The Story of Suicide Sal by Bonnie Parker

Bonnie Parker  and Clyde Barrow were American criminals during the Great Depression and attracted a cult following while they were alive, which has lasted to today. They died a gruesome and sensational death in a hailstorm of a reported 50 bullets fired at them during an ambush by the police. Bonnie Parker (1910–1935) was only 24 years old. But while Bonnie Parkers name is more often attached to the image of her as a gang member, arsenal  thief, and murderer, she also wrote two poems in the popular social bandit/outlaw folk hero tradition: The Story of Bonnie and Clyde, and The Story of Suicide Sal. The Story of Suicide Sal Bonnie showed an interest in writing at a young age. In school, she won prizes for spelling and writing. She continued to write after she dropped out of school. In fact, she wrote poems while she and Clyde were on the run from the law. She even submitted some of her poems to newspapers. Bonnie wrote The Story of Suicide Sal in spring of 1932 on pieces of scrap paper while she was briefly held in jail in Kaufman County, Texas. The poem was published in newspapers after it was discovered during a raid on  Bonnie and Clydes  hideout in Joplin, Missouri, on April 13, 1933. Dangerous Life Decisions The poem tells the story of a pair of doomed lovers, Sal and Jack, who are desperadoes driven to criminality by circumstances outside of their control. It can be assumed that Sal is Bonnie while Jack is Clyde. The poem is told from the perspective of an unnamed narrator, who then retells a story that Sal once told in the first person. From this piece, readers can glean some details about Bonnies life and thoughts. Beginning with the title, The Story of Suicide Sal makes it clear that Bonnie recognized her highly dangerous lifestyle and that she had premonitions of early death. A Harsh Environment In the poem, Sal says, I left my old home for the cityTo play in its mad dizzy whirl,Not knowing how little of pityIt holds for a country girl. Perhaps this stanza conveys how a harsh, unforgiving, and fast-paced environment made Bonnie feel disoriented. Maybe these emotions set the scene for Bonnies turn to crime. Love for Clyde Then Sal says, There I fell for the line of a henchman,A professional killer from Chi;I couldnt help loving him madly;For him even now I would die....I was taught the ways of the underworld;Jack was just like a god to me. Again, Jack in this poem most likely represents Clyde. Bonnie felt passionate about Clyde, regarding him as a god and willing to die for him. This love probably prompted her to follow him in his line of work. Lost Faith in Government Sal continues on to describe how she gets arrested and is eventually imprisoned. While her friends are able to rally some lawyers to defend her in court, Sal says, But it takes more than lawyers and moneyWhen  Uncle Sam  starts shaking you down. In American culture, Uncle Sam is a symbol that represents the U.S. government and is supposed to inspire patriotism and a sense of duty—a noble figure, so to speak. However, Bonnie paints Uncle Sam in a negative light by describing violent actions, like shaking you down. Perhaps this phrase speaks to Bonnie and Clydes belief that the government system had failed them, a common feeling among many people during the Great Depression. Bonnie/Sal continues to paint the government in a negative light by saying, I took the rap like good people,And never one squawk did I make. In describing herself as a good and compliant person, Bonnie implies that the government and/or the police are unfairly vilifying citizens trying to hustle and make ends meet during the Great Depression.