The Outing (short story)

"The Outing" is a 1965 short story by James Baldwin, taken from the short story collection, Going to Meet the Man.

Plot introduction

On the Fourth of July, parishioners are having a church outing (this year, a boat trip up the Hudson River up to Bear Mountain).

Plot summary

Johnnie and Roy are brothers going on a religious outing on a boat with their church. Johnnie's father, Gabriel, tells him to be good, and Johnnie replies that he need not reprimand him. Johnnie and Gabriel get in a verbal fight and Johnnie is left visibly angry. Johnnie gets a moment alone with his best friend, David, they embrace and Johnny tells David he loves him. Everyone on the boat is talking about sin and salvation. There is then a church ceremony on the boat, with an ironic digression on the Bible being based on white symbolism. Later, the boys are waiting for their friend Sylvia to be alone as they have brought her a present. Johnnie leaves David and Roy to be alone for a while. When Johnnie joins David and Roy at the riverside, it is time for them to leave. David is with Sylvia, Roy is with another girl and Johnnie is alone.

Characters

Gabriel Grimes, Johnnie's stepfather
Father James.
Johnnie,
Lois, Johnnie's nine-year-old sister.
Roy, Gabrieal Son.
Mrs Jackson, David and Lorraine's mother.
David Jackson, John and Roy's friend
Lorraine, David's elder sister.
Sister McCandless
Sylvia
Sister Daniels, Sylvia's mother.
Brother Elisha
Reverend Peters
'Johnnie's unnamed mother

Main themes

Adolescence and puberty.
Religious faith in the African-American community.

Works by James Baldwin

Novels	Go Tell It on the Mountain (1953) Giovanni's Room (1956) Another Country (1962) Tell Me How Long the Train's Been Gone (1968) If Beale Street Could Talk (1974) Just Above My Head (1979)

Plays	The Amen Corner (1954) Blues for Mister Charlie (1964)

Short story collections	Going to Meet the Man (1965) "The Rockpile" "The Outing" "The Man Child" "Previous Condition" "Sonny's Blues" "This Morning, This Evening, So Soon" "Come Out the Wilderness" "Going to Meet the Man"

Essay collections	Notes of a Native Son (1955) Nobody Knows My Name (1961) The Fire Next Time (1963) No Name in the Street (1972) The Devil Finds Work (1976) The Evidence of Things Not Seen (1985) The Price of the Ticket (1985)

Collaborations	A Rap on Race (1971) A Dialogue (1973) Little Man Little Man: A Story of Childhood (1976)

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