"Wildcat" Summary

"Wildcat" explores the conscious and subconscious fears of a blind black man, Old Gabriel, who, as the story opens, is alone in a cabin and hears many things that terrify him. He has a powerful sense of smell and thinks he can smell four "niggers" in the beginning of the story, but his main fear is a nearby wildcat that he thinks will tear him limb from limb in the dark. The young "niggers" he senses approach his porch, tease him and mock him, prior to their leaving to go hunt for the wildcat. They tease him because they know he is afraid to be alone, but he puts up a brave front and they depart.

Old Gabriel remembers a time when he was young and had to stay with the women while the men went hunting; the women told him...