Previous
Melvin Jones
Basil is a new recruit to the FBI. Tall and blond, he recently graduated from Harvard. Basil was hired because of his family connections, and Calvin is charged with teaching him the ropes. Even though he is more inexperienced than Calvin, Basil is placed on front desk duty, showing the racial hierarchy at play. Their mission is to gather information on the Swan, one of the Messenger’s mistresses, who will be traveling in New Mexico. Over the course of the mission, Basil flirts with the Swan in an attempt to get closer to her. Her interest in Basil initially surprises Calvin, but the reason for her odd behavior eventually reveals itself—the Swan is passing for white.
Get the entire Temple Folk LitChart as a printable PDF.
Basil Character Timeline in Temple Folk
The timeline below shows where the character Basil appears in Temple Folk. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
2. New Mexico
...is on a mission at the Mirage Hotel in New Mexico. Early one Friday morning, Basil, one of the Bureau’s new recruits, approaches him outside of the hotel’s loading dock. Calvin...
(full context)
Basil is confused about why Poole (the Messenger) would bring The Swan there. After reminding him...
(full context)
...while his face is shaped like his father’s, his features more closely resemble the Swan’s. Basil quickly approaches her, and the two engage in what looks like a very friendly conversation.
(full context)
...him. When the Swan and her son head to their room, Calvin walks over to Basil, who looks smitten. Basil tells Calvin that he thinks the Swan likes him and that...
(full context)
V. Knowing that Basil and the Swan plan to meet over drinks later that night, Calvin works in the...
(full context)
