Herbert Hoover
Character Key Number:
3795
Display Name:
Herbert Hoover
Sort Name:
Hoover, Herbert
Ever Present in Yoknapatawpha?:
No
Biography:
The real Herbert Hoover was the 31st President of the U.S. (1929-1933). The "Herbert Hoover" who appears in The Mansion, however, is the creation of Gavin Stevens, who is trying to direct the Federal Bureau of Investigation. away from Linda Snopes Kohl by writing an anonymous letter to "Herbert Hoover/F B & I Depment" accusing Flem Snopes of having a "commonist party Card" (269). The real head of the F.B.I. at the time, of course, was J. Edgar Hoover - no relation to Herbert - but Gavin's 'mistake' is part of his impersonation of an "Patriotic Citizen" who cannot spell (269).