Big Lies in a Small Town: A Novel

Content Warning: This section of the guide references a sexual assault.

By 1940, slavery had officially been abolished for 75 years, but what is enshrined in law does not always translate to attitudes and practice. A tense détente exists in Edenton. Although Jesse is permitted to work alongside Anna, their relationship fuels rumors and speculation, none of which are true, and Pauline cautions Anna not dismiss the rumors out of hand, for although spurious, such rumors carry the risk of escalating into something far uglier. In blatant expressions of their own racist views, both Pauline’s husband, Karl, and Martin also warn Anna about being left alone with Jesse. By contrast, Anna sees Jesse’s gentle nature and artistic talent, but the Edenton townsfolk see him as a threat, based upon a deeply misguided and racist assumption that all Black men are potential sexual predators. These racist attitudes manifest in multiple ways, for Theresa, one of Anna’s student volunteers, quits when her father forbids her from working alongside Jesse. Even Myrtle, perhaps Edenton’s most progressive senior citizen, maintains a separate bathroom for her Black housekeeper. When Jesse helps dispose of Martin’s body and all of the incriminating evidence, he knows that his and Anna’s only viable option is to run, for a Black man who is merely in the vicinity of a dead white man may very well suffer the consequences of false accusations, hysteria, and mob violence.