J.

J. Sutter, the main character from this selection, is an outsider. He is a black man entering West Virginia at a time when blacks are still not viewed quite as equals. When Alphonse ruminates that blacks are now called African-Americans, he shows that blacks are gaining more acceptance, but there is still obvious discomfort even on his part, though he is not even a southerner like many of the people at the convention. The convention is near Talcott, West Virginia, and is primarily composed of white people, despite the fact that the convention is being held to honor a black man, John Henry. The convention is also announcing the start of a new commemorative stamp honoring the same steel-driving hero.

J. is not a great man. He is a reporter, sent down to cover the convention and write a brief story about it, but he seems much more interested in drinking and eating than he is in writing the story. He knows he can write his bried piece quickly and with little effort, and he hopes he does not have to do real research. He plans on getting a single, effective quote from a member of the convention, but he is clearly not straining himself in the realm of his work. His environment clearly makes him a bit uneasy, but he has become more used to being a black minority in a room full of white people. He blends in fairly well, acting comfortable and interacting with other people with little visible trouble. Despite the discomfort he may cause in other people, J. Sutter navigates a somewhat hostile environment well, primarily by playing it cool and not caring too much what people think.