Untitled story (Hatrack!)

Introduction

UNTITLED STORY (Hatrack!). From a letter to Tevis Clyde Smith, circa March 1929. 

Here’s an extract from the beginning of the “story”:

“Hatrack!” a voice came to me dimly through the vistas of sleep. “Wake up Hatrack, wake for a scut has battered into flight the king’s proboscis with a roundhouse right. Hatrack, Hell is to pay!”
“Then pay it and let me sleep,” I snarled.
“Hatrack,” said my friend Whalem Stiff, kicking me in the face two or nine times. “England calls! Arise! England’s sovranty is threatened! I sense You Kankookoo’s hand in this!”
“In what?”
“In my sister’s drawers. But arise; let us haste to Rudyard Dribbling’s house, the old boy is in his dotage. He has taken to written anarchistic hooey!”

In this satirical story, the character Hatrack is rudely awakened by his friend, Whalem Stiff, with news of a crisis in England. They rush to the home of the aged writer Rudyard Dribbling, who has taken to writing anarchistic rhymes much to their horror. Further, Siegfried Jazzoon, another character who appears suddenly, also shares some similarly controversial verses. This radicalism is identified as the work of an American individual who proudly proclaims his influence on the deluded rhymers. Realizing they cannot reverse the situation, Whalem and Hatrack admit defeat and depart.

“Hatrack!” is a satirical story mocking the romanticism and heroism usually found in tales of national crises and adventures. The humor comes from the overblown dialogue, ludicrous situations, and the parody of the patriotic call to action.

Here are the characters and their roles:

  • Hatrack: The protagonist of the story, seemingly uninterested in the urgency of the situation. He is portrayed as a lazy, unconcerned figure, contributing to the satire of heroic characters in traditional literature.
  • Whalem Stiff: Hatrack’s friend, who plays the role of the alarmist, constantly expressing urgency and danger. He fails to shoot the stranger, further satirizing his overblown heroic image.
  • You Kankookoo: A figure who is suspected to be behind some mischief. Not much is revealed about this character.
  • Rudyard Dribbling: A satirical reference to the famous British writer Rudyard Kipling. He is depicted as an old man who is writing anarchistic, radical poetry. His portrayal might be a commentary on the perceived radicalism in art or the misunderstandings of anarchism.
  • Seigfried Jazzoon: A character who pops out from under the bed to suggest changes to Dribbling’s poem. His role is to add to the chaos and absurdity of the scene.
  • The Stranger: An American who seems to be stirring the pot further with his radical poetry and rhetoric. He adds an international aspect to the satire and appears to be immune to Whalem’s attempts at violent solutions.

The story uses satire to poke fun at patriotic narratives and hero tales, with the characters and their dramatic, over-the-top actions and dialogues contributing to the overall humor and absurdity.

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