” said Alaric. “In some very primitive societies, though, they would just fling the un-skinned carcase on the fire and hope for the best.”

“Yes, like that film of the Australian aborigines we saw at the Anthropology Club,” said Deirdre. “They flung a kangaroo on the fire and cooked it like that.”

“Now who would like some potato salad?” said Rhoda, feeling that there was something a little unappetizing about the conversation. (LA, 12)

Minnie Foresight, the rich little widow in the same novel, Less than Angels, thinks she quite understands what those who go out or down to Africa are up to.

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