The Neon Bible
Encyclopedia
The Neon Bible is John Kennedy Toole
's first novel
, written at the age of 16. Its main appeal is as an early look at the writer who would later write A Confederacy of Dunces
.
Toole, describing the novel during correspondence with an editor, wrote "In 1954, when I was 16, I wrote a book called The Neon Bible, a grim, adolescent, sociological attack upon the hatreds caused by the various Calvinist religions in the South—and the fundamentalist mentality is one of the roots of what was happening in Alabama, etc. The book, of course, was bad, but I sent it off a couple of times anyway." It failed to attract interest from publishers and was not released until after Toole's death, after Confederacys great success.
Like A Confederacy of Dunces, the novel had a long and difficult road to publication. The Neon Bible was written in 1954, but after initial attempts at securing publisher proved fruitless, the novel was put aside and Toole eventually began work on A Confederacy of Dunces. Toole committed suicide in 1969, leaving the unpublished manuscripts of A Confederacy of Dunces and The Neon Bible in the possession of Thelma Toole, his mother.
Louisiana's Napoleonic code
-influenced inheritance law meant that these works technically belonged not only to Thelma Toole, but also to several other relatives on his father's side of the family. However, as the initial print run of Confederacy was only 2,500 copies (and was distributed by the small and non-mainstream Louisiana State University
Press) no one figured that owning rights to the book would be especially profitable. Accordingly, Thelma Toole was able to convince these relatives to give up their rights to A Confederacy of Dunces.
But once Confederacy became a Pulitzer Prize winner and a commercial success in 1981, the situation changed. Toole's relatives knew that if issued as a follow-up novel, The Neon Bible could bring in a substantial amount of money. Consequently, they refused to give up their shared rights to this novel. Meanwhile, Thelma Toole refused to have the novel published if it meant that large portions of the income it derived would go to these relatives.
Thelma Toole died in 1984, but instructed author W. Kenneth Holditch to act on her behalf and keep the book from being published even after her death. Although Holditch attempted to respect Thelma's wishes (even though he did not agree with them), the relatives eventually filed a formal lawsuit
that would have put the book up for auction. Holditch knew that no matter how it was auctioned off, the outcome of the legal action would be that the book would be legally published. He therefore allowed The Neon Bible to see publication in 1989, before the "spectacle" of an auction could be held.
about a young man named David, growing up in rural Mississippi
during the late 1930s to early 1950s, and gradually learning of religious, racial, social, and sexual bigotry
.
The story is told as the narrator's ten strongest memories, one memory per chapter.
The book opens with David on a train going somewhere neither he nor the reader knows. Looking out the window of the train on to the surrounding land makes David begin to tell his story.
The story begins as David's Aunt Mae, a former actress and singer, moves in with David's family in their small house in the middle of town. Aunt Mae becomes sexually involved with a seventy-year-old man, which ends when the man is arrested on morality charges, and David does not get along with the other boys his own age. Soon after, David's father Frank loses his job at the factory in town and the family is forced to move to a rickety house on top of a hill overlooking the town. The family sinks into poverty, and Frank can only find part time employment as a gas station attendant.
As the family's circumstances worsen, Frank begins to care less about his family. When the family runs out of money, he buys seeds that will not grow in the clay of the hill soil instead of food with his small paycheck. His wife confronts him as he walks up the stairs and he hits her with his knee, knocking out one of her teeth. His wife bleeds badly, but this eventually subsides. Frank eventually leaves to fight in World War II
, being shipped to Italy
.
While Frank is in Italy, a revival headed by evangelist Bobbie Lee Taylor comes to town. The town preacher, who opposes the revival starts a rival Bible study class, which divides the town. Much of the drama is played through editorials in the newspaper and spots on the town radio station as each side attacks the other. Aunt Mae gets a job in the propeller factory as a supervisor, and organizes a dance. At the party, Aunt Mae sings and the townspeople are very impressed. This compels her to join a band, which helps make more money for the family.
Soon after the dance, the family receives a telegram stating that Frank had been killed in Italy. Frank's death causes David's mother to go insane, and David spends most of his time taking care of her, while Aunt Mae goes out with her singing group. David, now fifteen, gets a job at the pharmacy in town, where he meets Jo Lynne, a girl staying in the valley to help her grandfather get better. After seeing a melodramatic movie, David and Jo Lynne visit the houses that are being built and kiss.
Clyde, a member of Aunt Mae's band who is in love with her, tells Aunt Mae that they could get a record deal in Nashville
. She decides to leave David and his mother for Nashville, and promises that she'll send tickets for them. On advice from Aunt Mae, David quits his job. After seeing Aunt Mae to the bus station, he returns to the house and eats dinner while reflecting on his situation. As he finishes his supper he begins to wonder where his mother is; she usually spends most of the day in the back yard where Frank's failed crop use to be. As he climbs the stairs he steps in a liquid, this liquid turns out to be his mother's blood. He finds his mother fallen and bleeding from the back of her mouth at the top of the stairs. The bleeding subsides, but eventually she dies. Her last word is "Frank."
The imperious preacher visits David's house to take his (now dead) mother to the elderly asylum. The preacher pushes past David to go upstairs, and as he climbs the stairs David shoots him through the back of the head, killing him. He buries his mother in the yard and uses his remaining money to board a train, hoping to start anew wherever he might be destined for.
The book is told entirely from the first person, and the main character is rarely referred to as David. David's name is mentioned very briefly at the beginning, and more strongly at the end. The restatement of his name is probably meant to jar the reader into paying closer attention.
' A Streetcar Named Desire
is evident in some of the dialogue.
The 2007 album Neon Bible
by the Canadian band Arcade Fire was not named for the book; frontman Win Butler
has stated the titles are purely coincidental.
of the book was released. The film The Neon Bible
was directed by Terence Davies, with a screenplay by Terence Davies based on Toole's novel. The cast includes Drake Bell
, Leo Burmester
, Denis Leary
, Peter McRobbie
, Gena Rowlands
, Diana Scarwid
, and Jacob Tierney
.
John Kennedy Toole
John Kennedy Toole was an American novelist from New Orleans, Louisiana, best-known for his posthumously published novel A Confederacy of Dunces. He also wrote The Neon Bible. Although several people in the literary world felt his writing skills were praiseworthy, Toole's novels were rejected...
's first novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
, written at the age of 16. Its main appeal is as an early look at the writer who would later write A Confederacy of Dunces
A Confederacy of Dunces
A Confederacy of Dunces is a picaresque novel written by John Kennedy Toole, published by LSU Press in 1980, 11 years after the author's suicide. The book was published through the efforts of writer Walker Percy and Toole's mother Thelma Toole, quickly becoming a cult classic, and later a...
.
Toole, describing the novel during correspondence with an editor, wrote "In 1954, when I was 16, I wrote a book called The Neon Bible, a grim, adolescent, sociological attack upon the hatreds caused by the various Calvinist religions in the South—and the fundamentalist mentality is one of the roots of what was happening in Alabama, etc. The book, of course, was bad, but I sent it off a couple of times anyway." It failed to attract interest from publishers and was not released until after Toole's death, after Confederacys great success.
Like A Confederacy of Dunces, the novel had a long and difficult road to publication. The Neon Bible was written in 1954, but after initial attempts at securing publisher proved fruitless, the novel was put aside and Toole eventually began work on A Confederacy of Dunces. Toole committed suicide in 1969, leaving the unpublished manuscripts of A Confederacy of Dunces and The Neon Bible in the possession of Thelma Toole, his mother.
Louisiana's Napoleonic code
Napoleonic code
The Napoleonic Code — or Code Napoléon — is the French civil code, established under Napoléon I in 1804. The code forbade privileges based on birth, allowed freedom of religion, and specified that government jobs go to the most qualified...
-influenced inheritance law meant that these works technically belonged not only to Thelma Toole, but also to several other relatives on his father's side of the family. However, as the initial print run of Confederacy was only 2,500 copies (and was distributed by the small and non-mainstream Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
Press) no one figured that owning rights to the book would be especially profitable. Accordingly, Thelma Toole was able to convince these relatives to give up their rights to A Confederacy of Dunces.
But once Confederacy became a Pulitzer Prize winner and a commercial success in 1981, the situation changed. Toole's relatives knew that if issued as a follow-up novel, The Neon Bible could bring in a substantial amount of money. Consequently, they refused to give up their shared rights to this novel. Meanwhile, Thelma Toole refused to have the novel published if it meant that large portions of the income it derived would go to these relatives.
Thelma Toole died in 1984, but instructed author W. Kenneth Holditch to act on her behalf and keep the book from being published even after her death. Although Holditch attempted to respect Thelma's wishes (even though he did not agree with them), the relatives eventually filed a formal lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
that would have put the book up for auction. Holditch knew that no matter how it was auctioned off, the outcome of the legal action would be that the book would be legally published. He therefore allowed The Neon Bible to see publication in 1989, before the "spectacle" of an auction could be held.
Plot summary
The novel is a bildungsromanBildungsroman
In literary criticism, bildungsroman or coming-of-age story is a literary genre which focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood , and in which character change is thus extremely important...
about a young man named David, growing up in rural Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
during the late 1930s to early 1950s, and gradually learning of religious, racial, social, and sexual bigotry
Bigotry
A bigot is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices, especially one exhibiting intolerance, and animosity toward those of differing beliefs...
.
The story is told as the narrator's ten strongest memories, one memory per chapter.
The book opens with David on a train going somewhere neither he nor the reader knows. Looking out the window of the train on to the surrounding land makes David begin to tell his story.
The story begins as David's Aunt Mae, a former actress and singer, moves in with David's family in their small house in the middle of town. Aunt Mae becomes sexually involved with a seventy-year-old man, which ends when the man is arrested on morality charges, and David does not get along with the other boys his own age. Soon after, David's father Frank loses his job at the factory in town and the family is forced to move to a rickety house on top of a hill overlooking the town. The family sinks into poverty, and Frank can only find part time employment as a gas station attendant.
As the family's circumstances worsen, Frank begins to care less about his family. When the family runs out of money, he buys seeds that will not grow in the clay of the hill soil instead of food with his small paycheck. His wife confronts him as he walks up the stairs and he hits her with his knee, knocking out one of her teeth. His wife bleeds badly, but this eventually subsides. Frank eventually leaves to fight in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, being shipped to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
While Frank is in Italy, a revival headed by evangelist Bobbie Lee Taylor comes to town. The town preacher, who opposes the revival starts a rival Bible study class, which divides the town. Much of the drama is played through editorials in the newspaper and spots on the town radio station as each side attacks the other. Aunt Mae gets a job in the propeller factory as a supervisor, and organizes a dance. At the party, Aunt Mae sings and the townspeople are very impressed. This compels her to join a band, which helps make more money for the family.
Soon after the dance, the family receives a telegram stating that Frank had been killed in Italy. Frank's death causes David's mother to go insane, and David spends most of his time taking care of her, while Aunt Mae goes out with her singing group. David, now fifteen, gets a job at the pharmacy in town, where he meets Jo Lynne, a girl staying in the valley to help her grandfather get better. After seeing a melodramatic movie, David and Jo Lynne visit the houses that are being built and kiss.
Clyde, a member of Aunt Mae's band who is in love with her, tells Aunt Mae that they could get a record deal in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. She decides to leave David and his mother for Nashville, and promises that she'll send tickets for them. On advice from Aunt Mae, David quits his job. After seeing Aunt Mae to the bus station, he returns to the house and eats dinner while reflecting on his situation. As he finishes his supper he begins to wonder where his mother is; she usually spends most of the day in the back yard where Frank's failed crop use to be. As he climbs the stairs he steps in a liquid, this liquid turns out to be his mother's blood. He finds his mother fallen and bleeding from the back of her mouth at the top of the stairs. The bleeding subsides, but eventually she dies. Her last word is "Frank."
The imperious preacher visits David's house to take his (now dead) mother to the elderly asylum. The preacher pushes past David to go upstairs, and as he climbs the stairs David shoots him through the back of the head, killing him. He buries his mother in the yard and uses his remaining money to board a train, hoping to start anew wherever he might be destined for.
The book is told entirely from the first person, and the main character is rarely referred to as David. David's name is mentioned very briefly at the beginning, and more strongly at the end. The restatement of his name is probably meant to jar the reader into paying closer attention.
Allusions/references to other works
The influence of Tennessee WilliamsTennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
' A Streetcar Named Desire
A Streetcar Named Desire (play)
A Streetcar Named Desire is a 1947 play written by American playwright Tennessee Williams for which he received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1948. The play opened on Broadway on December 3, 1947, and closed on December 17, 1949, in the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. The Broadway production was...
is evident in some of the dialogue.
The 2007 album Neon Bible
Neon Bible
Neon Bible is the second album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire, released in March 2007 on Merge Records. Originally announced on December 16, 2006 through the band's website, the majority of the album was recorded in a church that the band bought and renovated.Neon Bible became Arcade...
by the Canadian band Arcade Fire was not named for the book; frontman Win Butler
Win Butler
Win Butler is the lead vocalist and songwriter of the Montreal-based indie rock band Arcade Fire. His wife Régine Chassagne and his brother William Butler are both members of the band.-Life and career:...
has stated the titles are purely coincidental.
Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
In 1995 a movieFilm
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
of the book was released. The film The Neon Bible
The Neon Bible (film)
The Neon Bible is a 1995 drama film written and directed by Terence Davies, based on the novel of the same name by John Kennedy Toole. The film is about a boy named David coming of age in Georgia in the 1940s...
was directed by Terence Davies, with a screenplay by Terence Davies based on Toole's novel. The cast includes Drake Bell
Drake Bell
Jared Drake Bell , better known as Drake Bell, is an American actor, comedian, guitarist, singer/songwriter, producer, and occasional television director. After beginning his career as a child star in the late 1990s and early 2000s, he appeared on The Amanda Show and became well-known among young...
, Leo Burmester
Leo Burmester
Leo Burmester was an American actor. Burmester worked for director John Sayles several times, including in Passion Fish and Lone Star , and also for directors such as John Schlesinger and Sidney Lumet, and as the Apostle Nathaniel in Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ...
, Denis Leary
Denis Leary
Denis Colin Leary is an Irish-American actor, comedian, writer and director. Leary is known for his biting, fast paced comedic style and chain smoking...
, Peter McRobbie
Peter McRobbie
Peter McRobbie is a Scottish-born, American-based character actor.-Career:McRobbie has more than 60 movies and television series to his credit. The movies include Spider-Man 2, World Trade Center, Sleepers, and Bullets over Broadway...
, Gena Rowlands
Gena Rowlands
Gena Rowlands is an American actress of film, stage and television. The four-time Emmy and two-time Golden Globe winner is best known for her collaborations with her actor-director husband John Cassavetes in ten films, in two of which, Gloria and A Woman Under the Influence, she gave Academy...
, Diana Scarwid
Diana Scarwid
Diana Scarwid is an American actress. Scarwid has done work in film, television and theater.-Personal life:Scarwid was born in Savannah, Georgia, and left Georgia at the age of 17, heading to New York to become an actress. She graduated from Pace University and The American Academy of Dramatic...
, and Jacob Tierney
Jacob Tierney
Jacob Daniel Tierney is a Canadian actor, film director and screenwriter.Tierney was born in Montreal, Quebec, the son of veteran producer Kevin Tierney...
.