What symbolic role does the Ku Klux Klan play in this story? What do you think of Iles's use of symbolism?

What symbolic role does the Ku Klux Klan play in this story -- both in the present and in flashbacks? What do you think of Iles's use of symbolism?

The KKK was such a horrific part of America's history and particularly for the South. I think it was a big foundation for the corruption that was a part of it and that remained long afterward. This story also focuses on the bond that was created through generations of its members and how deeply engrained it became in the way of life in and around Natches.

The KKK is portrayed as an evil fact of life in the South but oddly the lesser of 2 evils. Families raised their children in an environment of hate and entitlement and it shows in the sons.

The kkk and the eagles are like another character in the book. They represent all that was (is?) ugly in the south. Without all this hatred there is no book

I've been thinking about this question since it was posted and I think the KKK epitomizes fear and hatred that minorities have dealt with in the South since Slavery. It was initially dealt with by slavers and slave owners and progressed to the KKK after Slavery. Mr. Iles uses symbolism in subtle and not-so-subtle ways to achieve his goal in telling this story. I doubt if the story would read or feel the same without the symbolism used.

In this novel the KKK symbolizes hatred, camaraderie, fear (from those both within and outside the organization), and destruction. I admire Iles for his use of the characters as symbols--some represent loyalty; some, greed; some, perseverance even to the point of death; and others, greed.

Evil. Corruption. Ignorance. Secrecy. A horrible stain in our history.

The KKK symbolizes a well known evil - robes, hoods, burning crosses. They make their hatred known by obvious means. The lesser known evil is the evil that is passed on from father to son in this story. This is the worst kind of evil - a hatred passed on thru generations.

I think the Ku Klux Klan is a group that most of us have heard of and know about the terrible things they did/do. By providing readers with a reference point and then portraying the "Double Eagles" as being disgusted by how weak/ineffective the Klan was we have an immediate idea of how truly heinous the Double Eagles were.

I don't really think of the Klan as a symbol in the book because it's a real thing. By all indications, its members are filled with racist ideas and hatred. The burning cross and white outfits symbolize the Klan and by extension, hatred and prejudice. It's sad and ironic that a cross in any form symbolizes hatred. It's really hard for me to understand that.

The KKK was very important to the book. They were a terrible piece of our history and they were necessary to the story to explain how the Eagles became what they were.

The kkk symbolizes evil and hatred that has been around since the days of slavery. It's sad that it's still alive today but it's a generational belief that is passed down and it can be broken.

The KKK is real (not sure whether the Double Eagles are as well) and its role in the story is like its role in history: the living symbol of prejudice, racism, hatred of the other, and a desire to build camaraderie among the members to preserve the status quo, however twisted and detrimental to others that status quo may be. Sadly, the KKK still exists, and while the crimes may be less visible and of a different type, they are no less evil. As the author/reporter Ellis Cose has said, we are "Far from the Finish Line" when it comes to racial equality in the U.S. In some ways, Iles may be using the KKK as a symbol for how far we have yet to go.

I think the KKK symbolizes the power of history to affect the present. As historians have said, the past isn't really in the past; it is still with us. As much as we would like to erase the terrible history of slavery and Jim Crow, we don't have to look far to see that the remnants are still embedded in our social structure and economic inequality.