Analysis:
Many critics and scholars consider "Xingu" to be among Wharton's most amusing and wittiest short stories. It was published in 1911 in Scribner's and then again as part of the collection Xingu and Other Stories. The critic from the Spectator praised the story's "spirit of frivolity" and the "delicate irony" of the tale. Some critics have speculated that the satire takes veiled aim at Henry James, who criticized Wharton's work in his own.
The story begins with the literary lunch club meeting together. It is clear from the outset that Wharton's tone is satirical. Wharton calls the members of the Lunch Club "indomitable huntresses of erudition" and notes witheringly that none of them can read alone. Through Wharton's lens, the women prove to be proud, catty, and vindictive. Mrs. Roby is pretty and well-traveled, but some of the ladies feel that she does not possess the intellectual seriousness to be a valuable member of the club. Ironically, the other members appreciate Mrs. Leveret's lack of intelligence, which makes them feel better about themselves.
The club members are threatened by Mrs. Roby because she does not adhere to the social graces that they expect. They all abide by a certain set of unspoken rules that Mrs. Roby clearly breaks. She asks Mrs. Plinth what she thinks about Osric Dane's sensational book, The Wings of Death, which the other members know never to do. The book has been a topic of discussion amongst the club members. However, Mrs. Roby readily admits that her copy fell into the river on a trip, preventing her from reading it. Mrs. Plinth embodies Wharton's criticism of intellectuals. Mrs. Plinth believes that she belongs in this elite group because she is familiar with great literature but she is not capable of exercising original thought. Similarly, Wharton compares Mrs. Ballinger's mind to a hotel where facts come in and out, rarely staying long.
The arrival of the esteemed author, Osric Dane, further complicates the relationships among several of the women. Dane is imperious and provocative. The members of the Lunch Club try to engage her in conversation but the venerable woman continually rebuffs their attempts. She keeps countering their questions with her own queries and refuses to reveal any concrete opinions. Wharton creates an air of sympathy around literary club as they flounder in the face of the imposing author. She describes them as locked into their societal roles, afraid to challenge the hierarchy.
Ultimately, the frivolous Mrs. Roby saves the day because she refuses to be intimidated by social structure or the intimidating Osric Dane. She claims that the club has been distracted from any other line of thought because of their recent fascination with Xingu. Mrs. Roby's confidence convinces the club members and readers alike that she knows what Xingu is. In this way, Wharton involves the reader in Mrs. Roby's charade. The reader tries to discern the meaning of Xingu by reading between the lines while the club members also pretend to be familiar with the mysterious subject. Xingu is Wharton's way of satirizing the the empty intellectualism of high society.
Finally, Mrs. Roby excuses herself and Mrs. Dane unexpectedly follows her, leaving the other women to figure out the meaning of Xingu. Again, even though Osric Dane is gone, the women still try to avoid admitting to each other that they have no idea what it means; their pride is unshakeable. When they finally figure out that Xingu is a river in Brazil, they feel embarrassed that the woman they considered their intellectual inferior has managed to make them look like fools. Instead of examining their own follies, they decide to remove the source of their discomfort. The story ends with Mrs. Ballinger drafting a letter calling for Mrs. Roby's resignation.
By the end of the short story, it seems like Wharton is poking fun at these high society poseurs, but Cynthia Griffin Wolff points out in her introduction to the collection, Wharton's story has a darker intent. Wharton was clearly aware of how the pressure of society dictates the way people shape their personal characteristics. During the turn of the century, women were "often the most brutally wounded casualties of duplicity, brutality, and greed in the society as a whole."
The members of the Lunch Club are products of their society and do not feel empowered to dictate their own behavior. Instead, they are "a measure of the moral disease that has permeated the environment which spawned and nourished them." Even though Wharton does justifiably lampoon the overly prideful protagonists of "Xingu," she also understood that they could not easily explore other options. In this way, the character of Mrs. Roby proves to be an effective foil. She does not try to hide her lack of intellectual stature, but instead, uses her quick wit and sharp social instincts to survive the situation.
Next Sectio
Darklady's Occult