The Whisperers

"The Whisperers" is a poignant exploration of the complexities of identity, race, and the human experience, intertwining personal narratives with broader social themes. James Baldwin delves into the lives of those marginalized by society, capturing their struggles, resilience, and the whispers of their stories that often go unheard. Through his powerful prose, Baldwin invites readers to reflect on the profound connections between individuals and the collective histories that shape their realities. The book serves as both a reflection on Baldwin's own experiences and a universal examination of the human condition.

• Short story

								
"Boys, what did I tell you?"

The schoolmaster spoke angrily. He was in trouble because his scholars
would not study. Whenever his back was turned, they were sure to begin
whispering to one another.

"Girls, stop your whispering, I say."

But still they would whisper, and he could not prevent it. The
afternoon was half gone, and the trouble was growing. Then the master
thought of a plan.

"Children," he said, "we are going to play a new game. The next one
that whispers must come out and stand in the middle of the floor. He
must stand there until he sees some one else whisper. Then he will
tell me, and the one whom he names must come and take his place. He,
in turn, will watch and report the first one that he sees whisper. And
so we will keep the game going till it is time for school to be
dismissed. The boy or girl who is standing at that time will be
punished for all of you."

"What will the punishment be, Mr. Johnson?" asked a bold, bad boy. "A
good thrashing," answered the master. He was tired, he was vexed, he
hardly knew what he said.

The children thought the new game was very funny. First, Tommy Jones
whispered to Billy Brown and was at once called out to stand on the
floor. Within less than two minutes, Billy saw Mary Green whispering,
and she had to take his place. Mary looked around and saw Samuel Miller
asking his neighbor for a pencil, and Samuel was called. And so the
fun went on until the clock showed that it lacked only ten minutes
till school would be dismissed.

Then all became very good and very careful, for no one wished to be
standing at the time of dismissal. They knew that the master would be
as good as his word.  The clock ticked loudly, and Tommy Jones, who
was standing up for the fourth time, began to feel very uneasy. He
stood on one leg and then on the other, and watched very closely; but
nobody whispered. Could it be possible that he would receive that
thrashing? Suddenly, to his great joy he saw little Lucy Martin lean
over her desk and whisper to the girl in front of her. Now Lucy was
the pet of the school. Everybody loved her, and this was the first
time she had whispered that day. But Tommy didn't care for that. He
wished to escape the punishment, and so he called out, "Lucy Martin!"
and went proudly to his seat.

Little Lucy had not meant to whisper. There was something which she
wished very much to know before going home, and so, without thinking,
she had leaned over and whispered just three little words. With tears
in her eyes she went out and stood in the whisperer's place.

She was very much ashamed and hurt, for it was the first time that she
had ever been in disgrace at school. The other girls felt sorry that
she should suffer for so small a fault. The boys looked at her and
wondered if the master would really be as good as his word.

The clock kept on ticking. It lacked only one minute till the bell
would strike the time for dismissal. What a shame that dear, gentle
Lucy should be punished for all those unruly boys and girls!

Then, suddenly, an awkward half-grown boy who sat right in front of
the master's desk turned squarely around and whispered to Tommy Jones,
three desks away.

Everybody saw him. Little Lucy Martin saw him through her tears, but
said nothing. Everybody was astonished, for that boy was the best
scholar in the school, and he had never been known to break a rule.

It lacked only half a minute now. The awkward boy turned again and
whispered so loudly that even the master could not help hearing:
"Tommy, you deserve a thrashing!"

"Elihu Burritt, take your place on the floor," said the master sternly.
The awkward boy stepped out quickly, and little Lucy Martin returned
to her seat sobbing. At the same moment the bell struck and school was
dismissed.

After all the others had gone home, the master took down his long birch
rod and said: "Elihu, I suppose I must be as good as my word. But tell
me why you so deliberately broke the rule against whispering."

"I did it to save little Lucy," said the awkward boy, standing up very
straight and brave. "I could not bear to see her punished."

"Elihu, you may go home," said the master.

All this happened many years ago in New Britain, Connecticut. Elihu
Burritt was a poor boy who was determined to learn. He worked many
years as a blacksmith and studied books whenever he had a spare moment.
He learned many languages and became known all over the world as "The
Learned Blacksmith."
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