Bleachers

The image of the bleachers of the “Rakesfield” is one of the most important one in the novel. These bleachers represent the heart of the city, which gathered here every Friday to watch the “Spartans” playing. When sitting here years after Neely still “was hearing the drum corps of the band, and the raspy, unforgettable voice of Mr. Bo Michael on the public address, and the deafening sound of the bleachers rattling as the fans jumped up and down.” The image of the bleachers acquire symbolic meaning throughout the entire novel.

Friday nights, the entire town of Messina waited for the gate to open, then rushed to the bleachers where seats were claimed and nervous pregame rituals were followed. The black, paved pasture around Rake Field would overflow long before the opening kickoff, sending the out-of-town traffic into the dirt roads and alleys and remote parking zones behind the school's cafeteria and its baseball field. Opposing fans had a rough time in Messina, but not nearly as rough as the opposing teams.