The Gilded Six-Bits

The gilded six-bits have a dual function, symbolizing both Otis D. Slemmons’s greed and falseness, as well as Missie May’s infidelity; in both cases, they develop themes of The Function and Morality of Money and Appearance Versus Reality. When Slemmons first arrives in town, his wealth is literally on display in the form of gold $5 and $10 dollar pieces on his person; when Missie May discovers that the $10 piece Joe took from him is actually a gilded six-bit, it becomes clear that his wealth is a deception, and Slemmons no more than a con man.

Joe carries the gold coin around in his pocket even before Missie—and thus the reader—realizes it’s gilded. It is a symbol of her betrayal of Joe, “a monster hiding in the cave of his pockets to destroy her” (96). However, when its falseness does come to light, it hammers home the emptiness of Missie May’s pursuit of wealth: In leaving the coin under Missie May’s pillow after sex, Joe implies that she slept with Slemmons in exchange for something that had no value to begin with.

Nevertheless, the coin itself is not quite worthless, as Joe uses it to buy candy kisses for Missie May at the end of the story. The action is symbolically significant on multiple levels. For one, it releases Missie May from the physical reminder of her guilt, suggesting Joe’s forgiveness. It also represents a return to the “economy” with which the story opened: Neither Joe nor Missie May continue to lust after the gold as a symbol of status, instead contenting themselves with what the coin can actually buy. Finally, it suggests the marriage’s durability, as Joe turns even this memento of Missie May’s betrayal to good use, exchanging it for something that will strengthen their relationship.