The following passage depicts a moment in “The Lynching of Jube Benson” by Paul Laurence Dunbar where Dr. Melville takes a step back from narrating the core story about Jube Benson. It provides a different perspective on the reasons why Dr. Melville was passionate about capturing Benson to the point where he was blindsided by the truth that was presented clearly in front of him. Without this passage, Dr. Melville could be summarized as a racist, jealous lover. Although this may be true, his reflection reveals a deeper reason behind his negative bias toward African Americans. “I could only think of him as a monster. It’s tradition. At first I was told that the black man would catch me, and when I got over that, they taught me that the devil was black, and when I had recovered from the sickness of that belief, here were Jube and his fellows with faces of menacing blackness. There’s only one conclusion: This black man stood for all powers of evil, the result of whose machinations had been gathering in my mind from childhood up” (Dunbar 63). Environments, influences, and one’s education can profoundly influence adolescents, as seen through Dr. Melville in “The Lynching of Jube Benson.” Although many aspects of life are heavily influenced by society, Dunbar focuses on perceptions of race. Within this passage, it is revealed that Dr. Melville was under the impression that those of African descent were "monsters." The lack of personal experiences that correlate with this characterization eventually led him to dispute this idea. However, through his education, he was led to believe that "the devil was black." Once again, the characterization that those of African descent "stood for all powers of evil" was reinforced. Adolescents with developing brains are unable to fathom that a commonly accepted idea may be wrong. They assimilate into society through reinforcement, and through the trust that they have in others of authority, or to avoid criticism if they were to challenge the idea. Therefore, when Dr. Melville encountered Benson, it was easy to categorize him as a menacing monster, rather than a human being. Dunbar evaluates the impact of society's perspective on race, but this same concept can be applied to gender. It may not seem significant, but various tiny experiences can shape one’s young mind. For instance, the common derogatory phrase “you throw like a girl” places an expectation on gender. It is assumed that girls are inferior to boys physically. This is further enforced by the phrase “man up.” It gives the connotation that men are generally the toughest, but are weak if they show fear or emotion. Other influences continue to support society's expectations of gender. Disney has a multitude of films that feature a damsel in distress being saved by a knight in shining armor. Others feature a woman's need to rely on men. Surely, many females can relate to the experience where their teacher asks for volunteers to do some sort of light physical labor. Many girls may raise their hands, but it is typically the boys in the class that are selected. These seemingly minor experiences have the power to shape one’s perspective on gender, especially when they are consistently reinforced throughout one’s life. It is only when the bias is recognized that one can make the change. For Dr. Melville, partaking in the death of Benson forced him to recognize his faults by challenging commonly accepted beliefs. This process can be difficult, for it forces one to question the values and beliefs of trusted figures. It can even cause one to call their whole childhood into question, possibly leading to an existential crisis. Yet, this is how society can escape outdated machinations that can lead to progressive changes. This is how the world can continue to evolve. It could be easy to place the majority of the blame on Dr. Melville; however, after considering the passage where he reflects on his perspective of African Americans, the extent of society’s role in Benson’s unjust death is fully recognized. While Dr. Melville remains accountable, it was society that had engrained the skewed perspective of African Americans into his mind. Dunbar was not attempting to blame a single person, rather he was trying to challenge society. To challenge society to delve into the reason behind commonly accepted ideas to find their own meanings. To challenge society to think independently to avoid prejudice. By having Dr. Melville narrate the passage decades after the event occurred, not only is the reader able to reflect that the issue lies deep within society, but Dr. Melville realizes it as well. It’s the tradition that needs to be changed, not only the person.