"The Sport of the Gods" by Paul Dunbar recounts the tale of the Hamilton family. In the mid-1890s, this tight-knit black household, led by patriarch Berry Hamilton, relocates from the South to New York City after Berry is unfairly and unjustly convicted of a crime and sentenced to ten years of hard labor. The city takes its toll on the entire Hamilton family due to this racial injustice. Even though Berry is ultimately found innocent, and they return to the city, their lives have already been negatively impacted by the racial injustice they experienced. The Hamilton family's fortunes begin to shift when Berry is falsely accused of stealing a large sum of money.
Initially, Berry's arrest incited an untypical commotion in the community, since he was regarded as an honorable and practical African American, and an exem
...plary domestic. Nevertheless, there were numerous skeptics regarding his credibility and persona. This was the case, as stated by the A. M.
Berry, an active member of the E church, was quickly disowned by the church and received no sympathy or support from them. Even his friends were afraid to visit him and remained silent while his enemies rejoiced. The effects of slavery were still evident among black people in the town, causing them to turn away from Berry due to his accuser being white. They prioritized their own interests and safety over showing compassion for Berry.
Due to the legacy of fear and disloyalty inherited from their time in bondage, the black community turned their backs on Berry, resulting in two instances of racial injustice within the novel. Firstly, Berry was unjustly accused of a crime he
did not commit. Secondly, his own race betrayed and acted disloyally towards him. His son Joe felt angry at the false accusations against his father, and his helplessness heightened his emotions. Being a noble young man, Joe remained steadfast. However, witnessing the grief and tears of his mother and the shame of his sister Kitty fueled his anger and rebellion, allowing the negativity inside him to grow. Eventually, Joe resigned from his job at the barbershop due to the constant judgement and ridicule from his fellow colleagues.
Kit secluded herself at home, devastated by the shame and rejection she experienced after the other girls, who once envied her, now hurled insults at her. This forced Berry's family to relocate to New York City, where they underwent a complete transformation within just five years. Joe's transformation was even quicker, influenced by Hattie Sterling towards both good and evil. Unfortunately, Joe fell in with a reckless group, turned to alcoholism, and ultimately ended up imprisoned for committing murder.
Joe believed that he had no strength to stop himself from sinking to the depths, with a weak will and aimless pride. Fannie was consumed by grief and pain due to Joe's mindset, hurting for her lost husband and the mistreatment of her daughter by her new partner. Despite this, Fannie saw her son as her own and wept for him. In the meantime, Kitty Hamilton pursued a career as a dancer in the city.
Despite enjoying her life, the conviction of her brother was somewhat of a blow to her, causing her to feel a sense of shame and little grief. The incident was problematic for Kit as it occurred during
a time when the company she was with was expanding and she was becoming more prominent. After taking to the stage, Kit began to live a life centered on acquiring fashionable clothing and the ability to draw attention, which she had developed a strong desire for.
Kit chose not to visit Joe in jail for fear of being anxious in the city. Instead, she left New York with her company before Joe's arrest. Fannie, on the other hand, was left feeling lonely and hurt as her children left her alone. In an attempt to move on, she married Gibson, who unfortunately abused her. Eventually, Gibson was killed in a fight. Despite having lost hope that he would ever receive justice, Berry was surprised and somewhat joyous upon learning of his pardon after spending five years in prison.
Having lived a life of toil without any motivation or appreciation, the individual had learned to reject pity and assistance from others, and had also lost hope. After being released from prison, nobody informed him about the state of his family. Thus, he ventured out in search of Fannie, who revealed to him the details concerning Joe and Kitty along with her own predicament.
Berry was deeply saddened by the events that transpired in his family, prompting both him and Fannie to return to their southern hometown. Their time in New York held nothing but melancholy memories and traumatic experiences. Ultimately, it can be concluded that the Hamilton family's lives were significantly impacted and altered by the racial injustice they faced.
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