The Gilded Six-Bit Summary

Nora Hurston’s “The Gilded Six-bit” takes place in the early 1930’s in Eatonville, Florida. The story starts with the description of Joe and Missie Bank’s house as a “Negro settlement that looked to the payroll of the G. and G. Fertilizer works for its support.” Joe works at G. and G. Fertilizer during the week, and on Saturdays he has flexible hours. After work on Saturdays Joe likes to go home and throw silver dollars at his porch to surprise Missie May. She runs outside and play wrestles with Joe, Missie calls it a “romping”. At dinner Joe tells Missie Mae he wants to take her to get ice cream. He asks her if she had seen its new wealthy owner, Otis D. Slemmons. Missie admits to seeing him while she cleaned the porch that day. Trying to
During his last frantic swipe, Joe grabbed his watch and a gold coin. From that point on, Joe is emotionally detached from Missy, and keeps Slemmons gold coin in his pocket as a constant reminder. Late one night Joe puts the coin under Missy’s pillow for her to find. She awakes to find the coin and feels instant shame. The coin is a 75 cent piece, known as a gilded six-bit, and not a ten-dollar gold coin. She realizes, Mr.Slemmons is a fraud who preyed on her gullibility. Missie Mae becomes pregnant during the time of the incident and Joe is unsure who the father is. After 9 months, his nightmare is lifted when his mother tells him, "You oughter be mighty proud cause he sho is de spittin' image of yuh, son." (Hurston) Knowing that the child is his changes his demeanor towards his wife. In his recent happiness, Joe ends up going through his old routine. Buying candy from Orlando, and throwing silver dollars at his front porch in anticipation of Missy Mae’s arrival. As we see in this story, the grass is only as green as you make it. Joe knew this already, but Missy almost lost everything in her attempt to gain quick riches. Even when the odds are stacked against you, some things are just not worth