The Fall of Rome

Martha Southgate

First time novelist Martha Southgate was born and raised in Cleveland, and much of that early experience finds a home in her first novel, The Fall of Rome, a coming of age story – but who comes of age? Latin instructor Jerome Washington has tought at an exclusive prep school in Connecticut for 20 years, and for most of that time has been the only black teacher. The student body is not lily white, but close to it. Mr. Washington's students would say he is out of touch with the world, lost in a dead language and an era and ideal of philosophical thought long gone. He holds the reins so tightly on himself that he can't, or won't, recognize that he isn't out of touch just with the world. His world of rigid mental exertion and strict rational thought is shaken by two events – the acceptance of Rashid Johnson, a promising student from a poor neighborhood in New York City, and new English instructor Jana Hansen. Mr. Washington sees his "mission" with Rashid to enlighten him to the cruelty of the world, that his color will hold Rashid back. Mr. Washington takes this mission to extremes, resulting in biased grading of midterm exams. Rashid uncovers the bias and with the help of Ms. Hansen, rocks Mr. Washington's world. Told from a multiple first person perspective, insight is provided on the inner thoughts of the main characters. Transitions can be abrupt, but otherwise this is a novel that will make you think a bit, or a bit differently, about bias. In the last week of the year, this one has likely made it to my top ten list for 2005. +