Acceptance

In, "I'm a Fool," by Sherwood Anderson, Henry, a nineteen-year old lower-class boy, realizes that he is too old to mow lawns and deliver newspapers any longer. Against his family's wishes, Henry gets a job as a stable boy for racehorses. In late July, Henry and the racing crew set out to travel from county to county for the fall races. Day after day he is surrounded by constant horse talk, swearing, drinking, and gambling with men of this type character. Henry starts to perceive other "regular" boys to be raised as "fellows that don't know nothing at all. They've never had no opportunity." Henry likes this type of lifestyle, but in late November he goes home to visit and decides to quit the racing business to appease his mother. He finds a better job at a barn taking care of horses that couldn't have "trotted a race with a toad," but the pay was better. The race comes to town and Henry decides to take the day off. He "puts on new, good clothes and goes downtown to put on a good front." Henry finds himself sitting in the grandstand behind a seemingly well-to-do group consisting of a fellow with his date and the fellows sister, Miss Lucy Wesson. Lucy holds Henry's attention captive and in a desperate attempt to find a way to relate to these people, he tells a lie. He tells them that the horse to bet on is owned by Mr. Mathers and then proceeds to introduce himself as Walter Mathers, his son. After the race they all go out and Henry realizes that his "new love" is equally infatuated with him. As they part, Lucy promises to write and Henry realizes that because of his foolishness, he will never hear from her again. The letter will be returned. There is no Walter Mathers. Anderson shows us the foolishness people display, without contemplating the consequences, in order to achieve social acceptance.

The way Henry perceives himself presents the conflict in this story. His character is the internal conflict in which he faces. Because of his social status, he feels he must lie in order to be accepted. Because of his lies, Lucy will never be able to accept him. This is a lesson in life for Henry.