Spunk

Spunk Summary | Chapter 1 Summary

Spunk Banks is a giant of a man and a bully, and he has taken Joe Kanty's wife, Lena, for his own without regard to Joe's feelings. All the loungers at the village store watch as Spunk and Lena come walking down the street. Elijah Mosley and Walter Thomas gossip about Spunk's behavior and the fact that Joe, a much smaller man, has not been able to do anything about the situation.

Spunk, who works at the sawmill, is something of a hero to the men because he isn't afraid of anything. Poor Joe comes into the store and the men ridicule him for the way Spunk and Lena have become a pair.

Walter doesn't approve of Spunk's taking Lena just because Joe is timid, but Elijah protests. He says that doesn't have anything to do with it. It's just that Spunk wants Lena, a small and very pretty woman. That's just the way he is, says Elijah. It doesn't matter what obstacle gets in his way, he goes after whatever he wants. He says that Spunk has told Joe that Lena is his. He tells Lena he is going to look after her and will build her a house. She replies that the house she lives in is hers - her father gave it to her. Even so, he assures her that he is the person who is going to look after her from now on.

Now Joe is in the store and is saying he's going after Spunk with his razor. The men encourage him; although, after he leaves, they express doubts that there's anything he can do. After all, they say, Joe knows that Spunk totes an Army 45. In fact, they believe Joe will hide the razor and will not do anything.