Draft:Xingu (short story)

Summary

On January 1, 1916, Edith Wharton's short story "Xingu" was originally released by Scriber's. The narrative criticizes the American upper class's pretenses, particularly those related to

Xingu

Author	Edith Wharton
Language	English
Publisher	Scribner's
Publication date	January 1, 1916
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (hardback & paperback)

intellectualism and cultural superiority. Known as the "indomitable huntresses of erudition," it revolves around a group of affluent women who attend a literary luncheon given by the conceited and patronizing Mrs. Ballinger. These women demonstrate their little cultural awareness throughout the luncheon by discussing literature and other intellectual subjects without really comprehending them.

Wharton examines how these women create a façade of cultural expertise in an effort to preserve their social standing. When they misunderstand the term "Xingu," which they identify with a cultural and intellectual ideal, their pretense is more apparent. Their lack of real knowledge is the cause of the misunderstanding, and the narrative highlights the discrepancy between their comprehension and their societal goals. Despite her self-confidence, Mrs. Ballinger in particular shows her inexperience by making incorrect assumptions about the Xingu River and its residents.

The term was inspired by the indigenous Xingu people of Brazil. The term "Xingu" is used in the novel as a symbol of cultural exoticism rather than delving into the details of the tribe's culture or people. Although the women's talk includes a brief reference to the Xingu River, which flows through Brazil and into the Amazon, the Xingu people themselves are not a major narrative point.

Wharton criticizes the story's topic of social pressure, which pushes the women to project an image of cultural and intellectual superiority. Their erroneous presumptions stem from this pressure to live up to societal norms, which also exemplifies Wharton's larger criticism of American culture's preoccupation with appearance over content. The article focuses on how their drive to be informed frequently results in social errors rather than how accurate their information is.

Background

Edith Wharton’s short story Xingu was first published in the January 1916 issue of Scribner’s Magazine. At the time, Wharton was already an established author, known for her sharp critiques of societal norms and the hypocrisy of the American upper class. Xingu exemplifies these themes, offering a satirical look at the pretensions of wealthy, socially prominent women who prioritize appearances and social status over genuine intellectual or cultural understanding.

The story fits seamlessly into Wharton’s broader body of work, which often explored the flaws and contradictions of the upper class. Like her novels The House of Mirth and The Age of Innocence, Xingu critiques the rigid social hierarchies and pressures that govern the lives of privileged individuals. However, while many of her longer works carry a tone of tragedy or seriousness, Xingu adopts a more humorous and satirical approach. This lighter tone allows Wharton to highlight the absurdity of the women’s behavior in an entertaining but pointed way. Xingu also reflects Wharton’s interest in exploring gender dynamics and the roles of women in intellectual spaces. In the early 20th century, women in high society often had limited opportunities for genuine intellectual engagement. Through Xingu, Wharton examines how societal pressures force women to adopt a shallow, performative version of intellectualism as a way of maintaining their social standing.

Setting

The setting of Edith Wharton's Xingu is important in showing the story's themes of social pretension and shallow intellectualism. The story takes place in a private home in New York, in the early 1900s, where a group of upper-class women gather regularly for a literary salon to discuss books and share ideas. These gatherings are meant to show off their knowledge and social status, but in Wharton’s story, they’re more about appearances than genuine intellectual conversation. The characters, especially Mrs. Wegman and Mrs. Ballinger, act like they are well-read and sophisticated, but their conversations reveal that they are more interested in impressing others than in really understanding what they’re talking about. The physical setting, a drawing room, adds to this idea. Although the room itself isn't described in detail, it suggests a comfortable and formal space meant for showing off, not real discussion. The drawing room reflects how the characters’ intellectualism is just for show, and it highlights their lack of true understanding despite being surrounded by culture and education.

Themes

• Intellectual Pretension- Pretension to Knowledge Edith Wharton criticizes the intellectual pretenses of the American upper class in Xingu, especially through Mrs. Ballinger's character. Although she and the other women at the luncheon take pleasure in their cultural sophistication, the anecdote reveals their lack of depth. For instance, even though Mrs. Ballinger knows very little about the indigenous inhabitants of the Xingu River, she speaks confidently about them. Intellectualism is frequently employed as a social tool rather than as a sincere quest for knowledge, as evidenced by the group's intellectual debates that focus more on demonstrating their cultural superiority than on really studying the subject matter.
• Social Class and Status A major theme in Xingu is social class and rank. The story's female characters, such as Mrs. Ballinger and her acquaintances, are conscious of their social status and feel compelled to maintain their image of refined culture. They attend the luncheon to uphold their social standing rather than because they genuinely want to engage in intellectual discourse. Their ardent but erroneous attempts to engage in meaningful conversation about literature, travel, and culture, for example, demonstrate that their main priority is not acquiring knowledge but rather projecting an air of knowing. By organizing the gathering and directing the discussion, Mrs. Ballinger specifically aims to establish her dominance over the other women, reaffirming the notion that position in this social class is determined by how cultured one appears.
• Cultural Superiority Wharton addresses the theme of cultural superiority through the women's treatment of the Xingu River and its indigenous people. The women exoticize the Xingu people, treating them as mysterious and intriguing without attempting to understand their actual culture. When they discuss the Xingu River, it is less about genuine curiosity or respect for another culture and more about their desire to appear worldly and sophisticated. Mrs. Ballinger, for instance, refers to the Xingu people as "savages" while recounting stories she has heard from others, showing how they view non-Western cultures through a lens of condescension and exoticism, which ultimately exposes their ignorance.
• The Danger of Assumptions and Misunderstandings A key theme in Xingu is the danger of making assumptions based on limited or inaccurate information. The central misunderstanding in the story is the women's mistaken belief that they understand the Xingu people and their culture simply because they've heard of them or read about them in passing. Mrs. Ballinger, for example, confidently educates the other women about the Xingu River, but it becomes clear that she has no real knowledge of the place or its people. The story uses this misunderstanding to illustrate the consequences of assuming knowledge without truly seeking to understand a subject, and Wharton uses the characters' blunders to mock the arrogance that often accompanies ignorance.
• Feminine Power and Friendship In Xingu, the women’s friendships are rooted in their shared social status and their desire to maintain their place within the upper class. The story depicts how women in this social circle exert power over one another through intellectual discussion and the performance of knowledge. Their friendships are competitive, with each woman trying to prove herself as the most knowledgeable and sophisticated. Mrs. Ballinger, for instance, not only hosts the luncheon but also directs the conversation, attempting to maintain control over the group’s dynamic. These power plays highlight how their friendships are influenced by the social pressure to conform to certain cultural ideals, where the appearance of intellectualism is more important than actual knowledge.
• The Conflict Between Appearance and Reality A central theme in Xingu is the tension between appearance and reality, particularly in the realm of intellectualism. While the women at the luncheon appear to be cultured and sophisticated, their ignorance is quickly revealed through their conversation. Mrs. Ballinger, in particular, is convinced that her knowledge of the Xingu people makes her an expert, but her shallow understanding is exposed when she confidently makes erroneous statements about the culture and the river. Wharton uses this contrast between appearance and reality to critique the social norms of the time, showing how the upper class is often more concerned with presenting a polished image than with acquiring true knowledge.

Characters

Mrs Ballinger

Mrs Ballinger is the leader of the women's club. She is serious about maintaining her reputation for being well-read and knowledgeable, though her understanding is often shallow.

Mrs Plinth

Mrs Plinth is a wealthy, self-important member of the club who values cultural knowledge as a status symbol.

Miss Van Vluyck

Miss Van Vluyck is one of the club members who is really into facts and prides herself on being well-read and smart. She prides herself on her knowledge but lacks flexibility and openness to different ideas.

Mrs Leveret

Mrs Leveret is one of the less confident members of the group and often feels insecure about her own intellectual abilities. She lacks the arrogance of other members and is easily influenced by their opinions.

Bibliography

• Brivic, Shelly. "The Lacanian phallus and the lesbian one in Wharton's 'Xingu'." Journal of Modern Literature, vol. 35, no. 2, winter 2012, pp. 25+. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A286392292/AONE?u=nysl_ca&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=fb94f6ff.

In Shelly Brivic's article, "The Lacanian Phallus and the Lesbian One in Wharton's 'Xingu'", she applies Lacanian psychoanalysis to Edith Wharton's short story "Xingu." Her article aims to explore how concepts of power, knowledge, and gender, particularly through the Lacanian theory of the phallus, intersect with the lesbian subtext in the story. Brivic examines how Wharton destabilizes traditional masculine authority by positioning women, particularly through coded lesbian relationships, as challengers to patriarchal structures of intellectual dominance. The article provides a feminist reading, emphasizing how Wharton critiques her time's male-dominated literary and social spheres.

• Saunders, Judith P. “Poetic Justice and Edith Wharton’s ‘Xingu’: An Evolutionary Psychological Approach.” Evolutionary Studies in Imaginative Culture, vol. 1, no. 1, 2017, pp. 173–180, https://doi.org/10.26613/esic.1.1.24.

Saunders' article, “Poetic Justice and Edith Wharton’s ‘Xingu’: An Evolutionary Psychological Approach,” uses psychology to analyze Wharton’s short story Xingu. This article's purpose is to traverse how the social dynamics and behaviors of the characters in the story reflect evolutionary principles, such as competition for status and in-group conformity. Saunders examines how the characters' psychological traits, shaped by evolutionary forces, drive their social encounters, especially their pretensions to intellectual superiority. The article's main point of focus is to show how Xinguhumorously illustrates human tendencies toward status-seeking and self-deception, providing "poetic justice" when the characters are exposed for their ignorance. This approach integrates literary analysis with evolutionary biology to offer insights into the behavior of Wharton’s characters.

• Killoran, Helen. “Xingu: Edith Wharton Instructs Literary Critics.” Studies in American Humor, vol. 3, no. 3, 1996, pp. 1-13. American Humor Studies Association, https://www.jstor.org/stable/42573330.

In Helen Killoran's article “Xingu: Edith Wharton Instructs Literary Critics”, she examines Wharton’s short story as a satirical critique of literary critics and intellectual pretension. The purpose of this article is to explore how Wharton uses humor to mock the superficiality and elitism of self-proclaimed intellectuals, particularly within literary and social circles. Killoran argues that Xingu serves as a didactic commentary on the role of literary critics, exposing their lack of genuine knowledge and insight. It is through this lens, that the article highlights Wharton's own views on literary criticism and the dangers of valuing social status over intellectual substance.

• Funston, Judith E. “Xingu: Edith Wharton's Velvet Gauntlet.” Studies in American Fiction, vol. 12, no. 2, Autumn 1984, pp. 227-234. Johns Hopkins University Press, https://doi.org/10.1353/saf.1984.0026.

Judith E. Funston's article “Xingu: Edith Wharton's Velvet Gauntlet”, examines the short story Xingu as a subtle yet sharp critique of societal norms and intellectual pretensions, focusing on two things, the role of women in social and literary circles. The purpose of Funston’s article is to analyze how Wharton uses irony and wit, symbolized by the "velvet gauntlet," to challenge the power dynamics within elite social gatherings, particularly those dominated by women. Funston argues that Wharton critiques the false sophistication and intellectual vanity of the characters while also offering a broader commentary on gender and social status. With the use of the metaphor of the gauntlet, Wharton’s critique is seen as both elegant and forceful, which suggests a complex interplay between surface gentility and underlying intellectual aggression.

• Zunshine, Lisa. “Theory of Mind as a Pedagogical Tool.” Interdisciplinary Literary Studies, vol. 16, no. 1, 2014, pp. 89-109. Penn State University Press, https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5325/intelitestud.16.1.0089.

In her article “Theory of Mind as a Pedagogical Tool,” Lisa Zunshine discusses how the concept of Theory of Mind, the ability to understand that people have their own thoughts, feelings, and intentions can be used to improve literary education. Zunshine's main goal in this article is to show that when students learn to analyze the mental states and social interactions of characters in literature can enhance their understanding of complex narratives and improve their empathy and critical thinking. Zunshine advocates for combining cognitive science and literary studies, suggesting that the Theory of Mind can deepen students' engagement with texts by helping them recognize and interpret characters' psychological motivations and perspectives. Overall Zunshine shows the importance of Theory of Mind in promoting richer discussions in classrooms.