Five Plays of the SouthHymn to the rising sun: A one act play taking on the abusive treatment of prisoners, especially African-Americans, in the North Carolina prison system. The play is notable for Green for its unity of time, place and action: taking place in a continuous scene on a single morning in the convict stockade. The prisoners are terrorized by The Captain, the white Big Daddy on this plantation. A new prisoner, a young white man called Bright Boy, has found his way into this hellhole, tormented by the groans and cries of Runt, a black convict kept all night in a tiny box named Aggie. The captain is a terrifying yet subtle character with some great monologues. His command of the scene is absolute and is only challenged by the grave, yet realistically presented injustice that he embodies. At the climax, he whips the young white man mercilessly and Runt dies in the box. All this takes place ironically on Independence Day. If it were not for some problematic characterizations of African-Americans, this would still stand as a powerful piece of agitprop. |
Contents
In Abrahams Bosom | 105 |
Hymn to the Rising Sun | 179 |
The House of Connelly | 205 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
Aggie ain't American Commander Anguish beat begins Big Sis Big Sue bows Brigadier Cap'n CAPTAIN VALENTINE chair Colonel Mack comes Connelly Corporal George Doctor Mahodan Doctor McBray door Douglass dressed English Sergeant Essie Evelyn eyes face Fade-out SCENE fire gazing Geraldine gesture goes going Goldie Grandpa Joe Granny gwine hand head hear heard Howington Johnny Johnson kill knees Lanie laugh left front left rear Lije Lonnie looks Lord Mary Mayor Minny Belle Morgan Muh Mack Negro Neilly nigger night Patsy Paul Green Pearly Gates poor PRIVATE JESSEL pulls Puny right front rises Second Guard shaking shoulders singing SIS and BIG sits sleep smiling Sniper softly soldiers stands staring stops suddenly talk Tate tell There's turns Uncle Bob Virginia voice watch What's
References to this book
Neither Black Nor White Yet Both: Thematic Explorations of Interracial ... Werner Sollors Limited preview - 1997 |