"Within the Gilded Six-bit Greed Corrupts Everything"
             Greed is "an excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth" (Webster's Dictionary). Money and greed can fuel many relationships. Yet if it takes over, it corrupts absolutely. In the story "The Gilded Six-bits," written by Zora Neale Hurston money and greed seem to be a very important element throughout the story. Both Joe and Missie Mae Banks place far too much emphasis on money. They are both being purely greedy in their admiration of a man who they believe to be wealthy. The man is Mister Otis D. Slemmons. This greed drives both their minds and leads to Missy Mae being unfaithful to her husband.
             Throughout the story it is shown how their relationship is built around money. They even have a routine where when Joe comes home from work he pitches money at the door and Missie Mae knows exactly what he is doing. She also knows exactly how much money he is pitching at the door. It seems like every single day he buys her love. "Who dat chunkin' money in mah do' way?" (315). She then playfully chases and tackles him and searched through all his pockets just to see what he has bought for her. Everyday he purchases item for the sole purpose of playing this game with her. This game has become a ritual for them. "Lemme git dat paper sak out yo' pocket" (315). It is almost as if she is more enthused to see what is in his pockets, rather than being enthused about seeing him.
             Joe seemed to be very taken in by the supposed wealth of Mister Otis D. Slemmons. "He got de finest clothes Ah ever seen on a colored man's back," he says to his wife (316). He is so taken by the appearance of wealth that he goes on and on to his wife about this other man and what he has in his procession. Never once thinking that the man may not be what he seems at all. His greed drives him to believe everything about the man becau...