As fascinated as I was to read the suggestion that
Dylan's Mr. Jones might be gay, I really do not think
that this was the intent.
For the record, I think that the concept of "Mr. Jones"
is that of a very straight, very conventional man who
is completely judgmental about the world around him.
He is the complete "square" who is utterly bewildered
at all the strange people and goings-on.
He feels himself to be quite superior to the the riff-raff,
and very put-upon by their existence.
You know- the typical, white, suburban, heterosexual
Republican male with 2.5 kids and a manicured lawn
and a mortgage.
He looks down his nose at all the weirdos and freaks
of the world, whom he sees as a blight to be removed-
something to be vetoed, repressed, outlawed.
The thinks that the freakishness in the world is
an exception, a temporary aberration, a preposterous outrage.
He cannot imagine for a second that this might be reality's
innermost nature, something intrinsic and inescapable.
Even more significantly, Mr. Jones sees himself as being
in sharp contrast to all this freakness. He sees himself
as among "real" people, the good and sensible people,
the Atlas holding the world on his shoulders,
the salt of the earth.
What he cannot see is that he is really just
another part of the freak show, himself- a blind
hypocrite. His world is so filled with other people
just like himself- a world devoid of contrast-
that he cannot appreciate how bizarre are his
own beliefs, attitudes, customs and culture.
Events confront him and mock him, almost as if trying to bring
this relevation to him, as he resists in his arrogance.
You know- like the most of the good, church-going,
fellow Americans, all around you.
Tom Keske
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