The Narrator in "A Matter of Principle"

In "A Matter of Principle" the narrator is less clear than it had been previously due to the omniscient third person narration. At two points in the story, however, the narrator inserts him/herself in order to protect or defend Mr. Clayton. The first instance qualifies a statement where the narrator says of Mr. Clayton that he is "the richest colored man-the term is used with apologies to Mr. Clayton, explaining that it does not necessarily mean a negro-in Groveland" (68). Here the narrator seems to feel compelled to apologize to Mr. Clayton, as though he could read this account and were not a fictional character. Mr. Clayton considers himself white enough to assimilate himself and his family into white society and to shun black suitors of his daughter. The narrator's deference to Mr. Clayton's feelings makes it sound like the narrator is involved in the society, rather than an outside objective perspective. Also this statement is curious because having any black blood immediately qualifies someone as a "negro," no matter what race they choose to behave as. Therefore, the narrator seems to be of similar mind to Mr. Clayton which skews the narration toward a racist perspective.

The narrator's second interruption comes as Mr. Clayton relapses into "forms of speech not entirely consistent with his principles" (74). Mr. Clayton's nature, rather than his actions, are being criticized by the narrator who states that the man "could no more escape from it [his atmosphere] than the leopard can change his spots, or the-- In deference to Mr. Clayton's feelings the quotation will be left incomplete." Here, while the narrator is protecting Clayton, he is also trying not to hurt the man's feelings, which again assumes that Clayton will somehow read this account. Although the narrator is not attacking Clayton here, he is certainly not condoning his use of words like "darkeys" and we see the narrator bring Clayton's actions and principles into contrast. Both of the narrator's interruptions allow the reader to see Clayton's hypocrisy. This way, we again have a narrator who shows us a new perspective on a secondary character's story (as the narrator does to Uncle Julius' motives) but here it seems to point out the racism of the secondary character, rather than revealing the racism of the narrator himself.