Knoxville in Knox County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
James Agee
1916
— Describing Market Square in 1916 in his novel "A Death in the Family" (1957) —
They turned aside into a darker street, where the fewer faces looked more secret, and came into the odd, shaky light of Market Square. It was almost empty at this hour, but here and there, along the pavement streaked with horse urine, a wagon stayed still, and low firelight shone through the white clothed shell stretched tightly on its hickory hoops. A __ man leaned against the white brick wall, gnawing a turnip; he looked at them low, with sad, pale eyes. When Rufus’s father raised his hand in silent greeting, he raised his hand, but less, and Rufus, turning, saw how he looked sorrowfully, somehow dangerously, after them. They passed a wagon in which a lantern burned low orange; there lay a whole family, large and small, silent, asleep. In the tail of one wagon a woman sat, her face narrow beneath her flare of sunbonnet, her dark eyes in its shade, like smudges of soot. Rufus’s father averted his eyes and touched his straw hat lightly; and Rufus, looking back, saw how her dead eyes kept looking gently ahead of her.
“Well,” his father said, “reckon I’ll hoist me a couple.”
They turned through the swinging doors into a blast of odor and sound. There was no music: only the density of bodies and of the smell of a market bar, of beer, whiskey and country bodies, salt and leather; no clamor, only the thick quietude of crumpled talk.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Industry & Commerce • Man-Made Features.
Location. 35° 57.924′ N, 83° 55.181′ W. Marker is in Knoxville, Tennessee, in Knox County. Marker can be reached from Wall Avenue west of Strong Street. Marker is in the middle of Market Square. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 22 Market Square, Knoxville TN 37902, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. David Madden (a few steps from this marker); Cormac McCarthy (within shouting distance of this marker); Knoxville's Market House (within shouting distance of this marker); Elvis Presley (within shouting distance of this marker); St. James Hotel (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Market House Bell (about 300 feet away); Krutch Park (about 300 feet away); Robert Birdwell (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Knoxville.
Regarding James Agee. The marker includes the phrase "A __ man leaned against the white brick wall..". The space in the marker text replaced 'dark-faced' in the original text. It is not clear why that text was not included in the marker.
Also see . . .
1. James Agee. Wikipedia article (Submitted on May 23, 2019, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.)
2. A Death in the Family. Wikipedia article (Submitted on May 23, 2019, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 25, 2021. It was originally submitted on May 23, 2019, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 273 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 25, 2021, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana.