In Ernest J. Gaines' novel, A Gathering of Old Men, I found no part in the story to be interesting. The novel was completely centered on one event, and one house. To be very honest about it, this is one of the worst books I have ever read.
             The main characters seemed very dull and only a select few times did they seem to be getting something done. Mathu is a good example of a dull character. In the story, Mathu was always sitting around his house. Be it on his porch or in the yard, he is always sitting.
             Mathu was squatting against the wall with that old double barrel shotgun in his arms. (Page 6)
             Mathu also shows traits I dislike when the people started to gather around his house. Instead of telling them to leave and let him take the blame, he let them stay and claim they murdered Beau.
             "Tell them to go home, Mathu," Mapes said. "That's up to them, Sheriff." "They'll do it if you tell them to do it," Mapes said. "Tell them to go home before there's trouble." "Mathu, you don't have to answer any questions," Candy said. She hadn't left his side since he stepped to the ground. "He can take you to jail if he wants to, but he can't force you to talk. Not until Clinton gets here." "I don't mind talking," Mathu said. (Page 85)
             Dirty Red was one of the only characters that mildly caught my attention. He seemed to be a very bold and tough person. At one point in the novel, he is clearly depicted as one. Dirty Red also reminds me of a comedian hillbilly that used to rent the family farm, always with a cigarette half-hanging on his lip and always dirty looking.
             You never seen Dirty Red lighting a new cigarette. When you seen it, it was already half gone-wet, dirty looking, and half-gone. He probably had a bunch of them in his pocket like that dirty and half-gone. "I don't see how come y'al...