From the moment Cloyd is introduced, he becomes the antagonist. He usurps Sonny's Mother, home, and way of life as soon as he stumbles in with his slick hair and fake suit. Cloyd has obviously been raised by a traditional sexist family, and is continuing the traditions and customs in his own home. Unfortunately, Sonny is forced to be included in Cloyd's red-neck culture. Cloyd's way of thinking goes a little like this: No man is a man unless he has a gun, the correct caveman instinct to use that gun, a submissive, silent wife who cooks without question, and a son who understands and agrees with all of the above. This man is a person I've met too many times for my own comfort level. My uncle, for example, lives in his large shiny house with his wrinkle-free wife and three blond children, and has only ventured into a dictionary once, in order to find bigger words with which to describe his five new over-sized trucks. As a child I attended many Easters and Thanksgivings at his house, but a couple years ago when I decided to bring my girlfriend to a party he was far too uncomfortable and "didn't want his son exposed to such things." I haven't been back since, and am happy to remind myself we're not related by blood.
Although Cloyd appears to be a dull, drunk Neanderthal, I can't help but think it's not his fault. The book has yet to mention anything of the sort, but I can imagine Cloyd's childhood was not a happy one. His father must have drilled his ideals into Cloyd's head, the same way Cloyd is doing it to Sonny. Cloyd father probably never told Cloyd he was proud of him, or helped him through many life issues. Cloyd was also exposed to sexism and racism, for that matter. Cloyd has voiced his negative oppinions on black people several times, and although his oppinions on the Mexicans are overall positive-seeming, they are racist all the same. Just the fact that he calls his wife "one pretty Mexican gal" makes him sound all the more unintelligent. The man is passive aggressive, as well, and Sonny's mother knows it. She tells Sonny about Cloyd's obsession over saving toilet paper and how he blames her for using too much. At first he would just yell at her about it, but lately he's taken to saying things like "You should go to the store and buy more toilet paper." In many ways, it's healthier to explode and yell than it is to use passive aggressive behavior, and this is why Cloyd may be heading in a violent direction.
YES! I think Cloyd is that awkward character in the novel. I liked your approach to Cloyd's past. All those guessings about his childhood and how he may had been raised by his father are quite interesting. Good post, it's a good approach to understand why Sonny dislikes the guy.
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